按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
“Well； I know pretty well where to；” said the senator； beginning to put on his boots； with a reflective air； and； stopping when his leg was half in； he embraced his knee with both hands； and seemed to go off in deep meditation。
“It’s a confounded awkward； ugly business；” said he； at last； beginning to tug at his boot…straps again； “and that’s a fact！” After one boot was fairly on； the senator sat with the other in his hand； profoundly studying the figure of the carpet。 “It will have to be done； though； for aught I see；—hang it all！” and he drew the other boot anxiously on； and looked out of the window。
Now； little Mrs。 Bird was a discreet woman；—a woman who never in her life said； “I told you so！” and； on the present ocomasion； though pretty well aware of the shape her husband’s meditations were taking； she very prudently forbore to meddle with them； only sat very quietly in her chair； and looked quite ready to hear her liege lord’s intentions； when he should think proper to utter them。
“You see；” he said； “there’s my old client； Van Trompe； has come over from Kentucky； and set all his slaves free； and he has bought a place seven miles up the creek； here； back in the woods； where nobody goes； unless they go on purpose； and it’s a place that isn’t found in a hurry。 There she’d be safe enough； but the plague of the thing is； nobody could drive a carriage there tonight； but me。”
“Why not？ Cudjoe is an excellent driver。”
“Ay； ay； but here it is。 The creek has to be crossed twice； and the second crossing is quite dangerous； unless one knows it as I do。 I have crossed it a hundred times on horseback； and know exactly the turns to take。 And so； you see； there’s no help for it。 Cudjoe must put in the horses； as quietly as may be； about twelve o’clock； and I’ll take her over； and then； to give color to the matter； he must carry me on to the next tavern to take the stage for Columbus； that comes by about three or four； and so it will look as if I had had the carriage only for that。 I shall get into business bright and early in the morning。 But I’m thinking I shall feel rather cheap there； after all that’s been said and done； but； hang it； I can’t help it！”
“Your heart is better than your head； in this case； John；” said the wife； laying her little white hand on his。 “Could I ever have loved you； had I not known you better than you know yourself？” And the little woman looked so handsome； with the tears sparkling in her eyes； that the senator thought he must be a decidedly clever fellow； to get such a pretty creature into such a passionate admiration of him； and so； what could he do but walk off soberly； to see about the carriage。 At the door； however； he stopped a moment； and then coming back； he said； with some hesitation。
“Mary； I don’t know how you’d feel about it； but there’s that drawer full of things—of—of—poor little Henry’s。” So saying； he turned quickly on his heel； and shut the door after him。
His wife opened the little bed…room door adjoining her room and； taking the candle； set it down on the top of a bureau there； then from a small recess she took a key； and put it thoughtfully in the lock of a drawer； and made a sudden pause； while two boys； who； boy like； had followed close on her heels； stood looking； with silent； significant glances； at their mother。 And oh！ mother that reads this； has there never been in your house a drawer； or a closet； the opening of which has been to you like the opening again of a little grave？ Ah！ happy mother that you are； if it has not been so。
Mrs。 Bird slowly opened the drawer。 There were little coats of many a form and pattern； piles of aprons； and rows of small stockings； and even a pair of little shoes； worn and rubbed at the toes； were peeping from the folds of a paper。 There was a toy horse and wagon； a top； a ball；—memorials gathered with many a tear and many a heart…break！ She sat down by the drawer； and； leaning her head on her hands over it； wept till the tears fell through her fingers into the drawer； then suddenly raising her head； she began； with nervous haste； selecting the plainest and most substantial articles； and gathering them into a bundle。
“Mamma；” said one of the boys； gently touching her arm； “you going to give away those things？”
“My dear boys；” she said； softly and earnestly； “if our dear； loving little Henry looks down from heaven； he would be glad to have us do this。 I could not find it in my heart to give them away to any common person—to anybody that was happy； but I give them to a mother more heart…broken and sorrowful than I am； and I hope God will send his blessings with them！”
There are in this world blessed souls； whose sorrows all spring up into joys for others； whose earthly hopes； laid in the grave with many tears； are the seed from which spring healing flowers and balm for the desolate and the distressed。 Among such was the delicate woman who sits there by the lamp； dropping slow tears； while she prepares the memorials of her own lost one for the outcast wanderer。
After a while； Mrs。 Bird opened a wardrobe； and； taking from thence a plain； serviceable dress or two； she sat down busily to her work…table； and； with needle； scissors； and thimble； at hand； quietly commenced the “letting down” process which her husband had recommended； and continued busily at it till the old clock in the corner struck twelve； and she heard the low rattling of wheels at the door。
“Mary；” said her husband； coming in； with his overcoat in his hand； “you must wake her up now； we must be off。”
Mrs。 Bird hastily deposited the various articles she had collected in a small plain trunk； and locking it； desired her husband to see it in the carriage； and then proceeded to call the woman。 Soon； arrayed in a cloak； bonnet； and shawl； that had belonged to her benefactress； she appeared at the door with her child in her arms。 Mr。 Bird hurried her into the carriage； and Mrs。 Bird pressed on after her to the carriage steps。 Eliza leaned out of the carriage； and put out her hand；—a hand as soft and beautiful as was given in return。 She fixed her large； dark eyes； full of earnest meaning； on Mrs。 Bird’s face； and seemed going to speak。 Her lips moved；—she tried once or twice； but there was no sound；—and pointing upward； with a look never to be forgotten； she fell back in the seat； and covered her face。 The door was shut； and the carriage drove on。
What a situation； now； for a patriotic senator； that had been all the week before spurring up the legislature of his native state to pass more stringent resolutions against escaping fugitives； their harborers and abettors！
Our good senator in his native state had not been exceeded by any of his brethren at Washington； in the sort of eloquence which has won for them immortal renown！ How sublimely he had sat with his hands in his pockets； and scouted all sentimental weakness of those who would put the welfare of a few miserable fugitives before great state interests！
He was as bold as a lion about it； and “mightily convinced” not only himself； but everybody that heard him；—but then his idea of a fugitive was only an idea of the letters that spell the word；—or at the most； the image of a little newspaper picture of a man with a stick and bundle with “Ran away from the subscriber” under it。 The magic of the real presence of distress；—the imploring human eye； the frail； trembling human hand； the despairing appeal of helpless agony；—these he had never tried。 He had never thought that a fugitive might be a hapless mother； a defenceless child；—like that one which was now wearing his lost boy’s little well…known cap； and so； as our poor senator was not stone or steel；—as he was a man； and a downright noble…hearted one； too；—he was； as everybody must see； in a sad case for his patriotism。 And you need not exult over him； good brother of the Southern States； for we have some inklings that many of you； under similar circumstances； would not do much better。 We have reason to know； in Kentucky； as in Mississippi； are noble and generous hearts； to whom never was tale of suffering told in vain。 Ah； good brother！ is it fair for you to expect of us services which your own brave； honorable heart would not allow you to render； were you in our place？
Be that as it may； if our good senator was a political sinner； he was in a fair way to expiate it by his night’s penance。 There had been a long continuous period of rainy weather； and the soft； rich earth of Ohio； as every one knows； is admirably suited to the manufacture of mud—and the road was an Ohio railroad of the good old times。
“And pray； what sort of a road may that be？” says some eastern traveller； who has been acomustomed to connect no ideas with a railroad； but those of smoothness or speed。
Know； then； innocent eastern friend； that in benighted regions of the west； where the mud is of unfathomable and sublime depth； roads are made of round rough logs； arranged transversely side by side； and coated over in their pristine freshness with earth； turf； and whatsoever may come to hand； and then the rejoicing native calleth it a road； and straightway essayeth to ride thereupon。 In process of time； the rains wash off all the turf and grass aforesaid； move the logs hither and thither； in picturesque positions； up； down and crosswise； with divers chasms and ruts of black mud intervening。
Over such a road as this our senator went stumbling along； making moral reflections as continuously as under the circumstances could be expected；—the carriage proceeding along much as follows；—bump！ bump！ bump！ slush！ down in the mud！—the senator； woman and child； reversing their positions so suddenly as to come； without any very acomurate adjustment； against the windows of the down…hill side。 Carriage sticks fast； while Cudjoe on the outside is heard making a great muster among the horses。 After various ineffectual pullings and twitchings； just as the senator is losing all patience； the carriage suddenly rights itself with a bounce；—two front wheels go down into another abyss； and senator； woman； and child； all tumble promiscuously on to the front seat；—senator’s hat is jammed over his eyes and nose quite unceremoniously； and he considers himself fairly extinguished；—child cries； and Cudjoe on the outside delivers animated addresses to the horses； who are kicking； and floundering； and straining under repeated cracks of the whip。 Carriage springs up； with another bounce；—down go the hind wheels；—senator； woman； and child； fly over on to the back seat； his elbows encountering her bonnet； and both her feet being jammed into his hat； which flies off in the concussion。 After a few moments the “slough” is passed； and the horses stop； panting；—the senator finds his hat； the woman straightens her bonnet and hushes her child； and they brace themselves for what is yet to come。
For a while only the continuous bump！ bump！ intermingled； just by way of variety； with divers side plunges and compound shakes； and they begin to flatter themselves that they are not so badly off； after all。 At last； with a square plunge； which puts all on to their feet and then down into their seats with incredible quickness； the carriage stops；—and； after much outside commotion； Cudjoe appears at the door。
“Please； sir； it’s powerful bad spot； this’ yer。 I don’t know how we’s to get clar out。 I’m a thinkin’ we’ll have to be a gettin’ rails。”
The senator despairingly steps out； picking gingerly for some firm foothold； down goes one foot an immeasurable depth；—he tries to pull it up； loses his balance； and tumbles over into the mud； and is fished out； in a very despairing condition； by Cudjoe。
But we forbear； out of sympathy to our readers’ bones。 Western travellers； who have beguiled the midnight hour in the interesting process of pulling down rail fences； to pry their carriages out of mud holes； will have a respectful and mournful sympathy with our unfortunate hero。 We beg them to drop a silent tear； and pass on。
It was full late in the night when the carriage emerged； dripping and bespattered； out of the creek； and stood at the door of a large farmhouse。
It took no inconsiderable perseverance to arouse the inmates； but at last the respectable proprietor appeared； and un