Natalie | Page 9

lofty lore For one untaught delight of thine; And feel
they'd give their learning's store, To know again thy truth divine."
MRS. OSGOOD.
"And now behold him kneeling there, By the child's side, in humble
prayer; While the same sun-beam shines upon The guilty and the
guiltless one; And hymns of joy proclaim through heaven, The triumph
of a soul forgiven."
MOORE'S "LALLA ROOKH."
"Mother, why does every one pass poor old Quady by without giving
him even a smile? Is not that the reason why he looks so sorrowful? He

looked so sad when I met him this afternoon, that I could not help
holding out the daisies which I had gathered for you, towards him; and
when he did not take them, but stood looking at me without speaking a
word, I asked him if he did not want the flowers to carry to his home,
and put them into his hand; and when I had come up with the
school-girls, who had run away when they saw him coming, I looked
after him, and he was still standing by the road-side, with the flowers in
his hand, watching us as we went up the street. Perhaps he was resting
a little, for it is a long way to the low home over the commons."
"Quady, my dear, no doubt feels that he is alone in the world, for he is
the only one that is left of a large tribe of Indians; all of his kind are
gone, and are buried, no one but himself knows where. He does not
look upon the pale faces as brothers, though they treat him kindly. He
feels that wrong has been shown his ancestors at their hands. I am glad,
my child, that you were kind to the Indian."
"Yes, mother, I love everybody; but I think I love those best who look
as if no one cared for them. I suppose everybody loves poor Quady,
only they forget to let him know it."
"You like dat old Ingin, Sea-flower? why, he almost as black as Bingo
hesef."
"Do you think I do not love you, Vingo, because you are black? You
are always good to me, and what would I do without you to take me to
the shore, whenever I like to go?"
"O, little missy, I tink you can sympetize wid old black Bingo; but den,
ebry body not like you; you's one ob de Lord's chilen hesef."
"We are all the Lord's children, Vingo," said Mrs. Grosvenor; "and we
should walk in the paths of righteousness, that we may be worthy of his
name. You may go, now."
"What does Vingo mean, mother? he talks so strangely sometimes
about my being left here by the Lord, and goes on muttering something
to himself, which I cannot understand, and laughs as if he was very

happy."
"It is his way of expressing himself, my dear; the negroes are a peculiar
race."
"Yes, I think they are; I like their ways, they are always so kind. Are
not their dispositions better than those of some white people? I never
heard of a black man being cruel to any one, but I have seen the prints
of a whip-lash on Vingo's neck, where he said his old massa used to
whip him; and I asked him many times over, if he was sure it was a
white man who whipped him, and he said yes, he was sure, for he
remembers he used to wish white folks were black, so they could not
tell which were the negroes."
"There are some very hard-hearted people in the world. Vingo was
brought up in slavery; when you are a little older you will understand it
better."
"Dear mother, you know what is best for me; but often, when I am
interested in what is said, and ask questions, people tell me I will
understand it when I am a little older; and when I sit down by myself,
and they think I have forgotten all about it, I find myself wishing I was
"a little older," for it disappoints me so much to leave a story not
finished."
Mrs. Grosvenor looked at the child in silence.
"I have not displeased you, dear mother, have I? I did not feel that I
was saying anything wrong."
"No, darling; I did not think you would understand me, that was the
reason why I did not explain to you. I am always ready to talk with you,
if you can comprehend what I am saying."
"Never mind, mother, I am six years old; it won't be a great while
before I shall be 'a little older,' and then I can realize how very good
you are to me, my dear mother, and how patient you are."

Mrs.