Our Nig | Page 9

common dishes; she was to be in
waiting always to bring wood and chips, to run hither and thither from
room to room.
A large amount of dish-washing for small hands followed dinner. Then
the same after tea and going after the cows finished her first day's work.
It was a new discipline to the child. She found some attractions about
the place, and she retired to rest at night more willing to remain. The
same routine followed day after day, with slight variation; adding a
little more work, and spicing the toil with "words that burn," and fre-
quent blows on her head. These were great annoyances to Frado, and
had she known where her mother was, she would have gone at once to
her. She was often greatly wearied, and silently wept over her sad fate.
At first she wept aloud, which Mrs. Bellmont noticed by applying a
raw- hide, always at hand in the kitchen. It was a symptom of
discontent and complaining which must be "nipped in the bud," she
said.
Thus passed a year. No intelligence of Mag. It was now certain Frado
was to become a per- manent member of the family. Her labors were
multiplied; she was quite indispensable, although but seven years old.
She had never learned to read, never heard of a school until her
residence in the family.
Mrs. Bellmont was in doubt about the utility of attempting to educate
people of color, who were incapable of elevation. This subject occa-
sioned a lengthy discussion in the family. Mr. Bellmont, Jane and Jack
arguing for Frado's education; Mary and her mother objecting. At last
Mr. Bellmont declared decisively that she SHOULD go to school. He
was a man who seldom decided controversies at home. The word once
spoken admitted of no appeal; so, notwithstand- ing Mary's objection
that she would have to attend the same school she did, the word became
law.
It was to be a new scene to Frado, and Jack had many queries and
conjectures to answer. He was himself too far advanced to attend the

summer school, which Frado regretted, having had too many
opportunities of witnessing Miss Mary's temper to feel safe in her
company alone.
The opening day of school came. Frado sauntered on far in the rear of
Mary, who was ashamed to be seen "walking with a nigger." As soon
as she appeared, with scanty clothing and bared feet, the children
assembled, noisily published her approach: "See that nigger," shouted
one. "Look! look!" cried another. "I won't play with her," said one little
girl. "Nor I neither," replied another.
Mary evidently relished these sharp attacks, and saw a fair prospect of
lowering Nig where, according to her views, she belonged. Poor Frado,
chagrined and grieved, felt that her an- ticipations of pleasure at such a
place were far from being realized. She was just deciding to return
home, and never come there again, when the teacher appeared, and
observing the downcast looks of the child, took her by the hand, and
led her into the school-room. All fol- lowed, and, after the bustle of
securing seats was over, Miss Marsh inquired if the children knew "any
cause for the sorrow of that little girl?" pointing to Frado. It was soon
all told. She then reminded them of their duties to the poor and
friendless; their cowardice in attack- ing a young innocent child;
referred them to one who looks not on outward appearances, but on the
heart. "She looks like a good girl; I think I shall love her, so lay aside
all prejudice, and vie with each other in shewing kindness and
good-will to one who seems different from you," were the closing
remarks of the kind lady. Those kind words! The most agreeable sound
which ever meets the ear of sorrowing, griev- ing childhood.
Example rendered her words efficacious. Day by day there was a
manifest change of de- portment towards "Nig." Her speeches often
drew merriment from the children; no one could do more to enliven
their favorite pastimes than Frado. Mary could not endure to see her
thus noticed, yet knew not how to prevent it. She could not influence
her schoolmates as she wished. She had not gained their affections by
winning ways and yielding points of con- troversy. On the contrary, she
was self-willed, domineering; every day reported "mad" by some of her
companions. She availed herself of the only alternative, abuse and
taunts, as they returned from school. This was not satis- factory; she
wanted to use physical force "to subdue her," to "keep her down."

There was, on their way home, a field inter- sected by a stream over
which a single plank was placed for a crossing. It occurred to Ma- ry
that it would