to emily winston we have always accorded the title of mrs. garie; whilst, in reality, she had no legal claim to it whatever.
previous to their emigration from georgia, mr. garie had, on one or two occasions, attempted, but without success, to make her legally his wife.
he ascertained that, even if he could have found a clergyman willing to expose himself to persecution by marrying them, the ceremony itself would have no legal weight, as a marriage between a white and a mulatto was not recognized as valid by the laws of the state; and he had, therefore, been compelled to dismiss the matter from his mind, until an opportunity should offer for the accomplishment of their wishes.
now, however, that they had removed to the north, where they would have no legal difficulties to encounter, he determined to put his former intention into execution. although emily had always maintained a studied silence on the subject, he knew that it was the darling wish of her heart to be legally united to him; so he unhesitatingly proceeded to arrange matters for the consummation of what he felt assured would promote the happiness of both. he therefore wrote to dr. blackly, a distinguished clergyman of the city, requesting him to perform the ceremony, and received from him an assurance that he would be present at the appointed time.
matters having progressed thus far, he thought it time to inform emily of what he had done. on the evening succeeding the receipt of an answer from the rev. dr. blackly—after the children had been sent to bed—he called her to him, and, taking her hand, sat down beside her on the sofa.
"emily," said he, as he drew her closer to him, "my dear, faithful emily! i am about to do you an act of justice—one, too, that i feel will increase the happiness of us both. i am going to marry you, my darling! i am about to give you a lawful claim to what you have already won by your faithfulness and devotion. you know i tried, more than once, whilst in the south, to accomplish this, but, owing to the cruel and unjust laws existing there, i was unsuccessful. but now, love, no such difficulty exists; and here," continued he, "is an answer to the note i have written to dr. blackly, asking him to come next wednesday night, and perform the ceremony.—you are willing, are you not, emily?" he asked.
"willing!" she exclaimed, in a voice tremulous with emotion—"willing! oh, god! if you only knew how i have longed for it! it has been my earnest desire for years!" and, bursting into tears, she leaned, sobbing, on his shoulder.
after a few moments she raised her head, and, looking searchingly in his face, she asked: "but do you do this after full reflection on the consequences to ensue? are you willing to sustain all the odium, to endure all the contumely, to which your acknowledged union with one of my unfortunate race will subject you? clarence! it will be a severe trial—a greater one than any you have yet endured for me—and one for which i fear my love will prove but a poor recompense! i have thought more of these things lately; i am older now in years and experience. there was a time when i was vain enough to think that my affection was all that was necessary for your happiness; but men, i know, require more to fill their cup of content than the undivided affection of a woman, no matter how fervently beloved. you have talents, and, i have sometimes thought, ambition. oh, clarence! how it would grieve me, in after-years, to know that you regretted that for me you had sacrificed all those views and hopes that are cherished by the generality of your sex! have you weighed it well?"
"yes, emily—well," replied mr. garie; "and you know the conclusion. my past should be a guarantee for the future. i had the world before me, and chose you—and with, you i am contented to share my lot; and feel that i receive, in your affection, a full reward for any of the so-called sacrifices i may make. so, dry your tears, my dear," concluded he, "and let us hope for nothing but an increase of happiness as the result."
after a few moments of silence, he resumed: "it will be necessary, emily, to have a couple of witnesses. now, whom would you prefer? i would suggest mrs. ellis and her husband. they are old friends, and persons on whose prudence we can rely. it would not do to have the matter talked about, as it would expose us to disagreeable comments."
mrs. garie agreed perfectly with him as to the selection of mr. and mrs. ellis; and immediately despatched a note to mrs. ellis, asking her to call at their house on the morrow.
when she came, emily informed her, with some confusion of manner, of the intended marriage, and asked her attendance as witness, at the same time informing her of the high opinion her husband entertained of their prudence in any future discussion of the matter.
"i am really glad he is going to marry you, emily," replied mrs. ellis, "and depend upon it we will do all in our power to aid it. only yesterday, that inquisitive mrs. tiddy was at our house, and, in conversation respecting you, asked if i knew you to be married to mr. garie. i turned the conversation somehow, without giving her a direct answer. mr. garie, i must say, does act nobly towards you. he must love you, emily, for not one white man in a thousand would make such a sacrifice for a coloured woman. you can't tell how we all like him—he is so amiable, so kind in his manner, and makes everyone so much at ease in his company. it's real good in him, i declare, and i shall begin to have some faith in white folks, after all.—wednesday night," continued she; "very well—we shall be here, if the lord spare us;" and, kissing emily, she hurried off, to impart the joyful intelligence to her husband.
the anxiously looked for wednesday evening at last arrived, and emily arrayed herself in a plain white dress for the occasion. her long black hair had been arranged in ringlets by mrs. ellis, who stood by, gazing admiringly at her.
"how sweet you look, emily—you only want a wreath of orange blossoms to complete your appearance. don't you feel a little nervous?" asked her friend.
"a little excited," she answered, and her hand shook as she put back one of the curls that had fallen across her face. just then a loud ringing at the door announced the arrival of dr. blackly, who was shown into the front parlour.
emily and mrs. ellis came down into the room where mr. garie was waiting for them, whilst mr. ellis brought in dr. blackly. the reverend gentleman gazed with some surprise at the party assembled. mr. garie was so thoroughly saxon in appearance, that no one could doubt to what race he belonged, and it was equally evident that emily, mrs. ellis, and her husband, were coloured persons.
dr. blackly looked from one to the other with evident embarrassment, and then said to mr. garie, in a low, hesitating tone:—
"i think there has been some mistake here—will you do me the favour to step into another room?"
mr. garie mechanically complied, and stood waiting to learn the cause of
dr. blackly's strange conduct.
"you are a white man, i believe?" at last stammered forth the doctor.
"yes, sir; i presume my appearance is a sufficient guarantee of that," answered mr. garie.
"oh yes, i do not doubt it, and for that reason you must not be surprised if i decline to proceed with the ceremony."
"i do not see how my being a white man can act as a barrier to its performance," remarked mr. garie in reply. "it would not, sir, if all the parties were of one complexion; but i do not believe in the propriety of amalgamation, and on no consideration could i be induced to assist in the union of a white man or woman with a person who has the slightest infusion of african blood in their veins. i believe the negro race," he continued, "to be marked out by the hand of god for servitude; and you must pardon me if i express my surprise that a gentleman of your evident intelligence should seek such a connection—you must be labouring under some horrible infatuation."
"enough, sir," replied mr. garie, proudly; "i only regret that i did not know it was necessary to relate every circumstance of appearance, complexion, &c. i wished to obtain a marriage certificate, not a passport. i mistook you for a christian minister, which mistake you will please to consider as my apology for having troubled you;" and thus speaking, he bowed dr. blackly out of the house. mr. garie stepped back to the door of the parlour and called out mr. ellis.
"we are placed in a very difficult dilemma," said he, as he was joined by the latter. "would you believe it? that prejudiced old sinner has actually refused to marry us."
"it is no more than you might have expected of him—he's a thorough nigger-hater—keeps a pew behind the organ of his church for coloured people, and will not permit them to receive the sacrament until all the white members of his congregation are served. why, i don't see what on earth induced you to send for him."
"i knew nothing of his sentiments respecting coloured people. i did not for a moment have an idea that he would hesitate to marry us. there is no law here that forbids it. what can we do?" said mr. garie, despairingly.
"i know a minister who will marry you with pleasure, if i can only catch him at home; he is so much engaged in visiting the sick and other pastoral duties."
"do go—hunt him up, ellis. it will be a great favour to me, if you can induce him to come. poor emily—what a disappointment this will be to her," said he, as he entered the room where she was sitting.
"what is the matter, dear?" she asked, as she observed garie's anxious face. "i hope there is no new difficulty."
mr. garie briefly explained what had just occurred, and informed her, in addition, of mr. ellis having gone to see if he could get father banks, as the venerable old minister was called.
"it seems, dear," said she, despondingly, "as if providence looked unfavourably on our design; for every time you have attempted it, we have been in some way thwarted;" and the tears chased one another down her face, which had grown pale in the excitement of the moment.
"oh, don't grieve about it, dear; it is only a temporary disappointment. i can't think all the clergymen in the city are like dr. blackly. some one amongst them will certainly oblige us. we won't despair; at least not until ellis comes back."
they had not very long to wait; for soon after this conversation footsteps were heard in the garden, and mr. ellis entered, followed by the clergyman.
in a very short space of time they were united by father banks, who seemed much affected as he pronounced his blessing upon them.
"my children," he said, tremulously, "you are entering upon a path which, to the most favoured, is full of disappointment, care, and anxieties; but to you who have come together under such peculiar circumstances, in the face of so many difficulties, and in direct opposition to the prejudices of society, it will be fraught with more danger, and open to more annoyances, than if you were both of one race. but if men revile you, revile not again; bear it patiently for the sake of him who has borne so much for you. god bless you, my children," said he, and after shaking hands with them all, he departed.
mr. and mrs. ellis took their leave soon after, and then mrs. garie stole upstairs alone into the room where the children were sleeping. it seemed to her that night that they were more beautiful than ever, as they lay in their little beds quietly slumbering. she knelt beside them, and earnestly prayed their heavenly father that the union which had just been consummated in the face of so many difficulties might prove a boon to them all.
"where have you been, you runaway?" exclaimed her husband as she re-entered the parlour. "you stayed away so long, i began to have all sorts of frightful ideas—i thought of the 'mistletoe hung in the castle hall,' and of old oak chests, and all kind of terrible things. i've been sitting here alone ever since the ellises went: where have you been?"
"oh, i've been upstairs looking at the children. bless their young hearts! they looked so sweet and happy—and how they grow! clarence is getting to be quite a little man; don't you think it time, dear, that he was sent to school? i have so much more to occupy my mind here than i had in georgia, so many household duties to attend to, that i am unable to give that attention to his lessons which i feel is requisite. besides, being so much at home, he has associated with that wretched boy of the stevens's, and is growing rude and noisy; don't you think he had better be sent to school?"
"oh yes, emily, if you wish it," was mr. garie's reply. "i will search out a school to-morrow, or next day;" and taking out his watch, he continued, "it is near twelve o'clock—how the night has flown away—we must be off to bed. after the excitement of the evening, and your exertions of to-day, i fear that you will be indisposed to-morrow."
clarence, although over nine years old, was so backward in learning, that they were obliged to send him to a small primary school which had recently been opened in the neighbourhood; and as it was one for children of both sexes, it was deemed advisable to send little em with him.
"i do so dislike to have her go," said her mother, as her husband proposed that she should accompany clarence; "she seems so small to be sent to school. i'm afraid she won't be happy."
"oh! don't give yourself the least uneasiness about her not being happy there, for a more cheerful set of little folks i never beheld. you would be astonished to see how exceedingly young some of them are."
"what kind of a person is the teacher?" asked mrs. garie.
"oh! she's a charming little creature; the very embodiment of cheerfulness and good humour. she has sparkling black eyes, a round rosy face, and can't be more than sixteen, if she is that old. had i had such a teacher when a boy, i should have got on charmingly; but mine was a cross old widow, who wore spectacles and took an amazing quantity of snuff, and used to flog upon the slightest pretence. i went into her presence with fear and trembling. i could never learn anything from her, and that must be my excuse for my present literary short-comings. but you need have no fear respecting em getting on with miss jordan: i don't believe she could be unkind to any one, least of all to our little darling."
"then you will take them down in the morning," suggested mrs. garie; "but on no account leave emily unless she wishes to stay."
