daph rose the following morning, at her usual early hour, and went to perform her customary ablutions beside the well, keeping, however, a sharp look out for mrs. ray, to be ready to beat a retreat as soon as that formidable person should make herself heard. no mrs. ray appeared, and daph’s curiosity tempted her to take a peep into the room which served as kitchen, parlor, and general abiding-place for[pg 93] mrs. ray and mary, though they slept in the loft above.
mary was diligently ironing, at this early hour, giving from time to time, dolorous glances at a great basketful of damp clothes, which seemed to diminish but slowly under her efforts.
“where’s your ma?” said daph, as she thrust her head fairly in at the door, regardless of consequences.
“mother’s very sick this morning,” said mary, sorrowfully, “she can’t even turn herself in bed, and all these clothes must go home to-night, we have had to keep them too long now, it has been so wet.”
“nebber fret bout de close,” said daph, cheerily; “i’se held a flat ’fore[pg 94] dis! do daph good to work a little, she mighty tired, sittin up all day like a lady. spose i jus steps up to look at your ma. may be i might do somewhat for her, to make her feel some better.”
“o, don’t!” exclaimed mary, hastily, “she might not like it.”
“nebber you mind dat!” said daph, “you jus show me de way.”
mary pointed to the door that led to the narrow staircase, and daph needed no further guidance.
“ye’s mighty sick, isn’t ye, miss’ ray?” said daph, compassionately, as she stepped to the bedside of the sufferer.
mrs. ray turned her head to the[pg 95] wall and groaned, but daph was not to be easily disconcerted.
“spose i jus makes you a little warm drink, and kinder helps you to frow off dis ere sickness?” said daph, insinuatingly.
“o, my back! my bones! they ache so!” said the poor woman.
“it’s jus bein out in dis wet wedder, jus a-comin from dat awful hot fire into de swash down rain,” said daph. “white folks isn’t used to such hard work. you jus can’t bear it, dats it.”
daph had struck the right cord, and mrs. ray answered, “no; i aint used to it. that’s true enough, but who have i got to help me, but just that[pg 96] slip of a girl. o, if my boy had only lived!”
daph did not wait to hear more of the complaints, which were the burden of mrs. ray’s daily talk. she hastened to the kitchen, and with mary’s help, she soon prepared a steaming bowl of of herb-tea, which mrs. ray took from her hand without a word. she would have resisted, when daph proceeded to bathe her feet in warm water, but the kind-hearted negro went steadily on, regardless of opposition, saying, “you’s so very sick, we’s mus jus take care of you, same as if you were a bit of a baby. there now, let me jus put de cubber over you,” she said, as she released the restive feet. “now, if you[pg 97] could jus git a little sleep, while i go dress de babies, i’se do believe you would feel mighty better.”
mrs. ray did fall into a quiet sleep, the more sound from the night of wakefulness and pain she had just passed. when she awoke, she heard unusual sounds in the kitchen below, and if she could have peeped down the stair-way, a pleasant scene would have met her eyes. a cheerful fire roared up the wide chimney. daph, revived by the welcome heat, was ironing away at the great table, with real heartiness, while little mary, at her side, tried to move her slender arms in the same energetic manner. charlie was seated on the table, a happy spectator of[pg 98] these proceedings, while louise stood by him, sprinkling and folding a bit of rag again and again, not doubting that she was amazingly useful.
“mary! mary!” said a voice from above, feebler and a little less sharp than usual, “who’s down there with you?”
“it’s jus me and de childen, miss’ ray,” said daph, putting her head fearlessly up the stair-way. “dat big basket o’ clothes wants ’tention, and i’se jus thought i’se better be ironin a bit, to git de tings out de way.”
mrs. ray made no answer, and daph, after satisfying herself that the patient was a little better, stepped quietly back into the kitchen.
[pg 99]daph really enjoyed her busy day, and it was followed by sound natural sleep, instead of hours of wakefulness and anxious thought.
it was more than a week before mrs. ray recovered from the violent cold which had so suddenly removed her from the scene of operations; meanwhile daph and mary had become excellent friends. the little girl exchanged her hard work for the pleasant care of the children, and daph’s strong arms had the exercise they needed. daph’s busy brain had not meanwhile been idle; the sight of the great oven in the wide chimney-corner had suggested to her a plan, which she was impatient to carry out.
[pg 100]when mrs. ray first appeared in the kitchen, she gave an anxious look about her, as if she expected to see nothing but disorder and dirt; but the well-scoured floor and shining plates on the dresser had another tale to tell. of daph’s skill in cookery, she had tasted several striking specimens, since her appetite had in a measure returned, and she looked on somewhat curiously, as daph busied herself about the fire, preparing what she called, “just a bit relish, to strengthen up miss’ ray, now she’s on her two feet again.”
mary was with the children, and mrs. ray took the opportunity to say, “you have been very good to me,[pg 101] daph, and i am sure you had no reason;” and tears of shame actually came into the poor woman’s eyes.
“now don’t, miss’ ray!” said daph, “i’se isn’t been and done anything at all. come, take a little breakfast, and ye’ll feel better, i’m sure.”
“what can i do for you, daph?” continued mrs. ray, who had been really touched by the persevering kindness of the honest negro.
“well now, miss’ ray,” said daph, “i wants to make a little money. i jus thinks i might do de ironin for you ebery week, for you can’t stand such hard work, and then, may be you’d jus let me hab de use ob dat beauty oven, for somewhat i wants to[pg 102] do. i’se jus used to cookin, and may be, if i makes some ob de cakes missus used to like so much, i might sell dem, at some ob de grand houses, and so make a pretty sum, by-and-bye.”
this arrangement was easily made, for mrs. ray felt within her but little strength for work, and she was also anxious to shew her sense of daph’s late kindness.
one bright june morning, daph put herself in what she called “splinker order,” and the children shouted with delight when her toilet was made. with the help of mrs. ray and mary she had cut out and completed a good calico dress, and a full white apron, and these, with her snowy turban,[pg 103] made a most respectable appearance. a new basket, covered with a clean cloth, was on her head, and within it was stored a variety of nice cakes, which she was proud to show as a specimen of her cookery.
mary stood at the window with the children, as daph went off, and the little ones kissed their hands to her until she was fairly out of sight.
daph had learned her way about the city with ease, for she had quick observation, and a ready memory, and she now found no difficulty in reaching what she called the “grand houses,” which were ranged in imposing rows, on what is now one of the business streets.
[pg 104]at door after door she tried to gain admittance, but the consequential servants turned her off with a contemptuous word, and her heart began to sink within her. at last, as an imperative footman was ordering her away from a great family mansion, two ladies passed out, to enter a carriage. daph was desperate. she dropped a curtsy and said, “ladies, like some nice cakes?” and at the same moment she lowered her basket, uncovered it, and displayed its tempting array.
the frank, good face of the negro, and the attractive appearance of her wares, secured the attention of the ladies, and they purchased largely. encouraged by their kindness, daph[pg 105] said, “if de ladies would jus speak for daph to some ob de great folks, to buy from her tuesdays and fridays, daph would try to please dem.”
“i like the woman, mother,” said rose stuyvesant, “shall we engage her to come here always, and see what we can do for her?”
the mother assented, and daph, turning to express her gratitude, looked into the face of the youngest speaker.
it was a sweet face for man or angel to look into. nature had made it fair, and parted the golden hair above the soft blue eyes; but there was a sweetness round the expressive mouth, and a purity in every line of the oval face,[pg 106] that told of a soul at peace with god, and ruled by his holy law.
daph long remembered that face, and as she visited the stuyvesant mansion, week after week, she deemed that a bright day when she caught even a glimpse of her, whom she called “the sweet young lady.”
time passed on, and daph thrived in her little traffic, until her cakes were well known, and her form eagerly looked for in many a splendid home; but the best triumphs of her skill she ever reserved for the stuyvesant mansion, where she had first found a welcome.
