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Well, the only way was to put a bold face on the matter. Accordingly, as the shades of evening approached, I summoned all my forces and prepared to meet his lordship. His first salutation was not encouraging, under the circum

stances:

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Emma, dear, judging from appearances, one would suppose Mary's usual way of laying the door-mat was to fling it from the second-story window: I am afraid she will never be tidy enough to suit us."

"I fear so, too," I replied, bright idea had just struck me.

amiably, for a "The fact is,

I had learned this poor slave-girl's history at our last Society-meeting. She and her father had escaped from Virginia into the Union lines. Theoretically a welcome had been shown them; but practically the girl had, by her insubordination and impishness, proved too much for their hospitality, and a unanimous ticket of leave had soon been voted her. Two young soldiers coming Northward had, out of pity for the good old father, brought the pair on to New York and presented them to our Ladies' Soldiers' Aid Society.

The old man was soon disposed of; but the Theophilus, it is impossible to teach these 'com-girl-ah! there was the rub. One by one impetent' help any thing. What we really want is a raw girl."

"A what, Emma?" exclaimed Theophilus, horror-stricken, as, after placing his boots with mathematical accuracy near the polished register, he stood with arrested slipper in each hand.

pulsive members courageously gave her a trial, but at each weekly meeting the despairing mistresses would in turn restore her to the bosom of the Society, declaring that they could do nothing with her. No direct charges were made,

and all that one could gather from the excla"A raw girl; one that is not hopelessly set in mations and complaints usually vented on these other people's ways-that-in short-one that occasions was that the girl had proved to be is-as you may say-ignorant, but willing to "queer," "forlorn," " unmanageable," and learn," said I, sweetly, giving his elegant "wrap-"awful"-singular qualities, certainly, in one per" a caressing shake as I handed it to him. who had worked in the fields all her young life, who had never known a mother's care, and to whom all womanly and household duties were still sealed mysteries.

"A fair Hibernian, for instance, newly landed, or a blushing Huytur-spluyter fresh from the Vaterland?" suggested Theophilus, with intense humor as he softly slid himself into the gown and assumed his waiting-for-dinner attitude before the fire.

"No, no," I laughed, hysterically, nothing of that sort; "but ahem!"—as if the idea had just flashed upon me-"what do you say now, Theoph, to my trying a colored girl?"

Theophilus was either speechless or did not choose to reply, and I proceeded

"Not one of those deceitful, half-and-half yellow kind that are neither one thing nor the other, but a genuine negress. They're generally such docile-tempered creatures, you know, Theoph; and now that contrabands are going to be so numerous in the city, it really seems to be a Christian duty to-"

"Christian fiddlestick !" interrupted Theophilus, profanely; "why, Emma, you're crazy!" And having thus prospectively consigned me to the Lunatic Asylum my gentleman significantly consulted his watch.

Remembering at this critical moment the advice of the ancient philosopher concerning hungry men, I adjourned at once to the diningroom, and there held a session of great length and brilliancy which, it is needless to add, resulted in the total annihilation (figuratively speaking) of the refractory member.

In the mean time the strange creature would stand in the corner of the fine parlor, rolling her great dark eyes about, glancing from the company to the ceiling, and from the ceiling to the floor, in quick flashes of white and black, her hands folded meekly before her, with now and then a restless movement of her feet that invariably caused the ladies near her to start in spite of themselves. Sometimes, while looking the image of mute despair, she would suddenly clap her hands upon her knees, and burst into a sputtering laugh, only to appear more solemn than ever the next instant.

She was about fifteen years of age, and the blackest of the black. Her dress was a scant blue calico skirt, reaching nearly to the ankles, over which a long bib was drawn without a fold from neck to knee. Each temple was adorned with a few stiffly-plaited spikes emerging from the luxuriant wool, and her feet were covered with good New York shoes and stockings, very much against her will, as it subsequently proved.

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'Why not take the child myself?" I had thought, while sitting near her corner at the last meeting, and fancying I could detect a promise in her face of something better than she had yet chosen to display to her Northern What I friends. But the scheme had soon been abandoned as impracticable, and probably would never have recurred to me had not Mrs. Winthrop, during her morning call, suggested, in her non-committal way, that it was "advisable" a home should be found for the poor creature.

said or what I did not say can not be detailed here. Suffice it to state that a whole number of Harper, or even two numbers, would not hold one-quarter of the arguments I was forced to lay before that man before he admitted what by this time had grown to be positive conviction with me, viz That to have "a contraband" in our house, under the circumstances, and all things considered, was one of the greatest blessings that could befall us.

Theophilus, as already intimated, had been brought to that willing state of mind so often attained by the divine Barkis. Still the work of preparation was not complete. Our last nurse had contrived to smuggle into the nursery

a story of a "big black nigger," who thought nothing of gobbling down naughty boys and girls. Her hearers, strong in faith, had listened and believed; and ever since negroes in general, and his sable cannibalship in particular, had been the terror of their young lives. Of the children, young Theophilus (though it may be unwomanly and quite out of my sphere for me to say so) is a greater coward than any of the girls. He is afraid of his own shadow. A dark room is fuller to him than Madame Tussaud's Chamber of Horrors. Once he locked himself in a pantry and screamed till he fell almost into a convulsion before it occurred to him to unlock the door and come out. These I mention merely as slight psychological peculiarities. Being our only son, his father and I have centred our fondest hopes in him.

Well, what poor little Philly would do or say when my "contraband" came I couldn't imagine. In the mean time, however, I resolved to clarify his ideas somewhat on the negro question, and trust to fate for the result. As for the girls, they soon became sound to the core on the subject, but I dreaded to think of the effect of that woolly head and those great rolling eyes upon the baby. So much for up stairs.

On Sunday morning I descended to the kitchen while Theophilus was preparing to shave. Ann was there in full glory. It was her Sunday out, and her winter style set off her portly figure to advantage. The instant my foot crossed the door-sill I could not resist a secret recognition of her local supremacy. Nora soon came in with the coal-scuttle, and crinoline twice as extensive as my own; while Ellen, conscious of her impeachability as first-class waitress, was washing dishes in the corner. Now was the time to strike the blow of preparation. In a few feeling words I told my assembled audience the story of the poor "contraband." They heard me in silence, preferring, as usual, to defer comment until they had the kitchen to themselves. Finally I plunged into the catastrophe, and went on swimmingly until arrested by Ann's indignant outburst,

"Och! is it take the dirrity crachure yerself, yer mane, ma'am ?"

"Certainly," I returned firmly, "if no one shelters her or teaches her to work, the poor girl must perish in the streets."

"An' it's what I niver did, ma'am, slape and ate wid nagers; an' I'll not be afther beginnin' it now-so, if ye plaze, ma'am, ye'll be engagin' another cook agen me month's up!"

Nora said nothing; and Ellen, after swinging into the pantry with a tray full of china, came out with a lofty,

"I'd like to be laving with Ann, too, ma'am." Here was a fine dilemma! But I was determined to carry out my project.

"You need neither eat nor sleep with her; she can take her meals at a side-table, and use the small garret-room. The girl is coming tomorrow, and I intend that she shall be treated kindly."

VOL. XXVII.-No. 159.-C c

With these words I strode majestically from the kitchen, giving no token of the sinking at my heart; not even when I reached the dressing-room, except by shutting the door after me so violently that Theophilus, I regret to say, cut his chin.

On Monday morning we were startled by hearing the most terrific yells and screams that ever ears of mortal parents heard. Theophilus rushed first; I followed, quite sure that Mr. Norris's big bull-dog had got in from the next yard, and was crunching every one of dear little Philly's bones.

Arriving at the turn of the stairs we saw at a glance that our boy was safe and sound, though screaming in an agony of terror. His little sisters were gathered around him in the hall, all talking at once, trying to bring him to reason, while Ann, Ellen, and Nora were on the spot "speaking their minds" at concert pitch.

Meanwhile the innocent cause of all this commotion stood near the hat-stand, with a half doleful, half mischievous expression of countenance, her hands plucking nervously at the fringe of her coarse shawl, and her whole aspect betokening either amusement or distress, it was impossible to decide which.

"Mrs. Grimmons's boy left her here, ma'am. She wouldn't sit down, nor go up stairs nor down," whispered Nora, hurrying toward me. "The child was frightened into fits, indeed he was, ma'am, at the very sight of her."

Philly was soon high and safe in his father's arms, being lectured and hugged at the same time. Without replying to Nora I nodded to the new-comer, saying, with my usual dignity, as I led the way to the room at the end of the hall, "Step this way, please."

On reaching the door a suppressed giggle from the head of the kitchen stair caused me to turn. The lady by the hat-stand had not budged an inch.

"Will you come this way, please?" I repeated, kindly, in a louder tone.

No answer and no movement.. The children, seeing fun ahead, fairly danced with delight.

"Behave yourselves, children!" I commanded, sternly. "There, the baby is awake; run up, Nora! Now, my girl," resuming my bland tone, "just come this way, will you?"

Was she marble, or, more properly speaking, ebony? Her immovability was scarcely human.

At this juncture Theophilus, whose manner never seemed to me half as impressive as my own, caught her eye. He pointed to the room door. The girl darted through the hall and stood beside me in an instant, her lithe frame all in a quiver.

"Don't be frightened, my child," I said, gently, feeling really sorry for the poor creature; "no one here will harm you. What is your name ?”

"Nuffin," she replied, with a sulky pout. "You certainly must have some name. What did the soldiers call you ?”

"Nig."

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"Donno; 'spect I us too hebby fur it," answered Aggy, sullenly. ""Tain't wurf nuffin."

By dint of super-woman exertions I succeeded in getting the rubbish cleared away, and restoring order without becoming exasperated. Theophilus provoked me dreadfully, however, by saying he wished he could stay at home and see the fun.

Why attempt to detail the tortures of that first day? It was over at last, with all its trials and aggravations, and my weary head pressed its uneasy pillow. Children and servants were asleep, Aggy was long ago stowed away in her little room, and in the quiet of the starry December night Theophilus and I held a consultation.

His arguments were unanswerable; his sarcasms scathing; but I held my ground. A few mishaps at first, I urged, were to be expected. In a day or two the girl would improve—indeed, there was a slight change for the better already -Philly would become ashamed of his foolish terrors-it was a clear case of charity-and, in short, I wanted to give the girl a fair trial, because-because-I wanted to.

At last the energies of Theophilus, overcome either by sleepiness or the force of my reasoning, began to flag. He had even said, "Perhaps so, my dear;" and after that his replies grew fainter, more wavering, and, like certain rare visits, very few and far between. Finally, after waiting nearly five minutes for a reply to a perfectly self-evident proposition, I heard something! Not from Theophilus; he had gone off on a

Theophilus behaved pretty well at breakfast, considering; merely hinting that I would have my hands full, and that firmness must be the order of the day (as if I didn't know that already). Suddenly he broke out with one of his dream-journey, like Christian, leaving his poor speeches : wife in the City of Wakefulness; but a noise in the house!

"I say, Em, as the secretary of your Society was not present to take minutes, wouldn't it be well for me to draw up a report of this morning's pro-"

The sentence was cut short by a tremendous crash, a heavy fall, and a noise as of breaking glass and timbers above stairs.

"By Jove!" cried Theophilus, "what's that?" With my heart in my throat, to say nothing of the hot coffee, I tore up the stairs followed by children, servants, and Theophilus bringing up the rear. When we reached the first landing, what a spectacle presented itself!

There, in the hall, lay a confused heap of rubbish, composed of what remained of our superb new hat-stand, splinters of rosewood, umbrellas, canes, cloaks, hats, Aggy, and any quantity of broken looking-glass.

The furniture was precious, but, of course, humanity ranked first. We pulled Aggy from the

ruins.

Not a daytime noise; but one of those stealthy, indefinable, long-interval noises that, coming in the darkness of the early morning hours, make one's blood creep and curdle! Creak-creaksofter and softer-then dying away entirely. Pshaw! I thought, it's the back shutter! No; shutters don't throw up a phosphorescent light; and now, looking from my bed into the room where the children slept, I could plainly see a faint glimmer through the "ventilator" window. This ventilator went through the centre of the house, from basement to roof. In a moment the light, though faint still, grew stronger, more definite. It was the gleam of a lighted candle from below! flashing an instant, then vanishing.

"Theophilus!" I cried, in a stage whisper; "wake up! quick!"

He turned over like a sick buffalo. "Oh, Theoph!" bending nearer and giving

"What is the matter, child, are you killed?" him a slight shake, "do get up! there's a man

I asked, almost hoping that she was.

"Spect I be, dat's a fac," replied the girl, glaring around her in a frightened way, but moving off nimbly enough as she spoke.

"Oh, Aggy! you naughty girl, what were you doing? How came you to break the hatstand?" I demanded, endeavoring to restrain my temper.

in the house!"

"Ye-e-s," grunted my natural protector, “I'm a man: go to sleep, dear."

There's no use mincing the matter. I did get agitated; I pulled his hair, poked him, jerked the pillow from under his head, pulled his hair again, and finally restored him to conscious

ness.

Here Theophilus tore up stairs like a tiger.

All things considered, it was astonishing how well our charge comported herself for a day or

As thoroughly alert now as myself, he sprang to the floor, and, after a few hasty tip-toe preparations, started for the basement, pistol in hand. I rushed frantically into the children's room and sat on the foot of their bed, inwardly pray-two after this. My kindness principle evidenting that the robber's blood might not be upon my poor husband's soul.

Good Heavens! The stealthy steps were coming up the stairs-approaching my very door! I flew and locked it.

ly worked well, and I was not without hope that Aggy might yet become a useful member of society. To be sure, she had some very troublesome peculiarities, such as shouting, in a loud but not unmusical voice, snatches of hymns and

"Em," said Theoph's voice, outside, "if you quaint contraband songs, at all hours and under want fun, come down stairs."

the most inopportune circumstances; snapping Decidedly relieved, I hastened into the hall. her great white teeth at poor Philly whenever He motioned me to follow him silently. Ar- she caught him alone, thereby throwing the litrived at the head of the kitchen stairs, Theophi- tle darling almost into spasms; and, when not lus crammed the corner of his dressing-gown watched, invariably going up stairs outside the into his mouth, and made signs for me to look. balustrade, to the delight of the children, who There, on the lowest step, sat Aggy; a light-risked their necks daily in humble imitation. ed candle and the cake-box, open, on the floor beside her; and on her lap a half-eaten applepie, which she was rapidly demolishing.

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Aggy!" I cried, in an awful voice.

The pie fell from her lap as, with a scream, she darted up, flew to the end of the kitchen hall, and stood at bay with her back against the door.

“Aggy,” said I, "what in the world possessed you to come down here, like a thief, at this hour of the night, to take what did not belong to you?"

She crouched to the floor, looking up at us nervously. Something in the expression of both reassured her.

"Couldn' hep it nohow, missy; I was most starved. Don't lick dis nigger dis time, missy." She had eaten three hearty meals that day, to my certain knowledge, but a chance glimpse into the dining-room pantry had proved too much for her.

Shoes and stockings were her especial detestation; and in many a delightful barefoot hour did she clude my vigilance, sometimes going, like

"Diddle, diddle dumpling, my son John,

With one stocking off and one stocking on," in order to have a presentable foot ready for a surprise. On these occasions, meeting her suddenly in the halls, I, dupe that I was, contented myself with a glance, little suspecting that the fact of her hopping, or being perched upon one foot, meant any thing more than an everyday antic.

Added to these eccentricities was an inconvenient habit, strangely out of keeping with her usual animation, of falling asleep any time and any where. Keyholes, cracks of doors, etc., were a certain conquering power with her. Many a time we found the creature lying at full length upon the floor, her ear pressed to the carpet, and every nerve strained to catch the conversations going on in the room below; and more than cake-once Theophilus, entering his library, found her curled up on the rug, match in hand, sound asleep before his unlit fire.

"I shall not whip you, Aggy," said I, "though you have done a very wrong act. Put the box back in the pantry."

She obeyed.

"Now go to bed, and never attempt any thing of this kind again. Do you hear?"

"Yes, missy. I'se sorry fur 'sturbin' you, missy, I jess is," answered Aggy, bending furtively to the floor and clapping a big piece of the broken pie into her mouth; "but I likes 'em dreffel."

Agreeably to a sign from Theophilus, the damsel preceded us in our ascent with perfect decorum, until half-way up the garret flight, when, apparently seized with some droll idea concerning the night's adventure, she broke out in a loud "Gorry!" and, doubling herself with laughter, bounded, with something between a spring and a caper, into her room. In a moment or two we heard her clear voice falling through the "startled air" in an exultant verse, each line ending with a jerk, as though the undressing process kept time with it:

"All de good people when dey die-
Hally-lujee rum!

Go ter lib in de happy sky

Hally-lujee rum!

Oh I'se goin' to-"

One of the most singular traits of the girl was her sudden fits of temporary docility. Often, at these times, I would speak to her of her good Parent, and of that higher love which knows no difference of hue or tongue: she would listen attentively, and even kneel beside me, repeating word for word some simple prayer with true pathos in her tone, only to break away at last with a contemptuous "Pooh! what stuff! Dis chile can't stan' sich truck, missy!" Or she would suddenly change to a sitting posture on the floor, and with hands clasped about her knees, rock backward and forward, wagging her head between each chuckle-"Oh! Lorry me, missy, you kill dis nig; you do. Yah! yah! it's wuss den wucken, he! he!"

But, as already stated, Aggy really did improve in many respects. She soon learned to scour the knives, build fires, and wash and scrub in a way that quite propitiated Ann and Nora, though Ellen, my fine "waitress," would not be appeased. Nagers was what a dacent girl cuddent and wuddent putt up wid, nohow."

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She left, and I conceived the wild idea of try-pecting Theophilus was surprised at finding it ing Miss Aggy as her substitute. in his chair, "just where he had left it."

A few days' indefatigable drilling did wonders, and, I am proud to say, produced a profound impression upon Theophilus. To be sure, in her hands wine-glasses generally became peculiarly symbolic of Jewish weddings, and tablecloths true to the inevitable angle of 45°. Yet she was generally good-tempered, and, when Theophilus was absent, very anxious to please. Why he should have had such an influence upon her is incomprehensible, but there is no denying the fact that a word or a look from him always either frightened her immoderately or possessed her with the spirit of a hundred imps. Now and then, especially when we had friends to dinner, mischief reigned supreme. At such times interference or notice only made matters The more important the guests, or the greater the solicitude of poor Theophilus that no faux pas should occur, the more apt was her ladyship to wickedly fill the tumblers convexly, so that they could not be lifted without accident; or to slyly take possession of the knife and fork of some embarrassed guest; or even to burst into a shout of laughter, or cut an unexpected "pigeon-wing" in the fullness of her mood. I shall never forget the day that the Rev. Dr. Barrilpreech dined with us. Just in the middle of his impressive grace Aggy burst into the room singing at the top of her voice, "I'se boun' fur de lan' ob Canaan,"

worse.

and then apologized with,

"Gorry! missy, what yer habbin bressin' today fur? Missy Grimmons use ter hab 'em reg'lar."

Still I repeat and insist that Aggy steadily improved.

A few weeks after our contraband's advent circumstances compelled me to commit a conventional sin-in other words, to tell a polite lieby announcing at one of the sewing-meetings of our Society that I would be pleased to see the ladies at our house on the following Wednesday.

Now I love freedom. I idolize soldiers. But, for all that, I do not like to hold a sewingsociety meeting, with its scraps and threads, on our new velvet carpets. Yet the thing had to be. Indeed St. Grundy sent me a consolation by way of reward. It would certainly be a triumph to exhibit Aggy, in her advanced state, to the society. No other member had been able to keep her longer than a week. She should attend the door. I felt there could be no chance of accident in that, while, at the same time, the neat appearance and improved bearing of the girl would speak for themselves. Wednesday arrived. Concluding that discretion was the better part of valor, I did not betray my anxiety to the damsel, but simply directed her to remain in the hall, make no noise, and to admit the visitors respectfully.

Every thing worked charmingly. As I stood in a corner of the long rooms, engaged as "cutter," I could hear Aggy's pleasant voice saying, "In de frun' parlor, ladies ;" and now and then a cheery "Yes, marm, I'se berry happy," in answer to some kind inquiry. She attended to her duties so promptly, too; the ladies had not time to ring the bell before they were admitted, After this Theophilus became unmanageable. and so noiselessly, by my little handmaiden. I was constrained to hire another waitress, re- I was quite elated, and could not forbear inserving Aggy for the "generally useful" depart- dulging in a few remarks to those near me conHere her principal labors resolved them-cerning Aggy's improvement, and the immense selves into eating, drinking, sleeping, and hiding every stray article in the house between her mattresses. Odd shoes, pieces of old suspenders, empty spools, bits of ribbon, tea-spoons, toothbrushes, and even Theoph's cigars, were all stowed away with equal care and cunning. How they got there Aggy never could "tink" -"mus' hab bin de cat er Philly;" she "didn' know nuffin at all about 'em."

ment.

One day Theophilus remarked rather pompously to a friend at dinner, that, of all the books in his collection, he valued most a certain rare edition of Sir Thomas Browne. "You shall see it to-day, Sir," he added, "as I know you will enter into my feelings on the subject, though it is by no means a blue and gilt affair." After dinner my beloved bibliomaniac attempted to fulfill his promise. The precious volume was gone! Theophilus was in despair. He had been reading the book that very morning. At last, with an intuition quite equal to De Quincey's "electric aptitude for discovering analogies," I stole up to Aggy's room, and slyly disinterred Sir Thomas from his tomb between the mattresses. A moment afterward my unsus

pains I had taken to render her a good servant.

"Yes!-s?" said Mrs. Winthrop, replying in a perfect scale of C; and I translated it-"You have indeed succeeded, my dear Mrs. Smith! How in the world did you acquire such wisdom and energy ?"

Our meeting over, the company departed almost in a body. As soon as the last lady left the house I called, in a cheerful voice, from the parlor,

"Come here, Aggy."

Her sable face appeared at the door, grinning with satisfaction.

"You have been a very good girl, Aggy, and shall have sponge-cake for your supper."

"Tanky, missy," was the honest response; "but, bress yer! dis nigger didn' take no troubl'. I jess leff de door stan'in open, an' hitched up on de hall table, dis way."

She vanished. I knew she was suiting the action to the word, and, with a sinking heart, hurried into the hall.

My young lady was indeed upon the table, swinging her naked feet therefrom in great glee. "Good gracious, child!" I cried, seizing her

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