"No," returned the other; "old miss has died a heap o" times, by spells, so I reckon she"ll hang on this time till I git back, jist so she can jaw me for being gone so long."
So they parted, the stranger negro to go for the doctor and Ike to go to Mrs. Crane"s, with his berries, and Aunt Judy"s cranberry pie. He had often wondered during his ride whether f.a.n.n.y would not give him a piece of the pie. As often as this thought entered his brain, he would turn down the white napkin, and take a peep at the tempting pastry; then he would touch it with his fingers and finally take it up and smell of it just a little!
While he was making his way into Mrs. Crane"s kitchen, Julia and f.a.n.n.y were in their room, the windows of which were open and looked out upon a balcony, which extended entirely around the house. There was no school that day, and f.a.n.n.y was just wishing she could hear from home when a servant entered the room and said there was a boy in the kitchen, who wished to see Miss f.a.n.n.y.
"A boy want to see me," said f.a.n.n.y; "who can it be?"
"Reckon he"s from yer home "case he says how he belongs to Marster Middleton," said the negro girl.
"Oh, joy!" exclaimed f.a.n.n.y, "somebody from home; how glad I am. Come, Julia, won"t you go down, too?"
"No, indeed," said Julia, scornfully, "I am not so anxious to see a greasy n.i.g.g.e.r. I hope you will not take it into your head to ask him up here."
But f.a.n.n.y did not answer, for she was already half-way down the stairs.
Going to the kitchen she found Ike and seemed as delighted to see him as though his skin had been snowy white. Ike delivered all his messages and then presented Aunt Judy"s pie.
"Dear Aunt Judy," said f.a.n.n.y, "how kind she is." Then seizing a knife she cut a liberal piece for Ike, who received it with many thanks.
"Now, Ike," said she, "you must remain here until I go out and get a ribbon for Aunt Judy"s cap, and some tobacco for old Aunt Katy." So saying she ran upstairs to her room.
When she entered it, Julia exclaimed, "In the name of the people, what have you got now?"
"Oh, a pie, which Aunt Judy sent me," said f.a.n.n.y.
"How ridiculous," answered Julia; "I don"t think Mrs. Crane would thank Aunt Judy for sending pies to her house."
"Mrs. Crane need know nothing about it, and would not care if she did,"
said f.a.n.n.y, and then she added, "Ike is downstairs, and he says father is coming after us in two or three weeks."
"Good heavens," said Julia; "what is he coming for? Why does he not send a servant?"
"And why cannot father come?" asked f.a.n.n.y.
"Because," answered Julia, "who wants that old codger here? A pretty figure he"d cut, I think. I should be ashamed of him; and so would you, if you knew anything."
"I know he is odd," said f.a.n.n.y; "but he is my father, and as such I would not be ashamed of him."
"Well, I am ashamed to own that he is my father, anyway," answered Julia; "but where are you going now?" she continued, as she saw her sister putting on her bonnet.
"I am going to buy some ribbon for Aunt Judy, some tobacco for Aunt Katy, and some candy for the children," answered f.a.n.n.y.
"Well, I do believe you haven"t common sense," said Julia, "but where is your money to buy all these things?"
"Oh," said f.a.n.n.y, "I"ve concluded not to go and hear f.a.n.n.y Kemble tonight.
I"d rather spend the money for the servants; it will do them so much good."
"You certainly are a fool," said Julia. f.a.n.n.y had been told that often, so she did not reply, but hastened downstairs and was soon in the street. As she turned the corner she could see the windows of her room, and the whole length of the balcony on that side of the building. Looking in that direction she saw Dr. Lacey sitting out on the balcony and so near her window that he must have heard all the conversation between herself and her sister! She thought, "Well, he of course thinks me a silly little dunce; but I do like our blacks, and if I ever own any of them, I"ll first teach them to read and then send them all to Liberia." Full of this new plan, she forgot Dr. Lacey and ere she was aware of it had reached the store. She procured the articles she wished for, and returning to Mrs.
Crane"s, gave them to Ike, who was soon on his way home.
At supper that evening the conversation turned upon f.a.n.n.y Kemble and the expected entertainment. "I suppose you are all going," said Mrs. Crane to her boarders. They all answered in the affirmative except f.a.n.n.y, who was about to reply, when Dr. Lacey interrupted her by saying, "Miss f.a.n.n.y, will you allow me to accompany you to hear Mrs. Butler this evening?"
f.a.n.n.y was amazed. Was it possible that the elegant Dr. Lacey had honored her with an invitation to accompany him to the literary treat! She was too much surprised to answer him, until he said, "Do not refuse me, Miss f.a.n.n.y, for I am resolved to have you go!" She then gracefully accepted his polite invitation, and at the same time glancing toward Julia and Mrs.
Carrington, she saw that the former frowned darkly, while the latter looked displeased. This dampened her happiness somewhat, and as soon as supper was over she hurried to her room.
Mrs. Carrington was a gay, fashionable woman, and was just as willing to receive attention from unmarried gentlemen now as she had been in her girlish days. Her husband was an officer in the United States army and was absent a great part of the time, but she had never cared much for him, so she managed to pa.s.s the time of his absence very happily in flirting with every handsome wealthy young gentleman who came in her way. When Dr. Lacey appeared, she immediately appropriated him to herself. "Tis true, she somewhat feared Julia might become a rival, but of the modest, una.s.suming little f.a.n.n.y, she had never once thought, and was greatly surprised when Dr. Lacey offered to escort her to the reading. She had resolved on having his company herself, and when she saw the frown on Julia"s face, she flattered herself that she could yet prevent f.a.n.n.y"s going.
Accordingly, after supper, she asked Julia to go with her for a moment to her room. Julia had become perfectly charmed with the fascinating manners of Mrs. Carrington, so she cheerfully a.s.sented, and the two proceeded together to her richly furnished apartments. When there, Mrs. Carrington said, "Miss Middleton, do you not think your sister too young to accept the attentions of any gentleman, at least one who is so much of a stranger to the family?"
Julia well knew that the fact of Dr. Lacey"s being a stranger was of no consequence in Mrs. Carrington"s estimation, but she quickly answered, "Yes, I do; but what can be done now?"
"Oh," said Mrs. Carrington, "your sister is very gentle and if we go to her and state the case as it is, I am confident she will yield."
So they went to f.a.n.n.y"s room, where they found her sitting by the window, thinking how much pleasure she would enjoy that night.
Julia commenced operations by saying, "f.a.n.n.y, what made you promise Dr.
Lacey that you would go with him tonight?"
"Why," said f.a.n.n.y, "was there anything wrong in it?"
Here Mrs. Carrington"s soft voice chimed in, "Nothing very wrong, dear f.a.n.n.y, but it is hardly proper for a young school girl to appear in public, attended by a gentleman who is not her brother or cousin."
Poor f.a.n.n.y! Her heart sank, for she was afraid she would have to give up going after all; but a thought struck her, and she said, "Well, then, it is not proper for Julia to go with Mr. Wilmot, and she has promised to do so."
"That is very different," said Mrs. Carrington; "Julia is engaged to Mr.
Wilmot, and unless you are engaged to Dr. Lacey," continued she, sarcastically, "it will not be proper at all for you to go with him."
"But I promised I would," said f.a.n.n.y.
"That you can easily remedy," answered Mrs. Carrington. "Just write him a note and I will send it to him."
Thus beset, poor f.a.n.n.y sat down and wrote, as Mrs. Carrington dictated, the following note:
"DR. LACEY:
"SIR-Upon further reflection I think it proper to decline your polite invitation for tonight.
"Yours very respectfully,
"f.a.n.n.y MIDDLETON."
"That will do," said Mrs. Carrington; and ringing the bell, she dispatched a servant to carry the note to Dr. Lacey.
"You are a good girl to submit so readily," said Mrs. Carrington, laying her white hand on f.a.n.n.y"s head. But f.a.n.n.y"s eyes were full of tears, and she did not answer; and Mrs. Carrington, sure of Dr. Lacey"s attendance that evening, left the room exulting in the result of her plan. In a short time she deserted to the parlor, where she found Mr. Wilmot with Julia, but no Dr. Lacey, neither did he make his appearance at all, and after waiting impatiently for a time, she was at last obliged to accept the arm of the poor pedagogue, which was rather unwillingly offered, for Mr.
Wilmot greatly preferred having Julia all to himself. She had become as dear to him as his own life and, in his opinion, her character was like her face-perfect. Deluded man! "Twas well that he died before he had come to a knowledge of her sinfulness.