The Garies and Their Friends Part 35

Charlie gave his name and residence, which were entered in due form on the teacher's book. "Now, Charles," she continued, "do you know your letters?"

"Yes, ma'am," was the answer.

"Can you spell?" she inquired. To this also Charlie gave an affirmative, highly amused at the same time at being asked such a question.

Miss Ca.s.s inquired no further into the extent of his acquirements, it never having entered her head that he could do more than spell. So handing him one of the primers, she pointed out a line on which to begin. The spirit of mischief entered our little friend, and he stumbled through b-l-a bla--b-l-i bli--b-l-o blo--b-l-u blu, with great gravity and slowness.

"You spell quite nicely, particularly for a little coloured boy," said Miss Ca.s.s, encouragingly, as he concluded the line; "take this next," she continued, pointing to another, "and when you have learned it, I will hear you again."

It was the custom of the superintendent to question the scholars upon a portion of Bible history, given out the Sabbath previous for study during the week. It chanced that upon the day of which we write, the subject for examination was one with which Charlie was quite familiar.

Accordingly, when the questions were put to the school, he answered boldly and quickly to many of them, and with an accuracy that astonished his fellow scholars.

"How did you learn the answers to those questions--you can't read?" said Miss Ca.s.s.

"Yes, but I can read," answered Charlie, with a merry twinkle in his eye.

"Why didn't you tell me so before?" she asked.

"Because you didn't ask me," he replied, suppressing a grin.

This was true enough, so Miss Ca.s.s, having nothing farther to say, sat and listened, whilst he answered the numerous and sometimes difficult questions addressed to the scholars.

Not so, Aunt Comfort. She could not restrain her admiration of this display of talent on the part of one of her despised race; she was continually breaking out with expressions of wonder and applause. "Jis' hear dat--ma.s.sy on us--only jis' listen to de chile," said she, "talks jis' de same as if he was white. Why, boy, where you learn all dat?"

"Across the Red Sea," cried Charlie, in answer to a question from the desk of the superintendent.

"'Cross de Red Sea! Umph, chile, you been dere?" asked Aunt Comfort, with a face full of wonder.

"What did you say?" asked Charlie, whose attention had been arrested by the last question.

"Why I asked where you learned all dat 'bout de children of Israel."

"Oh, I learned that at Philadelphia," was his reply; "I learned it at school with the rest of the boys."

"You did!" exclaimed she, raising her hands with astonishment. "Is dere many more of 'em like you?"

Charlie did not hear this last question of Aunt Comfort's, therefore she was rather startled by his replying in a loud tone, "_Immense hosts_."

"Did I ever--jis' hear dat, dere's ''mense hostes' of 'em jest like him!

only think of it. Is dey all dere yet, honey?"

"They were all drowned."

"Oh, Lordy, Lordy," rejoined she, aghast with horror; for Charlie's reply to a question regarding the fate of Pharaoh's army, had been by her interpreted as an answer to her question respecting his coloured schoolmates at Philadelphia.

"And how did you 'scape, honey," continued she, "from drowning 'long wid the rest of 'em?"

"Why I wasn't there, it was thousands of years ago."

"Look here. What do you mean?" she whispered; "didn't you say jest now dat you went to school wid 'em?"

This was too much for Charlie, who shook all over with suppressed laughter; nor was Miss Ca.s.s proof against the contagion--she was obliged to almost suffocate herself with her handkerchief to avoid a serious explosion.

"Aunt Comfort, you are mistaking him," said she, as soon as she could recover her composure; "he is answering the questions of the superintendent--not yours, and very well he has answered them, too,"

continued she. "I like to see little boys aspiring: I am glad to see you so intelligent--you must persevere, Charlie."

"Yes, you must, honey," chimed in Aunt Comfort. "I'se very much like Miss Ca.s.s; I likes to see children--'specially children of colour--have _expiring_ minds."

Charlie went quite off at this, and it was only by repeated hush--hushes, from Miss Ca.s.s, and a pinch in the back from Aunt Comfort, that he was restored to a proper sense of his position.

The questioning being now finished, Mr. Whately came to Charlie, praised him highly for his aptness, and made some inquiries respecting his knowledge of the catechism; also whether he would be willing to join the cla.s.s that was to be catechised in the church during the afternoon. To this, Charlie readily a.s.sented, and, at the close of the school, was placed at the foot of the cla.s.s, preparatory to going into the Church.

The public catechizing of the scholars was always an event in the village; but now a novelty was given it, by the addition of a black lamb to the flock, and, as a matter of course, a much greater interest was manifested.

Had a lion entered the doors of St. Stephen's church, he might have created greater consternation, but he could not have attracted more attention than did our little friend on pa.s.sing beneath its sacred portals. The length of the aisle seemed interminable to him, and on his way to the altar he felt oppressed by the scrutiny of eyes through which he was compelled to pa.s.s.

Mr. Dural, the pastor, looked kindly at him, as he stood in front of the chancel, and Charlie took heart from his cheering smile.

Now, to Aunt Comfort (who was the only coloured person who regularly attended the church) a seat had been a.s.signed beside the organ; which elevated position had been given her that the congregation might indulge in their devotions without having their prejudices shocked by a too close contemplation of her ebony countenance.

But Aunt Comfort, on this occasion, determined to get near enough to hear all that pa.s.sed, and, leaving her accustomed seat, she planted herself in one of the aisles of the gallery overlooking the altar, where she remained almost speechless with wonder and astonishment at the unprecedented sight of a woolly head at the foot of the altar.

Charlie got on very successfully until called upon to repeat the Lord's Prayer; and, strange to say, at this critical juncture, his memory forsook him, and he was unable to utter a word of it: for the life of him he could not think of anything but "Now I lay me down to sleep"--and confused and annoyed he stood unable to proceed. At this stage of affairs, Aunt Comfort's interest in Charlie's success had reached such a pitch that her customary awe of the place she was in entirely departed, and she exclaimed, "I'll give yer a start--'Our Farrer,'"--then overwhelmed by the consciousness that she had spoken out in meeting, she sank down behind a pew-door, completely extinguished. At this there was an audible t.i.tter, that was immediately suppressed; after which, Charlie recovered his memory, and, started by the opportune prompting of Aunt Comfort, he recited it correctly. A few questions more terminated the examination, and the children sat down in front of the altar until the conclusion of the service.

Mrs. Bird, highly delighted with the _debut_ of her _protege_, bestowed no end of praises upon him, and even made the coachman walk home, that Charlie might have a seat in the carriage, as she alleged she was sure he must be much fatigued and overcome with the excitement of the day; then taking the reins into her own hands, she drove them safely home.

CHAPTER XXV.

The Heir.

We must now return to Philadelphia, and pay a visit to the office of Mr.

Balch. We shall find that gentleman in company with Mr. Walters: both look anxious, and are poring over a letter which is outspread before them.

"It was like a thunder-clap to me," said Mr. Balch: "the idea of there being another heir never entered my brain--I didn't even know he had a living relative."

"When did you get the letter?" asked Walters.

"Only this morning, and I sent for you immediately! Let us read it again--we'll make another attempt to decipher this incomprehensible name.

Confound the fellow! why couldn't he write so that some one besides himself could read it! We must stumble through it," said he, as he again began the letter as follows:--

"Dear Sir,--Immediately on receipt of your favour, I called upon Mr.

Thurston, to take the necessary steps for securing the property of your late client. To my great surprise, I found that another claimant had started up, and already taken the preliminary measures to entering upon possession. This gentleman, Mr.----

"Now, what would you call that name, Walters?--to me it looks like Stimmens, or Stunners, or something of the kind!"

"Never mind the name," exclaimed Walters--"skip that--let me hear the rest of the letter; we shall find out who he is soon enough, in all conscience."