“Matter enough!” said Mrs. Ray, vehemently; “who could have told it would have ended that way! I am sure I never meant any such thing. Daph’s gone to prison; and just as likely I shall never hear the end of it, and have the children upon my hands, into the bargain. Well, well; I wish I’d never set eyes on that little spinky, Dr. Bates!”
The bitter reproaches that rose to Mary’s lips, were hushed at the mention of the children; and she hastened to comfort them, as well as she could, while Mrs. Ray went back to her kitchen, in no very enviable frame of mind.
XI.
Another Friend.
“Dis don’t be de cleanest place in de world!” said Daph to herself, as she looked round the small, bare room into which she had been thrust. “Well,” she continued, “de Lord Jesus, do be everywhere; and Daph no reason to be above stayin where such as he do set foot. But den de childen! what’s to become of de childen?”
Here Daph’s resolution gave way, and she took a hearty cry. “Daph, you do be a wicked creter,” she said to herself, at length. “Jus as if de Lord Jesus didn’t love little childen ebber so much better dan you can! He’s jus able hisself to take care ob de dears; and Daph needn’t go for to fret hersef bout dem.”
Thus consoled, Daph was prepared calmly to wait whatever should befall her. The stream of sunlight that poured through the small window, slowly crept along the floor, and the weary hours passed away.
The new and beautiful truths, that had of late been brought home to the soul of Daph, were much in her thoughts and full of comfort.
“I do be afraid,” she said to herself, “Ise did not act so bery Christianable, when dose big men did catch Daph by de shoulter. Dere’s somewhat in Daph mighty strong, dat don’t like folks puttin hands on widout tellin what’s de matter. Well, well; I spose Daph will get like a lamb, sometime, if de Lord helps her. Ise do wonder what the dears is a doin, jus now. Maybe that sweet Miss Rose is just speakin to dem beautiful words out ob de blessed book. How Daph would like to hear dose same words, her own self!”