The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-02-05
WASHINGTON, D. c..
For the National Era.
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY
A NEW ENGL LAND GIRL.
BY MARTHA RUSSELL.
CHAPTER VI-Con,ipued

as ever for no one, who looked in her eyes, or
saw her motions Of childish grace, could ever
think of her growing old and mature.
Polly Maria was the only one in whom |
noted any change. She seemed to be more
discouraged, in view of her own sinfuness and
that Of the world, than ever before; but / was
beginning to make my own estimate Of people
and things, and doubt Of the entire truthful
ness Of her statement dawned upon my mind.
When / saw her laboring so unweariedly day
after day, doing everything not only for our
comfort, but for the parties of country people
who called there for some favor or other, lend
ing her Kettles and even her best Dishes to help
out their pic MICS, and fading them dirty, if
not cracled or broken, on their return, without
word Of complaint, / found it difficult to be-
leve her such sinful /" acorm of the dust" as
she affirmed herself to be. / was beginning to
understand that people are generally better
than their creeds, that the moods resulting from
deranged, a diseased physique, and an earnest,
thong htial, religious expression, are two differ
ent things.
| had not been there many days, however,
before | began to suspect her present low spirits
were in some way connected with the visits Of
Mr.. Nat Frisbie, who frequently dropped in
to look after the seine she was netting for his
company, be being a prominent owner in one
of the most valuable fisheries, or to return some
borrowed article; and they held sometimes quite
long conversations together, which always seem
ed to leave shadow behind them, though why
/ could not tell, for he was a smart, active,
cheerful looking man, with q CHEEKY, treble
voice, like a fife.
At last, asked Uncle Steve what It meant?"
He continued to look gravely for a minute
or so at the point Of the horizon on which his
eye was fixed when | spoke, before he replied.
kinder guess it's cause he's widderwer."
" 4 wGoW5r "
g les; he's been hangin' about here all
summer; widdeEwers, Pve minded, are pretty
good at hangn on; but somehow, Polly don't
seem to bite-not right sharp" he added, med
itatively.
" Do you mean that he wants TO marry Polly
Maria? ! asked, lay residence with Agnes
having enlightened me somewhat on the differ
ent relations OF life.
. i guess that's about it, though she's never
opened her head TO me about it, only when |,
thinkiu' she might not feel quite easy in her
mind about Birdie and me, if she should con
cude to &C, tried to talk to her bit, and lay
out n clear course for US ALL she said twas a
world o changes, and twas best to be pre-
pared-which / take TO be about IS nigh true
AS anything out Of the Bible. Them as has
had troubles ike her, ought to know said the
old man, hum5ly.
"Bua yon wouldn't let her go! You couldn't
spare ter, Uncle Steve F." | said, in surprise.
"Why. yes; cause, as / said before, that's
Bible truth, and there's no steering off from it.
Nat fEisbe Is good ieiiow-he's well to do,
and he's got three or four little children, as
needs somebody to look AFTER 'em. You see,
Biackbird, it don't come quite so handy for
most men-folks to look arter the little ones, as
1t did for me to look arter Birdie. Nat thinks
she'd be a good hand to manage 'em, and fix
up their things and so she would AM |
shouldn't wonder, if 'mong 80 many on 'em,
they Frightened her up leetle, cause, you
know, she could alters have some of 'em with
her, and wouldn't be so lonesome as she is now,
when Birdie is off with me-"
Rough, unpublished, old sea-shell, but with {.
strain Of the eternal melody in his heart; I'M
selfish to the last Bat did not see it then.
This matrimonial project seemed to ME kind
Of proof Of Polly Maria's snfulness, and l
bunty expressed nay thought.
Uncle Steve opened his mouth something in
the manner Of q fish, and laughed silently; then
letting his eye drop On ne, he said
Not sinful, but material Blackbrd.. You
don't understand it yei, but l s'pose you will
in time. It's mater, though some on EN- play
shy, rm minded, just like fish kinder sus-
picious like o the hook, but they give in at
last
:. But Birdie and you, Uncle Steve. How
will yoa n-aLase?"
" Well, il seemed a kind of q hard kink to
me at first, cause, you see, amt very sharp,
and ! hadn't ob=aryed, as Birdie was CROWN
zap inter a tall GIRL until she minded me of it
t'o;her day.. Polly Maria had gone up to Har-
riet Stones, ter evenin' meetin', and ! thought
Id kinder sound Birdie about the matter"
81 Well, what did she sag? f." | asked, seeing
him pause.
" Shel She made it ali straight, in course;
nothin' ever puzzles Ler. You see, bore down
hard on Mats little gals as hadn't got no
mother, cause thought twas 2 good pint:
and when | axed her, would she let Aunt Polly
go to look arter EN-, and content herself with
old Uncle Steve, and what he could do for her,
lord bless her. | had her erwin an laughn',
rs is her way, you know, on my shoulder, all
ter onee-cryin' for the poor children as hadn't
got no Uncle Steve, she said, an laughin' ter
think Of the weddin', an cause she would have
some little cousins TO 90 ter see. l never
thought about that pint before; Blackbird,"
the Old man now added, thoughtfully, raising
dis tarpauiin, and drawing the back Of his red
hand across bis still redder forehead, SO if all
this unusual amount Of thought panied him
I" I'd never thought az how she might be lone
some, an she won't Own it nov. But it's mater
for her ter want ter see somebody besides Uncle
Steve, an she can't work agin natsr-though,
If anybody can, she can. I've thought good
deal about it sin, BIackbird: an eff it warn't
maxim too much count of old Steve Leete,
should say the Lord had ist taken turn at the
wheel himself, terisy cut clear course for me
leavln a kink here or there, to make me keep
sharp lookout; an all fof Brides sake, III
course. An, sim you an come, I've thought
OF another pint. Birdie ought ter have some
Larnin. Not that she can't read glib enough
now, and knows all about the Nor west Coast,
and ali the capes from the Horn up to Sandy
hook. She don't know much about the land,
as you see, when you tried to make her know
about 81. Louis, tother day; an she can't
1rlte like you, nor make such picters, cause
she haint been to school much, it's such long
ways. and Polly nor | even are given much to
such things. If Polly Maria marries Nat, Birdie
can board up Tiers, and 60 to school with the
children. You see, The kink pays out with
clean run, Blackbird!"
Yes, and what will you do aii alone, Uncle
Steve?'
He looked straight over my head at the dis
liant horizon, so that 1 could not see his eyes,
as he said
Blackhird, you used to like my clam chow.
ders. guess must make you one to-day"
Even the vision of my favorite dish could not
moe from me the figure of the lonely old man,
and l persisted in repeating
But you will be all alone, Uncle Steve!"
- can get used to it, s'pose, BirdieI" he