The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-01-08
Dot, the Little Quadroon.
BY A. S. DOWNS.

passed a number of months not long
since in southern city, and almost every
Sabbath taught in mission school, which in
order to distinguish it from number of
Others was called the Plog Sunday School.
This name was given, or rather came to it,
| because bafore the war the scholars used to
assemble in the hall of large plow manu-
factory. Last winter. however, the war and
the disturbed state of the city diminished the
plow business, as we'll as the attendance at
our mission school; so government took the
building for hospital, and we repaired to
the basement of a church near by, the name
Of "The Plow going with US.
If l were not going TO tell of Dot, should
! like to sketch the motley group which gath
cred there each Sabbath, and the measures
we were obliged to resort to keep our classes
aecently well-behayed. | am sure respecta-
ble New England Sunday scholars would
open wide their eyes to hear US teaching
those little ones their letters, and how 20
count, very much as they are taught In our
public schools. But at any rate our teach
/ ing was better than the street knowledge
/ from which we rescued them. One thing |
must admit they did better than you do let
tie New Epslanders; that was singing, and |
,,ff he IInrS
in hospital near by told me, "They didn't
want no other Sunday, than to hear them
boys sing"
One evening, as | was going into the
school, noticed peering down at ME from
tie top Of an iron lamp post, such queer
little face. At first | thought it was boy,
but looking closely found it was a girl, and
from her olive complexion and the wonder
tai beauty of her pathetic eyes, yellow girl
| was not bit surprised to see her there
South but | asked her what she was doing
thinking she would go in with me.
"Doin' muffin"
"Well. come into Sunday school; wouldn,
YOU like to "
"Nigs 90 to white folks meeting. reckon
they'd let me-" and she laughed in sc
strange and sarcastic way that | coulo
hardly believe it came from child.
, "What is your name ?"
) dot"
! Are you slave?"
a Reckon be.
"Well come in. at any rate.
: "Mssis, they wont let me. | gets up her.
' to hear the siLsn'. cause the boys heavt
" stones at me if they cotch me at the door"
: "Come down and take hold OF my hand
S and they will not dare to touch YOU"
5 spoke very earnestly, fer she Interested m
!. greatly. Her lovely eyes shCne with dellgn
a but still she hesitated, only being pursuade'
n to come sliding down at last by her own as
?, surance that she could run heap taste
e than the boys could if they did come at her.
g We went up the steps and were goln
l. through the door, when group of lads see
el ing her, began, "There's yaller gal, don
e le, her in :" but before they could touch he
< or could speak, she broke from my han
ID and was gone. | watc led her turn the tir'
le street corner, then she vanished from m
le sight My heart ached for her through a
Id the service The boys were not at all unde
at my power, or they would have had at least
e. lecture, bat reported them to the superil
ut tendant, who told me coldly enough it W;
" no use to say anything to them; the mistal
ID was mine in introducing black child at a
For days afterwards l looked at every lit
a yellow girl l met, but Dots lustrous eyes
III lumined no one of the deep, ugly sun-bo
I'd nets, and gave up finding her. But &c
to was leading the child to me.
n- 1t chanced one day We went to a dres
D. makers and orders d her to send home son
to work Of ours. Running into our house Ju
It. at dark, as usual the first place We made f
y vas the nursery, and opening the door une
or pectedly, found babies and nurse in per'e
ic- storm of laughter, and in the midst,-cau