The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-04-27
Thursday Morning, April ~, 1865.
The Little Black Boy.


nv return from the village. On this occasion,
it r NAMED obstinately closed. Fortunately,
was in no hurry to go in, SO followed my
horse to the stable, ana gave some directions
in regard TO him to the little colored boy who
does the Chores spsnt some time in the
stable and about the barn before | was ready
toenter the house. 1t seemed to me exactly
as if were afraid to 20 in. am, not natur-
allya coward, nor even timid. may be diff
dent and shy, but these feelings are entirely
different from those l then experienced.
have no recollection of ever having similar
ones when was bachelor. am satisfied,
indeed that 1t Is only the husband who can
thus feel. IL took me a long while to make
up my mind to seek my vile. Before did,
sent the little black boy in TO get of Mrs. Gray
some sadder's sewing-silk, intending while l
was 10 the stable, to repair one Of the reins.
When the colored boy came back, / asked him
il Mrs. Gray had sent any message to me. He
replied, MOI l confess was disappointed.
/ had hoped that she would at least have ask
ed as to what was OBTAINING me from her side.
Her silence seemed Omnious of evil As q
general thing, she is fond of my society. L
thought SO before we were married. and up to
this time had fully believed it. began to
feel very badly. 8fsG taaA EeAA latl
After few minutes conversation, con-
cluded to try her again. She'll be sorry'
said to myself, that she did not inquire about
me. and wish she had; / will give her an
other opportunity.' So sent the above men
toned colored boy to her Tor some wax. This
time he did not come back grew weary OF
waiting for him. The sun was getting low
and the air chilly. | feared was taking cold
1t was not comfortable in the barn. 1t ap-
peared to be even colder than barns usually
are. ] think the cracks between the boards
must be wider than can be found elsewhere.
When looked through one OF them towards
the house, l discovered him saving wood. i
step. led to the door and telegraphed with nv
hand for him to come to me; but he shook
his woolly pate, and showed his worries. dis.
tinrtly gave me to understand that / could
not be favored with his presence. because. as
he shouted Mrs. Gray had set him TO do up,
his chores. l don't like to get angry. I.don'L
think it conducive to health. Best .es. be-
lieve it, in moral point OF view to be wrong.
Yet confess to feeling thus at that moment:
and nv resentment covered the whole world
generally, and that little darkey In particular.
Wnen,4a lew minutes thereafter. lust as the
hens were going to roost. L went into the
house, / accdentIy trod on that little black
dog, I must say hoped he would cry, bat he
only grinned at me in derision. | made up
nv mind. then. to fog him the first opportuni-
ty, | hate little black bows. I think thev
suck eggs. Since nv bachelor friends break
tasted with me. we've been short of eggs.
took the precaution of entering the house
by the back way, Bv so doing ESCAPED pas,
ing the room where knew Mrs. GRAY was
sitting, probably with the door aiar. In avoid
ing Scyils. how.yer. I ran upon Charvdis. for.
as I walked through the kitchen. The cook
looked daggers at me. / think an angry cook
is a terrible being. l believe nv knees shook
underline. / felt that crisis was approach
ing. Iustead of entering the sitting room.
passed directly to the library. The fire was
out and. the room cold; yet sat down and
tried to read Maud It was maudlin to me
Icould make nothingo It. In few minutes
/ heard some one come down the hall on tip.
toe, and stop near the library door. / thought
it wasEmy wife. and nerved myself to meet
her. / grasped tighter the arms of my easy
chair, and half in JOY, half in ar, waited for
the onenino of the 4 or Rut waited in vain
Instead came the ound ofoa bell rung by my
ebony friend. l ielt certain it meant dinner.
knew well the sound, and can never be de-
ceived. may hear it any hour of the twenty
four, and to whatever meal it calls am sure
to bs able to tell There is a sharp sound to
the breakfast-bell which speaks plainly of cof
fee; and lazy tinkle to the supper bell, which
is equally distinct as to tea; while the dinner
bell has full round tone that tells unmistaka
bly, OF roast beef. Asa usual thing, admire
TO hear the dinner bell, except when, as this
did, it speaks OF an overdone ehicken-pie and
q deeply injured wife i q3 q eea- e9a
looked at my watch, and found it was flve
O'Clock. l could not help thinking it was q
fashionable hour for dinner. As entered the
dining room, mentioned as much to Mrs
Gray, who already occupied her seat at the
table, She wished to know whether said
that as piece of pleasantly, or with an in
tention to insult herl Of course Idisclairned
all design as TO the last. | felt that the hon.
eymoon was again in danger Of setting. As
/ anticipated, the chicken pie was done rather
brown.
4 sncs*iq
So now | determined to adopt it. When,
therefore. we arose from the table, i took the
liberty OF kissing Mrs. Gray. The effect was
magical. Smiles overcame the frowns, and
the honeymoon returned in all its glory.
\ "
When Mrs. Gray, there fore, entered the IL
brary, felt slightly uncomfortable. Nor was
this feeling in the least toned down when she
abruptly remarked that she never thought
would be guilty of doing such thing
What thing, Mrs. Gray" l humbly asked
do you refer toP
why, writing those Hillside Sketches, Mr.
Gray ,'she replied. You know well enongh,
she continued, how little truth there is In
them, and yet everybody in the whole world
will believe every sentence you have writ
t,n.' ~ 4 y
was completely thunderstruck. had nc
idea that my vile would ever have learned
aught concerning them. l had not thought
that any one within hundred miles OF Hill.-
dale would be likely to get hold of the opapers
containing them. ae bQ9
When. at Mrs. Gray's earnest request,
gave up smoking in the house, 10 was to the
hay-mow that | retreated. Here, with my
cigar and newspaper, passed many pleasant
hours. Being questioned one day by Mrs. G.
as TO what | was doing in the barn, replied
that was smoking. may as well here con
fess that what then neaId II regard to set
ting barns on hre, enecsuany deferred M
from CARVING out my sMoA,ng management :
OinCo .nSn, vA ve, =. -. l -. - !