The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-11-25
cNN@CGIaGANx
LITTLE TEEclE+
CONTINUED.

BY CHARLES DICkENs

AS l found that the guests at
Rutland Hall enjoyed certain
freedom i'll their choice of amuse
ments, and the disposa. of their
time, L speedily availed myself of
this privilege, [ selected my own
associates, and | entertained my
self as pleased me best. Not find
ing myself always welcomed in
the drawing-room, l contrived, by
q series of the most dexterous
artifces, to gain the free entree of
the nursery. In this nursery were
growing up some five OF six young
Ell branches of the Rutland family.
After a certain hour in the day
none of the elders ever thought of
invading its remote precincts.
live o'clock in the evening was
the children's tea hour, and the
pleasantest,. [ thought, III the
twenty-four. Nurse was a staid
woman, who knew how to appre-
ciate little present now and
again, and to keep her own counsel
on the subject. The children were
not pleasant children; they were
unruly, mischievous little wretch
es. They conceived u sort of
affection for me, because I some
times brought to the nursery
sundry purchases made during
solitary rides; picture-books, toys,
dolls, OF sweetmeats procured by
means of Teecie Rays guinea. I
suggested as much to Teecie one
evening as she sat by, watching
the distribution, and she nodded
her head IN sage satisfaction. She
thought that 1 economised my
substance very well. 1t covered a
great many small eXtravagances,
that guinea did.
Whatever might be my position
at Rutland Hall, Teecie Rays was
simply intolerable. A spirit less
brave must have been cowed and
broken by it; a nature less deli
cate must have been blunted and
made coarser. The servants open
ly neglected her, the children used
her as they pleased; wreaked then.
humors on her, sparing neither
blow nor taunt in their passions,
and demanding from her at all
times, whatever service it suited
their caprlcious fancy to need.
Nurse, the only one who ever
showed a grain of consideration
for the orphan, would sometimes
shield her from their impish at
tacks, when she could do so with
safety to herself, but she was not
permitted to deal with those dar-
lings in the only fashion. which
would have been likely to bring
them to reason. AS for the elders
Of the house, Teecie Rays mo-
mentary presence, or the mere
mention of her name, was sufficient
toruffie theirpeace ofmind. ''What
is to be done with that grip 7
heard Mrs. Rutland remark to
one of her daughters. eff she
were not lame, one might set her
to earn her bread in some way;
but, as it is' A shrug of
the shoulders, and certain vine
gar-hke expression circumference,
which this lady knew how to as
sumo, sufficiently developed the
idea thus imperfectly expressed.
And how did Teecie Ray meet
all this? She did not complain
nor rebel, she did not sulk nor fret.
Under that well-worn black frock
OF hers she carried Il little breast
plate of sober, determined endur-
ance. When sorely tried, there
was never any cowardly submission
to be seen in her grave little face,
neither was there ever in her man
ner OF words either reproach or
remonstrance; she simply endured.
Her large, patient eyes and mute,
wide mouth seemed to say, "What-
ever I suffer, whatever l long to
dare, gratitude shackles my limbs,
and seals my lips. I am saved
rom many things; therefore, 7 am
Gumb.'
The second time 1 met my little
benefactress was a day or two after
our first interview in the drawing
room r nanoa 111oor ha,. ona of+o,.