Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-05-18


with one accord, they sought herroom,
told their grievance and begged for n
story, and, rs fitting compensation
for the loss Of Maum Penuy's society
and the freedom OF the nursery, Ted
dv and Tom settled themselves com
fortably on rug at grandmas feet,
and wee Penelope nestled IN herarms.
"Icll us new story, please grand
ma" said Teddy,
"And not n Bible story, grandma"
added Tom, "'couse they're for Sun
day"
"Tell us about q beautiful prin-
cess, said Penelope.
"No," said Teddy, "don't tell a
princess story. Tell us heroine
story. DID you ever know heroine,
grandma? A real, live heroine?'
eyes, Teddy. believe | did, "
grandma answered gravely, then
laughed as Teddy and Tom scrambled
to their knees, and all the children
looked Mt her i'll wonder and delight
"Wos she very, very beautiful and
all dressed up in feathers and velvet
and lace like the picture in Teddy
new book?" asked Penelope,
"Dd you know her across the ocean,
grandma, and did she run boat and
save people off wrocks?'
"Dii they burn her, grandmN-dld
You see them burn her?' asked Tom
with vivid remembrance OF the fate
of Joan of Are.
Grandma smiled at the different
ideas Of heroine, ther, when their
excitement had somewhat subsidized,
said quietly: "My dearS, | will tell
you the story Of my heroine, and you
shall decide for yourselves what it
means to be truly heroic. The baby
is to be christeued tomorrow, and, rs
my heroine story has something to do
with a christening Of long ago, it will
perhaps make the one tomorrow
douLly interesting to hear it. Now !
must not be interrupted, so settle
yourselves ana De quiet.
The children settled themselves
down comfortably and grandma began
her story like an ashioned fairy
tale:
Once upon time, long time
ago-not in Europe-but here in
South Carolina, and not far from our
own city OF Charleston, there was Il
beautiful, old-time house on II vast
| plantation. 1t was owned by Mr..
Hugh Porter, and was called Porter
Hall Mr. Porter was young man
, and mn orphan with no brothers mol
sisters so he found the big place toe
lonely to be pleasant, and leaving it
to the care of his overseer and his
slaves, he spent his time in New York
City and in Europe, Finally he met,
loved and married very beautiful
young lady OF New York, named
Lillian Farley, and Immediately after
the wedding they sailed for
Europe. With her soft, white skin,
big blue eyes and curling, golden
hair, my little Nell was beautiful
enough for a heroine and her gowns OF
velvet and lace and her plumc.lader
hats would, | have been told, have
graced the most royal of princesses,
but Lillian was no heroine for nj
these, she was only shy, spoilt child,
dainty, delicate and fragile us China
shepherdess. They wandered abou'
from place to place, now in France
now in Spain, then in Italy, lingering
among the beautiful, old ruins o
Rome and ieasting lazily about the
watersheds Of Venice. From Italy
they went to Switzerland, and they
were in Il little village at the loot o
gland old mountain when Hugh re
ceived word that business required hi
immediate attention at home.
"They had then been in Europe
more than Il year, aud they had lit
tie blue eyed baby daughter, so Hugh
was really glad to return for he want
ed to have the baby christened in the
little stone church near his hone
where he and many, many Porters be
fore him had been chrstened. Blu
Lillian wept at the thought of return
ing. She dreaded the long oceNl
voyage, and more than all else, sht
dreaded living at Porter's Hall, sur
rounded by strange beings OF anoth
er race and color
"Her husband laughed at her pref
udice and told her she would learl
to love dear, old Maum, Dinah, whC
was black as ebony and almost a
shiny, but with a heart Of gold anl
the only mother his orphaned child
hood had ever known.
"The baby's nurse, French girl
named Rose Pa9non, accompanied
them on their return. Rose had form
erly been Lillian's maid, and whel
they arrived Mt 'Porters Hail., Hugl
advised his wife to reinstate her in he
old office, and allow Maum Dinah #
take charge of baby and the nursery
"But even Malm Diuah's kindl,
face, beaming with love for Mass
Hugh and his wife and baby failed t.
. remove Lillian's deep-seated repug
. nance, and Rose reigned supreme il
the nursery.
Sometimes when Rose waG in at
0 tendance upon her mistress, Maui
, Dinah was permitted to take care G
e the baby, and the baby soon learne
to know and love her. When bah
had the collie, and all Roses Efforts t
relieve her were in vain, Maum Dina
a was called, and very soon the erie
l would cease and baby would lie j
peaceful slumber on Maum Dinah
knees.
"Now in those days it was customnr
= to give to baby black child to !
, the playmate OF its childhood, and I'll
S attendant, maid or body-servant whe
= the child grew up.
e "Well belonging to Hugh's uncl
/, who owned the adjoining plantatic
q was Maum Dinah's only grandchil
!. q little orphan girl, twel,
r years old, the blacklist, Il
IS spryest and the nentest lit
d colored girl that ever was seen, al
|. much to her own delight and Man
e Dinah's, this little girl, Penny, W
d sent as II present to the baby.