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LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY 209 |
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Owing to Mr. Adolph's systematic arrangements, when St. Clare turned round from paying the hackman, there was nobody in view but Mr. Adolph himself, conspicuous in satin vest, gold guard-chain, and white pants, and bowing with inexpressible grace and suavity.
" Ah, Adolph, is it you ? " said his master, offering his hand to him ; " how are you, boy ? " while Adolph poured forth, with great fluency^an extemporary speech, which he had been preparing, with great care, for a fortnight before.
" Well, well," said St. Clare, passing on, with his usual air of negligent drollery, " that's very well got up, Adolph. See that the baggage is well bestowed. I '11 come to the people in a minute ;" and, so saying, he led Miss Ophelia to a large parlor that opened on the veranda.
While this had been passing, Eva had flown like a bird, through the porch and parlor, to a little boudoir opening likewise on the veranda.
A tall, dark-eyed, sallow woman half rose from a couch on which she was reclining.
" Mamma! " said Eva, in a sort of rapture, throwing herself on her neck, and embracing her over and over again.
" That '11 do, — take care, child, — don't, you make my head ache," said the mother, after she had languidly kissed her.
St. Clare came in, embraced his wife in true, orthodox, husbandly fashion, and then presented to her his cousin. Marie lifted her large eyes on her cousin with an air of some curiosity, and received her with languid politeness. A crowd of servants now pressed to the entry door, and among them a middle-aged mulatto woman, of very respectable appearance, stood foremost, in a tremor of expectation and joy, at the door.
"Oh, there 's Mammy! " said Eva, as she flew across the room; and, throwing herself into her arms, she kissed her repeatedly. |
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