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LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY 305 |
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her to you. Try, now, and give her a good orthodox New England bringing up, and see what it '11 make of her. You know I have n't any gift that way ; but I 'd like you to try."
" Well, I '11 do what I can," said Miss Ophelia ; and she approached her new subject very much as a person might be supposed to approach a black spider, supposing them to have benevolent designs toward it.
" She 's dreadfully dirty, and half naked," she said.
" Well, take her downstairs, and make some of them clean and clothe her up."
Miss Ophelia carried her to the kitchen regions.
" Don't see what Mas'r St. Clare wants of 'nother nigger! " said Dinah, surveying the new arrival with no friendly air. " Won't have her round under my feet, I know!"
"Pah." said Rosa and Jane, witjj supreme disgust; " let her keep out of our way ! What in the world Mas'r wanted another of these low niggers for, I can't see! "
" You go 'long! No more nigger dan you be, Miss Rosa," said Dinah, who felt this last remark a reflection on herself. " You seem to tink yourself white folks. You an't nerry one, black nor white. I 'd like to be one or turrer."
Miss Ophelia saw that there was nobody in the camp that would undertake to oversee the cleansing and dressing of the new arrival; and so she was forced to do it herself, with some very ungracious and reluctant assistance from Jane.
It is not for ears polite to hear the particulars of the first toilet of a neglected, abused child. In fact, in this world, multitudes must live and die in a state that it would be too great a shock to the nerves of their fellow-mortals even to hear described. Miss Ophelia had a good, strong, practical deal of resolution ; and she went through all the disgusting details with heroic thoroughness, though, it must be confessed, with no very gracious air, — for endurance |
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