38.3-CHAPTER XXXVIII The Victory part3-mt

CHAPTER XXXVIII

The Victory part3

The poor mulattowoman, whose simple faith had been well-nigh crushed and overwhelmed, by theavalanche of cruelty and wrong which had fallen upon her, felt her soul raisedup by the hymns and passages of Holy Writ, which this lowly missionary breathedinto her ear in intervals, as they were going to and returning from work; andeven the half-crazed and wandering mind of Cassy was soothed and calmed by hissimple and unobtrusive influences.

Stung to madnessand despair by the crushing agonies of a life, Cassy had often resolved in hersoul an hour of retribution, when her hand should avenge on her oppressor allthe injustice and cruelty to which she had been witness, or which she hadin her own person suffered.

One night, afterall in Tom's cabin were sunk in sleep, he was suddenly aroused by seeing herface at the hole between the logs, that served for a window. She made a silentgesture for him to come out.

Tom came out thedoor. It was between one and two o'clock at night,—broad, calm, stillmoonlight. Tom remarked, as the light of the moon fell upon Cassy's large,black eyes, that there was a wild and peculiar glare in them, unlike theirwonted fixed despair.

"Come here,Father Tom," she said, laying her small hand on his wrist, and drawing himforward with a force as if the hand were of steel; "come here,—I've news foryou."

"What, MisseCassy?" said Tom, anxiously.

"Tom, wouldn'tyou like your liberty?"

"I shall haveit, Misse, in God's time," said Tom. "Ay, but you may have ittonight," said Cassy, with a flash of sudden energy. "Come on."

Tom hesitated.

"Come!"said she, in a whisper, fixing her black eyes on him. "Come along! He'sasleep—sound.I put enough into his brandy to keep him so. I wish I'd had more,—I shouldn't have wanted you. But come, the back door is unlocked;there's an axe there, I put it there,—his room door isopen; I'll show you the way. I'd a done it myself, only my arms are so weak.Come along!"

"Not for tenthousand worlds, Misse!" said Tom, firmly, stopping and holding her back,as she was pressing forward.

"But think ofall these poor creatures," said Cassy. "We might set them all free,and go somewhere in the swamps, and find an island, and live by ourselves; I'veheard of its being done. Any life is better than this."

"No!" saidTom, firmly. "No! good never comes of wickedness. I'd sooner chop my righthand off!"

"Then I shalldo it," said Cassy, turning.

"O, MisseCassy!" said Tom, throwing himself before her, "for the dear Lord'ssake that died for ye, don't sell your precious soul to the devil, that way!Nothing but evil will come of it. The Lord hasn't called us to wrath. We mustsuffer, and wait his time."

"Wait!"said Cassy. "Haven't I waited?—waited till my head is dizzy and my heart sick? What hashe made me suffer? What has he made hundreds of poor creatures suffer? Isn't hewringing the life-blood out of you? I'm called on; they call me! His time'scome, and I'll have his heart's blood!"

"No, no,no!" said Tom, holding her small hands, which were clenched with spasmodicviolence. "No, ye poor, lost soul, that ye mustn't do. The dear, blessedLord never shed no blood but his own, and that he poured out for us when we wasenemies. Lord, help us to follow his steps, and love our enemies."

"Love!"said Cassy, with a fierce glare; "love such enemies! Itisn't in flesh and blood."

"No, Misse, itisn't," said Tom, looking up; "but He gives it tous, and that's the victory. When we can love and pray over all and through all,the battle's past, and the victory's come,—glory be to God!" And, with streaming eyes andchoking voice, the black man looked up to heaven.

And this, ohAfrica! latest called of nations,—called to the crown of thorns, the scourge, the bloodysweat, the cross of agony,—this is to be thy victory;by this shalt thou reign with Christ when his kingdom shall come on earth.

The deep fervor ofTom's feelings, the softness of his voice, his tears, fell like dew on thewild, unsettled spirit of the poor woman. A softness gathered over the luridfires of her eye; she looked down, and Tom could feel the relaxing muscles ofher hands, as she said,

"Didn't I tellyou that evil spirits followed me? O! Father Tom, I can't pray,—I wish I could. Inever have prayed since my children were sold! What you say must be right, Iknow it must; but when I try to pray, I can only hate and curse. I can'tpray!"

"Poorsoul!" said Tom, compassionately. "Satan desires to have ye, and siftye as wheat. I pray the Lord for ye. O! Misse Cassy, turn to the dear LordJesus. He came to bind up the broken-hearted, and comfort all that mourn."

Cassy stood silent,while large, heavy tears dropped from her downcast eyes.

"MisseCassy," said Tom, in a hesitating tone, after surveying her in silence,"if ye only could get away from here,—if the thing was possible,—I'd'vise ye and Emmeline to do it; that is, if ye could go withoutblood-guiltiness,—not otherwise."

"Would you tryit with us, Father Tom?"

"No,"said Tom; "time was when I would; but the Lord's given me a work amongthese yer poor souls, and I'll stay with 'em and bear my cross with 'em tillthe end. It's different with you; it's a snare to you,—it's more'n you canstand,—and you'd better go, if you can."

"I know no waybut through the grave," said Cassy. "There's no beast or bird but canfind a home some where; even the snakes and the alligators have their places tolie down and be quiet; but there's no place for us. Down in the darkest swamps,their dogs will hunt us out, and find us. Everybody and everything is againstus; even the very beasts side against us,—and where shall we go?"

Tom stood silent;at length he said,

"Him thatsaved Daniel in the den of lions,—that saved the children in the fiery furnace,—Him that walked on the sea, and bade the winds be still,—He's alive yet; and I've faith to believe he can deliver you. Tryit, and I'll pray, with all my might, for you."

By what strange lawof mind is it that an idea long overlooked, and trodden under foot as a uselessstone, suddenly sparkles out in new light, as a discovered diamond?

Cassy had oftenrevolved, for hours, all possible or probable schemes of escape, and dismissedthem all, as hopeless and impracticable; but at this moment there flashedthrough her mind a plan, so simple and feasible in all its details, as toawaken an instant hope.

"Father Tom,I'll try it!" she said, suddenly.

"Amen!"said Tom; "the Lord help ye!"