The only unpleasant circumstance of this morning of delight to
Samboe, was its chilliness. It was one of those which frequently
occur in May, as if to reprove the hastiness of the family of Flora,
in putting forth their fair forms; and its asperity was severely felt
by the little African. Frank determined to make him as comfortable
as he could; and having received no orders to the contrary, lighted
a fire in the groom's room, and invited Samboe to its genial warmth,
while he quickly prepared a comfortable mess of milk-pottage.
They were thus enjoying themselves, when the master of the house
appeared, half awake, and storming at Frank for a lazy dog, for not
having swept the stable-door. But he supposed he and the beggarly
neger had been idling away their time together. Frank, who was used
to his arbitrary temper, said little; but, making signs for Samboe to
return to the loft, he quickly prepared every thing for his master's
toilet, and proceeded to rectify the omission of not having swept the
door-way. While thus engaged, a servant from the house arrived with
an order to the groom to take the negro-boy to a clothes-shop, and
have him neatly clothed, until a a proper dress could be fixed upon;
as he was to have an interview with his mistress and young master,
who neither of them could bear the smell of tar, exhaling from the
filthy things he wore.
This message, delivered in due form to the groom while he was shaving
himself, nearly endangered his cutting his throat, by the resentful
agitation it caused, that he should be appointed to wait upon a
neger. It was a degradation which he could not, nor would not submit
to. Following, therefore, the example of his superiors, he delegated
the office to his subordinate; and calling loudly for Frank, as soon
as the messenger had left him, he desired him to take the black he
seemed so fond of, to Mr. Draper's, and get him rigged. "And mind
ye, Frank, boy, call at the 'potecaries or 'fumers, and bid 'em
pour some musk or lavender, or something sweet over the lad, for
missis is very particular; and as to Master Fred, I shall have him
trying how my legs will bear the exercise of his new hunting-whip,
if I do not please him about this black, who, I dare say, will not be
long before he feels it. But I suppose he has been used to flogging,
so it will be nothing to him."
Frank, highly pleased with this important commission, called the
shivering boy from the hay-chamber, and in no long time he was
completely equipped, in a suit according to the taste of Frank and
the vender: certainly as stiff and ill made as it well could be;
while the effusion of lavender-water was completely accomplished,
even till the poor boy's eyes became filled with tears, from the
potency of the perfume, and every person he passed on his return,
half stopped, at meeting with the unusual odour.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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