A few kind words of consolation, and she was once more alone in the darkness which envel-oped her previous days. Yet she felt sure they owed her a shelter and attention, when disabled, and she resolved to feel patient, and remain till she could help herself. Mrs. B. would not at-tend her, nor permit her domestic to stay with her at all. Aunt Abby was her sole comforter.
Aunt Abby's nursing had the desired effect, and she slowly improved. As soon as she was able to be moved, the kind Mrs. Moore took her to her home again, and completed what Aunt Abby had so well commenced. Not that she was well, or ever would be; but she had recovered so far as rendered it hopeful she might provide for her own wants. The clergyman at whose house she was taken sick, was now seeking some one to watch his sick children, and as soon as he heard of her recovery, again asked for her services.
What seemed so light and easy to others, was too much for Frado; and it became necessary to ask once more where the sick should find an asylum.
All felt that the place where her declining health began, should be the place of relief; so they applied once more for a shelter.
"No," exclaimed the indignant Mrs. B., "she shall never come under this roof again; never! never!" she repeated, as if each repeti-tion were a bolt to prevent admission.
One only resource; the public must pay the expense. So she was removed to the home of two maidens, (old,) who had principle enough to be willing to earn the money a charitable public disburses.
Three years of weary sickness wasted her, without extinguishing a life apparently so fee-ble. Two years had these maidens watched and cared for her, and they began to weary, and finally to request the authorities to remove her.
Mrs. Hoggs was a lover of gold and silver, and she asked the favor of filling her coffers by caring for the sick. The removal caused severe sick-ness.
By being bolstered in the bed, after a time she could use her hands, and often would ask for sewing to beguile the tedium. She had become very expert with her needle the first year of her release from Mrs. B., and she had forgotten none of her skill. Mrs. H. praised her, and as she im-proved in health, was anxious to employ her.
She told her she could in this way replace her clothes, and as her board would be paid for, she would thus gain something.
Many times her hands wrought when her body was in pain; but the hope that she might yet help herself, impelled her on.
Thus she reckoned her store of means by a few dollars, and was hoping soon to come in pos-session, when she was startled by the announce-ment that Mrs. Hoggs had reported her to the physician and town officers as an impostor. That she was, in truth, able to get up and go to work.
This brought on a severe sickness of two weeks, when Mrs. Moore again sought her, and took her to her home. She had formerly had wealth at her command, but misfortune had de-prived her of it, and unlocked her heart to sym-pathies and favors she had never known while it lasted. Her husband, defrauded of his last means by a branch of the Bellmont family, had supported them by manual labor, gone to the West, and left his wife and four young children.
But she felt humanity required her to give a shelter to one she knew to be worthy of a hospit-able reception. Mrs. Moore's physician was called, and pronounced her a very sick girl, and encouraged Mrs. M. to keep her and care for her, and he would see that the authorities were in-formed of Frado's helplessness, and pledged as-sistance.
Here she remained till sufficiently restored to sew again. Then came the old resolution to take care of herself, to cast off the unpleasant chari-ties of the public.
She learned that in some towns in Massachu-setts, girls make straw bonnets--that it was easy and profitable. But how should SHE, black, feeble and poor, find any one to teach her. But God prepares the way, when human agencies see no path. Here was found a plain, poor, sim-ple woman, who could see merit beneath a dark skin; and when the invalid mulatto told her sor-rows, she opened her door and her heart, and took the stranger in. Expert with the needle, Frado soon equalled her instructress; and she sought also to teach her the value of useful books; and while one read aloud to the other of deeds historic and names renowned, Frado expe-rienced a new impulse. She felt herself capable of elevation; she felt that this book information supplied an undefined dissatisfaction she had long felt, but could not express. Every leisure moment was carefully applied to self-improve-ment, and a devout and Christian exterior in-vited confidence from the villagers. Thus she passed months of quiet, growing in the confi-dence of her neighbors and new found friends.
