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Step by Step; or Tidy's Way to Freedom by The American Tract Society
page 47 of 104 (45%)
I'll neber do noffin! Oh, Missus, please don't, oh, dear,"--
as notwithstanding the appeal, the angry blow fell. Before another
could descend, Miss Matilda laid her hand upon her sister's arm.

"Excuse the girl, Susan," she said, gently, "excuse her just this once,
and give her a trial. See if she won't do better."

It was very hard, for it was contrary to her nature, for Mrs. Lee
to show mercy. However, she did yield, and after a very severe
reprimand to the culprit, and a very unreasonable, angry speech
to Tidy, who, to to [sic] her thinking, had become implicated in Frances'
guilt, she dismissed them both from her presence,--the one chuckling
over her fortunate escape, and the other querying in her mind,
whether or no this unhoped-for mercy was another answer to prayer.
Miss Matilda made a remark as they retired, which Tidy heard,
whether it was designed for her ear or not.

"I always have designed to give that child her liberty when she
is old enough; and if any thing prevents my doing so, I hope she
will take it herself."

Take her liberty! What did that mean? Tidy laid up the saying,
and pondered it in her heart.

Does any one of our little readers ask why Miss Matilda did
not free the child then? Tidy's services paid her owner's board
at her brother's house, and she couldn't afford to give away her
very subsistence; COULD SHE?


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