UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

and
" all
"
a
"
an
"
poetry
I
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
97
' On the contrary, he "
inquires very anxiously, I willtake music-scholars ; could getenough,
said Mrs. Shelby, " when the money
for his redemption
I know, and earn the money myself."
is to be raised."
"You wouldn't degradeyourself that way,
"I'm sure I don't know," said Mr. Shelby. Emily'? I never could consent to it."
';
Once get business runningwrong,
there does
"
Degrade! would it degrademe as much as
seem to be no end to it. It 's like jumping from to break
my faith with the helpless No, indeed
one bog to another, all through a swamp ; borrow !"
of one to pay another, and then borrow of another
"
Well, you are always heroic and transcendental,"
to pay one, these confounded notes
said Mr. Shelby^ "but I think you had
falling due before a man has time to smoke a better think before you undertake such a piece of
cigar and turn dunning letters and Quixotism."
round,"
dunning messages, scamper
and hurryscurry."
appearance of Aunt Chloe,at the end of thp
Here the conversation was interrupted by the
"
It does seem to me, my dear,that somethingveranda.
might be done to straighten Suppose
please, Missis,"said she.
"
If you
we sell off all the horses,and sell one of your
"
Well,Chloe,what is itV said her mistress,
farms,and pay up square!"
rising, going to the end of the balcony.
"0, ridiculous,Emily! You are the finest
"
If Missis would come and look at dis yer* lot
woman m Kentucky; but still you
haven't sense o' poetry."
to know that you don't understand business ; Chloe had a particular fancy for callingpoultry
women ever do, and never can."
poetry, application of language in which
"
But, at least,"said Mrs. Shelby, " could not she alwayspersisted, notwithstanding frequent
you give me some little insight into yours ; a list corrections and advisings from the young members
of all your debts,at least,and of all that is owed of the family.
to you, and let me try and see ifI can't helpyou "La sakes!" she would say, "I can't see;
to economize?"
one jisgood as turry,
good, any
"0, bother! don't plagueme, Emily!" I how;" and so poetryChloe continued to call it.
can't tell exactly. I know* somewhere about Mrs. Shelby smiled as she saw a prostratelot
what tilings are likely to be ; but there 's no of chickens and ducks, over which Chloe stood,
trimming and squaring my affairs, as Chloe trims with a
very grave face of consideration.
crust off her pies. You don't know anything "I'm a thinkin' whether Missis would be a
about business,I tellyou."
havin' a chicken pie o' dese yer."
And Mr. Shelby, knowingany other way of Really, Aunt Chloe, I don't much care "
;
"
enforcing his ideas, raised his voice, mode serve them
any way you like."
of -arguing very convenient and convincing, when Chloe stood handling
;
a gentleman is discussing of business it was quite evident that the chickens were not
with his wife.
what she was thinking of. At last,with the
Mrs. Shelby ceased talking, with somethingof short laughwith which her tribe ofte^ introduce
a sigh. The fact was, that thoughher husband a doubtful proposal, she said,
had stated she was a woman, she had a clear,energetic,
"Laws me, Missis! what should Mas'r and
practical mind, and a force of character Missis be a troublin'theirselves'bout dc money,
evew
way superior to that of her husband ; so and not a usiir what 'srightin der hands?" and
that t would not have been so
very absurd a supposition,
Chloe laughedagain.
to have allowed her
"
capableof managing,
I don't understand you, Chloe,"said Mrsas
Mr. Shelbysupposed. Her heart was Shelby,nothingdoubting, from her knowledge of
set on performing promiseto Tom and Aunt Chloe's manner, that she had heard every word
Chloe,and she sighed as discouragements thickened
of the conversation that had passedbetween her
around her.
and her husband.
Don't think contrive
"
Why, laws me, Missis !" said Chloe,laughing
"
you
we might in some way
to raise that money ? Poor Aunt Chloe ! again, " other folks hires out der niggers and
her heart is so set on it!"
makes money on 'em ! Don't keep siciia tribe
"
I 'in sorry, if it is. I think I was premature eatin''em out of house and home."
in promising Ị 'in not sure, now, but it 's the "Well, Chloe, who do you propose
that we
best way to tellChloe, and let her make up her should hire out?"
mind to it. Tom '11have another wife, in a "
year Laws !- I an't a proposin' ; onlySam
or two ; and she had better take up with somebody
he said der was one of dese yer perfeclioners, dey
else."
calls 'em, in Louisvilleșaid he wanted a good
"
Mr. Shelby, I have taughtmy peoplethat hand at cake and pastry; and said he 'd give four
their marriages are as sacred as ours. I never dollars a- week to one, he did."
could think of givingChloe such advice."
"Well, Chloe?"
"It's a pity,wife,that you have burdened "Well, laws,I 's a thmkin,Missis,it's time
them with a morality above their condition and Sally was put along to be doin' something Ṣally
prospects. I alwaysthought so."
's been under my care, now, dis some time,and
"It's only the morality of the Bible,Mr. she does most as well as me, considerin' ; and if
Shelby."
Missis would only let me go, I would help fetch
"Well, well,Emily, I don't pretend to interfere
up de money.
I an't afraid to put my cake,nippies
with your religious notions ; onlytheyseem nother,'longside no perfectioners.
"Oitremely peoplein that condition."
" Confectioner's,Chloe."
"They are, indeed,"said Mrs. Shelby, "and
odds ; words
" Law sakes,Missis ! 'tan't no
that is why, from my soul, I hate the whole is so curis,can't'never get 'em right !"
thing. I tell "
you, my dear,I cannot absolve myself
But, Chloe,do you want to leave
from the promisesI make to these helpless
getthe other
children'?"
your
them over abstractedly
"
Laws, Missis ! de boys is bigenouglto d\