UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

I
I
" and
"
anythingyou
" she
"0, that's what troubles me, papa. You
want me to live so happy, and never to have any
"
never pain," sufferanything, not even hear
a sad story, when other poor creatures have noth-
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 105
ske a child that 's to there live" was allers
somethingdeepin her eyes.
I 've told Missis so,
many the time ;
ing
but pain and scvrow, al. their Ives;--it
seems selfish. I ought to know such things, I
"
it 's a eomin' true, we all sees ought to feel about them ! Such thingsalways
dear,little,blessed larab!"
sunk into it," my heart ; they went down deep; I 've
Eva came trippingup the veranda stepsto her thought and thought about t:.em. Papa, is n't
Ather. It was late in the afternoon,and the there any way to have all slaves made free1 ' '
rays of the sun formed a kind of "
glorybehind her, That 's a difficultquestion,dearest. There Ts
as she 3?"me forward in her white dress,with her
"
are
golden hair and glowingcheeks,her eyes unnaturally
brightwith the slow fever that burned in
her veins.
St. Clare had called her to show a statuette that
he had been buying for her; but her appearance,
as she came on, impressed him suddenly and
paiufully Ṭhere is a kind of beauty
yet so fragile,
Hei father folded her suddenly in his arms, and
almost forgot what he was goingto tell her.
"
Eva. dear,you are better now-a-days,
you not ?
"When you are dead, Eva!'- said St. Clare,
child,don't talk to me so!
"'
Papa ' said Eva, with sudden firmness, passionately.
0,
"" I 've haa things I wanted to say to you, a great You are ofllI have on earth."
while. I want to say them now, before I get
"
Poor old Prue's child was all that she had,
weaker."
yet she had to hear it crying, and she
St. Clare trembled as Eva seated herself in his could n't help it ! Papa, these poor creatures love
lap. She laid her head on his bosom, and said, their children as much as you do me. 0 ! do
" It *s all no use, papa, to keep it to myself
time. I feel sad for our poor people; theylove
me dearly, and theyare all good and kind to me.
I wish, papa, they were all //re."
"
Why, Eva, child,don't you think they are
sorry I ever let you
hear such stories."
no doubt that this way
is a very bad one ; a great
many people think so ; I do myself. I heartily
wish that there were not a slave in the land ;
but,then, I don't know what is to be done about
it! "
"
Papa,you are such a good man, and so noble,
and kind,and you always have a-
way of saying
so intense, things that is so pleasant,couldn't you go all
that we cannot bear to look at it. round and try to persuade pei pieto do right about
this? When I am dead, papa, then you will
think of me, and do it for my sake. I would do
it, if I could."
" "
"
" "
something for them ! There 's poor Mammy
any longer. The time is coming that I am going loves her children ; I've seen her cry when s"ie
to leave you. I am going,and never to come talked about them. And Tom loves his children;
back !" and Eva sobbed.
and it's dreadful, papa,
that such thingsare
"
0, now, my dear littleEva!" said St. Clare, happeningall the time !"
trembling he spoke, but speakingcheerfully,
Clare,soothingly
"
There,there,darling," said St.
"
you 've got nervous and low-spirited ; you
; " only don't distress yourself, mustn't indulge such gloomy thoughts Ṣee here, talk of dying, and I will do anythingyou wish."
I 've bought a statuette for you !"
"
And promiseme, dear father,that Tom shall
"
"
No, papa," said Eva, puttingitgentlyaway, have his freedom as soon as
stopped, and
"
don't deceive yourself! I am not any better, said,in a hesitating tone
I know it well," perfectly and I am going, before
"
Yes, dear, I will do
"
I am gone !"
anything in the world,
long. I am not nervous, am not lowspirited
could ask me to."
Ịf it were not for you, papa, and
my
papa," said the child,layingher burning
"
Dear
friends,I should be perfectly happy. I want to cheek againsthis, " how I wish we could go
go, long to go !"
together!"
"
Where, dearest?" said St. Clare.
"
Why, dear child, what has made your poor
littleheart so sad \ You have had everything, to
it 's so sweet and
"
To our Saviour's home ;
make you happy, that could be givenyou." peaceful there :
it is all so lovingthere !" The
" I had rather be in heaven ; though,only for child spoke unconsciously, as of a place where
my friends' sake, I would be willingto live. she had often been.
"
Don't
you want to go,
There are a
greatmany thingshere that make papa?" she said.
me sad, that seem dreadful to me ; I had rather St. Clare drew her closer to him, but was silent.
be there ; but I don't want to leave you, it
child,speaking
"
You will come to me,",said the
almost breaks my heart !"
in a voice of calm certainty, which she often
"
What makes
you sad,and seems dreadful. used unconsciously.
Eva?"
"
I shall come after you.
I shall not forget
"
0, things that are done, and done all the you."
The shadows of the solemn evening closed
much, in a moment. St. Clare saw and felt many
things, but spokenothing; and, as it grew darker,
he took his child to her bedroom : and, when she
I round them deeper and deeper, as St. Clare sat
silently holdingthe little frail form to his bosom.
He saw no more the deepeyes,
but the voice caui6
well enough off,now !,1%i
over him as a spirit voice,and, as in a sort of
"0, but, papa, if ai/ything should happen to judgmentvision,his whole past life rose in a moment
you, what would become of them ? There are very
before his eyes : his mother's
prayers and
few men like you, papa. Uncle Alfred isn't like hymns ; his own earlyyearnings and aspirings for
you, and mamma isn't ; and then, think of poor good ; and, between them and this hour, years ot
old Prue's owners ! What horrid thingspeopleworldliness and scepticism, and what man calls
do,and can do !" and Eva shuddered.
respectable living. We can think much, very
"
My dear child, you are too sensitive. I 'm
the attendants,
and ro" ked her in his arms, and sung to hei
was prepared for rest,he sent away
tillshe was
asleep.