UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

"
that
thar's
"
You talk like a man, St. Clare," just as if a
mother could be relieved of the care of a child in
that state ; but, then,it's all alike, no one ever
knows what I feel! I can't throw thingsoff,as
you do."
St. Clare smiled. You must excuse him, he
couldn't helpit," for St. Clare could smile yet.
For so bright and placidwas the farewell voyage
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. Ill
"
"
would be roused to rub her feet țo bathe her "Miss Eva, she talks to me. The Lord,he
uead,to find her pocket-handkerchief, to see what sends his messenger in the soul. I must be thar,
the noise was in Eva's room, to let down a curtain
Miss Feely; for when that ar blessed child goes
because it was too light, put it up into the kingdom,they'llopen the door so wide,
because it was too dark ; and,in the day-time, we '11all get a look in at the glory, Miss Feely."
"
when she longedto have some share in the nursing
Uncle Tom, did Miss Eva say she felt more
of her pet,Marie seemed unusually ingenious unwell than usual to-night?"
in keepingher busyanywhere and everywhere,all "No; but she telled me, this morning,she
Over the house,or about her own
person ; so that was comingnearer. them that tells it to
stolen intei 'iews and momentary glimpses were the child,. Miss Feely.It's the angels, it "u
'
all she could obtain.
the trumpet sound afore the break o' day,' " said
"
I feel it my duty to be particularly carefulof Tom, quoting from a favorite hymn.
myself,now," she would say, "feeble as I am, This dialoguepassedbetween Miss Opheli and
and with the whole care and nursingof that dear Tom, between ten and eleven,one evening, after
child upon. me."
her arrangementshad all been made for the
"
Indeed, my dear," said St. Clare, " I thoughtnight,when, on going to bolt her outer door,she
our cousin relieved you of that."
found Tom stretched alongby it,in the outer
dailyand almost insensibly increasing;
she was so beautiful șo loving, so trustful, so
happy, that one could not resistthe soothing influence
heart
of that air of innocence and peace which in his bosom than he had had there for weeks.
seemed to breathe around her. St. Clare found a But at "
midnight, strange,mystic hour! "
strange calm coming over him. It was not hope, when the veil between the frail presentand the
; it
was impossible ; it was not resignation
was only a calm resting the present, which
" seemed so beautiful that he wished to think of no
future. It was like that hush of spirit which
feel amid the briglt,mild woods of autumn, when
the bright hectic (lushis on the trees,and the last
lingering flowers by the brook ; and we joyin it
we
charge,and who, at the turn of the night,ha^
discerned what experienced nurses significantly
all the more because we know that soon it will all call "a change." The outer door was quicklj
pass away.
opened, and Tom, who was watching outside
The friend who knew most of Eva's own imaginings
was on the alert,in a moment.
and foreshadowings was her faithful "
bearer, Go for the doctorȚom ! lose not a moment,'"
Tom. To him she said what she would not disturb
said Miss Ophelia; and, steppingacross tin.
her fatherby saying. To him she impartedroom, she rapped at St. Clare's doo.\
those mysterious intimations which the soul "
feels, Cousin," she said, " I wish you would come."
as the cords begin to unbind,ere it leavesitsclay Those words fell on his heart like clods upon
a
forever.
coffin Why did they? He was
Tom, at last,would not sleep in his room, but
up
lay all nightin the outer veranda,readyto rouse
at every call.
"Uncle Tom, what alive have you taken to
sleepinganywhere and everywhere,like a dog,
for?" said Miss Ophelia. ''I thoughtyou was
one of the orderly sort, that liked to lie in bed in
cometh.' That 's what I 'm spectin'now,
"
every night,Miss Feely, and I couldn't sleep
out o' hearin' no ways."
'"'
Why, Uncle Tom, what makes you think so?"
veranda.
She was not nervous or impressible ; but the
solemn,heart-felt manner struck her, Eva had
"
"
"
and cheerful, that afternoon,
and had sat raised in her bed, and looked
over all her little trinkets and preciousthings,
and designated the friends to whom she would
have them given; and her manner was more animated,
of the littlespirit, by such sweet and fragrant and her voice more natural țhan they had
breezes was the small bark borne towards the known it for weeks. Her father had been in,in
heavenlyshores, that it was impossible to realize
the evening,and had said that Eva appearedmore
that it was death that was
approaching.
The like her former self than ever she had done sines
child felt no pain, onlya tranquil, soft weakness,
her sickness ; and when he kissed her for tho
and
Cousin,wa
been unusuallybright
"
"
night, he said to Miss Ophelia,
may keep her with us, afterall ; she is certainly
better ;" and he had retired with a lighter
eternal future grows thin," then came the messenger
!
There was a sound in that chamber,firstof one
who steppedquickly. It was Miss Ophelia, who
had resolved to sit up
all nightwith her little
and in the
room in an instant;and bending over Eva, who
stillslept.
What was it he saw that made his heart stand
still? Why was no word spoken between the
two? Thou canst say, who hast seen that same
that
expressionon the face dearest to th.ee ;
"
look indescribable, hopeless, unmistakablețhat
a Christian way."
says to thee that thy beloved is no longerthine.
"I do, Miss Feely,"said Tom, mysteriously. On the fiiceof the child,however,there was
"
"I do ; but now
"
"
no
ghastlyimprint, only a high and almost
"
Well, what now?"
"
sublime expression, the overshadowingpresence
" We must n't speakloud ; Mas'rSt. Clare won't
of spiritualnatures, the dawningof im-
hear on 't ; but,Miss Feely, you know there must
life in that childish soul.
be somebody watchin' for the bridegroom." They stood there so still, gazingupon her,that
"
Wha*do you mean, Tom?"
even the tickingof the watch seemed too loud
"You know it says in Scripture, 'At midnightIn a few moments, Tom returned, with the doctor.
there was a greatcry made. Behold țhe bridegroom
He entered, gave one look,and stood silent
as
the rest.
mortal
"
When did this change take place ?" said he,
in a low whisper țo Miss Ophelia.
"
About the turn of the night," was the reply