UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

" the
for
look
that
thee by my
name. Thou art mine !"
But Simon Legree heard no voice. That voice
is one he never shall hear. He onlyglared for a
were going this way and that ;
of the trunk, that was funnier than all,and
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 127
"
Well, I '11 soon have that ou*tof you.
I have and the whole gang sat with downcast,dejected
none o' yer bawling,prayingșingingniggers on faces. Meanwhile, Simon turned on his heel,
my place ; so remember. Now, mind yourself," and marched up to the bar of the boat for a dram.
he said,with a stamp and a fierce "
glanceof his That 's the way I begin vith my niggers,"
gray eye, directed at Tom, "I'm your church he said țo a gentlemanly man, who had stood by
now' You understand, you'vegot to be as I him during his speech. " It 's my systemto begin
say."
strong, justlet 'em know what to expect."
Somethingwithin the silent black man answered,
"
Indeed !" said the stranger,lookingupon
No! and, as if repeatedby an invisible him with the curiosity of a naturalist
voice,came the words of an old propheticscroll, some out-of-the-way specimen.
studying
aa Eva had often read them to him,"
"
Fear
"
Yes, indeed. I 'm none o' gentlemen
not I have redeemed thee. I have called planters, with
yer
lilyfingers, to slopround and be
and then the auction
occasion:?!!abundant witticisms.
This littleaffairbeingover, Simon sauntered up
againto his property..
"
Now, Tom, I 've relieved you of any extra
baggage,you see. Take mightygood care of
them clothes. It '11be longenough 'fore you get
more. I go in for making niggers careful ; one
suit has to do for one
year, on my place."
Simon next walked up to the placewhere Emmeline
was sitting, chained to another woman.
"
Well, my dear," he said,chucking her under
the chin, " keep up your spirits."
The involuntarylook of horror,fright and
"
aversion,with which thr girlregardedhim, did
not escape his eyes. He frowned fiercely.
"
None o' your shines,gal ! you 's got to keep
a pleasantface, when I speak to ye, d'ye
hear! And you, you old yellow poco moonshine
!" lie said,givinga shove to the mulatto
woman to whom Emmcline was chained, " don't
you carry that sort of face ! You 's got to look
chipper, [ tell ye !"
"
I say, all on ye,"he said,retreating a pace
or two back, " look at me,
" at me,
"
look
me right in the e}'c," straight ," now !" said he,
Bta nping his foot at every pause.
As by a fascination,
was now
every eye
directed
eye of Simon.
to the glaringre-mish-gray
"
Now, " said he, doublinghis greatheavy
fist int i something resembling a blacksmith's
hammer, ' d' ye see this fist? Heft it !" he said,
bringing it down on Tom's hand. "
Look at
these yer hones ! WeH, I tell ye this yer fisthas
got as hard as inn knockingdown niggers. I
never see the nigger, yet, I could n't bringdown
with one crack," said he,bringinghis fistdown
so near t " the face of Tom that he winked,and
drew back.
li
I don't keep none o' yer cussed
cheated by some old cuss of an overseer ! Just
feelof my knuckles,now ; look at my fist. Tell
ye, sir,the flesh on 't has come jestlike a stone,
on it."
"
feel moment on the downcast face of Tom, and walked practising on niggers,
off. He took Tom's -trunk,which contained a The strangerappliedhis fingers to the implement
very neat and abundant wardrobe, to the forecastle,
in question,and simplysaid,
where it was soon surrounded by various "'Tis hard enough; and, I suppose," he
hands of the boat. With much laughing, added, "
practice your heart justlike
expense of niggerswho tried to be gentlemen, it."
articles very readily were sold to one and another,
"
Why, yes, I may say so," said Simon,with
and the empty trunk finallyput up at auction. a heartylaugh.
"
I reckon there 's as littlesoft
It wae a goodjoke,they all thought,especially in me as in any
one going. Tell you, nobody
to see how Tom looked after his things,as they comes it over me ! Niggers never gets round me,
neither with squalling nor soft "
soap,
fact."
's a
"
You have a fine lot there."
"Eeal," said Simon. '-There's that Tom
theytolled me he was suthin' uncommon. I paid
a littlehigh for him,'tendin' him for a driver and
a managingchap ; onlygetthe notions out that
he 's larnt by bein' treated as niggersneyer ought
to be, he '11do prime ! The yello woman I got
took in in. I raytheiy think she's sickly, hut I
shall put her through for what she 's worth ; she
may last a year
or two. I don't go for savin'
niggers. Use up, and buy more, :s my way ;
"
makes you less trouble,and I 'm quitesure jt
comes cheaper in the end ;" and Simon sipped his
glass.
"
And how long do theygenerally
the stranger.
last?"
overseers ; "I does " dv own overseeing ; and I tell And yet your laws allow him to hold any
you things_is seen to. You 's every
one on
ye number of human beingssubjectto his absolute
got to toe the mark, I tell ye ; quick," straight. will,without even a shadow of protection ; and,
moment I speak. That 's the way to keep low as he is, you cannot
say that there are not
in with me. Ye won't find no soft spot in me, many such."
"
nowhere. So, now, mind yerselves ; for I don't Well," said the other, " there are also many
show no mercy !"
considerate and Immane men
among planters."
"
The women involuntarily drew in theirbreath, Granted,"said the young
man ; " but hi my
said
"
Well; donno ; 'cordin' as their constitution is.
Stout fellerslast six or seven
years ; trashy ones
gets worked up in two or three. I u^ed to,wheu
I fustbegun,have considerable
troublefussin' witV
doctorin'
'em and tryingto make 'em hold "
out,
on 'em up when they 's sick,and givin' on 'em
clothes and blankets,and what not, tryin' to keep
'em all sort o' decent and comfortable. Law,
'twas n't no sort o' use ; I lost money on 'em,
and 'twas heaps o' trouble. Now, you see, I
justput 'em straight through, sick or well. When
one nigger'sdead,I buy another ; and I find it
comes cheaperand easier, every way."
The stranger turned away, and suited himself
beside a gentleman, who had been listening to
the conversation with repressed uneasiness
"You must not take that fellow to be any
of Southern planters,"said he.
specimen
" I should hopenot,"said tho young gentleman,
with emphasis.
"
He is a mean, low,brutal fellow !" said the
other.