UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

" I'll
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a
a
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 133
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"FU'H have to get a breakingin,won't he, lipsmoved slightly something boys?"
French. What it was, no one knew; but
Both negro :s grinned a horrid grin, at this intimation.
Legree's face became perfectly demoniacal in its
expression, as she spoke; he half raised his hand,
As she delivered it,Legree looked in her eyes you never hear,out of yer Bible, Servants,obey
'
with a sneering yetinquiring glance.
yer mastei-s ' ? An't I yer master? Did n't I pay
She fixed her black eyes steadily dawn twelve hundred dollars cash,for all there is
"
Ay, ay! let Mas'r Legreealone,for breakin' as if to strike, gesturewhich she regarded
in! De debil heself couldn't beat Mas'r at* with fierce disdain,as she turned and walked
d"it!" said Quinibo.
away.
"Wal, boys,the best way
is to givehim the "And now," said Legree, "come here, you
flogging do,tillhe gets over his notions. Break Tom. You see, I telled ye I did n't buy ye jest
him in ! ' '
for the common work ; I mean to promote ye,
"
Lord,Mas'r '11have hard work to getdat out and make a driver of ye ; and to-nightye may
o' him !"
jest as well begin to get yer hand in. Now, ye
"It'll have to come out of him, though!" jesttake this yer gal and flogher ; ye 've seen
said Legree, as he rolled his tobacco in his enoughon beg
't to know how."
mouth.
"
I Mas'r's pardon,"said Tom ; " hopes
"
Now, dar 's Lucy," the aggravatinist, ugliest
Mas'r won't set me at that. It 's what I an't
wench on de place !" pursuedSambo.
used never and can't did," do, no to,"
"Take care, Sam; I shall to think possible."
begin
way
things
what 's th"ireason for your spiteaginLucy."
"
Ye '11lam a smart pretty chance of
"
Well. Mas'r knows she 's sot herself up agin ye never did know, before I 've done with ye !"
Mas'r,and wouldn't have me, when he tolled her said Legree,takingup a cow-hide, striking
to."
Tom a heavyblow across the cheek,and following
"
I 'd a flogged her into 'fc," said Legreeșpitting,
up the infliction by a shower of blows.
"only there's such a press o' work, it "There!" he said,as he stopped to
don't seem wuth a while to upset her "
jistnow. now, will ye tell me ye can't do it?"
rest;
She 's slender ; but these yer slender gals will
"
Yes, Mas'r"
bear half killiu'to get their own way !"
to wipe the
"
Wal, Lucy was real aggravatin' "
lazy, I 'm wiilin'
said Tom,
blood țhat
to work, night
puttingup his hand,
trickled down kis face.
day,and work
sulkin'round ; wouldn't do nothin', and Tom while there 's life and breath in me ; but this yer
and,Mas'r,I
he tuck up forh?r."
thing I can't feel it righ to do ;
"
lie did,eh ! Wal, then,Tom shall have the never shall do it," never! "
pleasure flogging good practice
Tom had a remarkablysmooth, soft voice,and
for him, and he won't put it on to the gal a habitually respectful manner, that had given
like you devils,neither."
Legree an idea that he would be cowardly, and
"Ho, ho! haw! haw! haw!" laughed both easily subdued. When he spoke these last
the sooty wretches ; and the diabolical sounds words, a thrillof amazement wenttthrough every
seemed,in truth,a not unaptexpression of the one; the poor woman clasped her hands, and
fiendishcharacter which Legreegave* them.
said "0 Lord!" and
every
one involunta.-ilv
'"
Wal, but,Mas'r, Tom and Misse Cassy, and looked at each other and drew in their breath, as
dey among 'em, filled Lucy'sbasket. I ruther if to prepare for the storm that was about to
guess der weight 's in it,Mas'r !"
burst.
"/ do the teaching-.'" said Legree,emphatically.
Legreelooked stupefied confounded ; but
at last burst forth,"
Both the driversagainlaughedtheir diabolical "What! ye blasted black beast! tell me ye
laugh.
don't think it righ to do what I tell ye ! What
"
So !" he added, " Misse Cassy did her day'shave any
of you cussed cattle to do with thinking
work."
what 's right ? I '11 put a stop to it ! Why,
"
She pickslike de debil and.all his angels !" what do ye
think ye are ? May be ye think ye 'r
"She's got 'em all in her, I believe!" said a gentleman,master Tom, to be a telling your
Legree; and, growling a brutal oath,he proceeded
master what 's right, and what an't ! So you
to the weighing-room.
pretend it 's wrong to flog the gal !"
"
I think so, Mas'r," said Tom ; " the poor crittur's
sick and feeble; 'twould be downright
Slowly the weary, dispirited creatures wound
their way into the room, and,with crouching cruel,and it 's what I never will do,nor begin to.
presentedtheir baskets to be weighed. Mas'r, if you
mean to kill me, kill me ; but,as to
Legreenoted on a slate,on the side of which
my raisingmv hand aginany one here,I never
was pasteda listof names, the amount.
shall, die first!"
Tom's basket was weighed and approved;and Tom spokein a mild voice,but with a decision
he looked,with an anxious glance, for the success that could not be mistaken.
Legree
shook with
of the woman he had befriended.
anger ; his greenisheyes glaredfiercely, and his
Totteringwith weakness, she came forward, passion; but,
and delivered her basket. It was some ferocious beast,that
very
of full weight, like playsw.'th its
as Legree well perceived ; but,affecting anger, he viptimbefore he devours it,he kept back his
said,
strong impulse to proceedto immediate violence.,
"
What, you lazybeast! short again! stand and broke out in bitter raillery.
aside, you '11catch ' "
it,prettysoon !"
Well, here 's a piousdog,at last,let down
The woman
gave a groan of utter despair,and among
us sinners ! saint,a gentleman, sat down on a board. The person who had been no less,to talk to us sinners about our sins!
calledMisse Cassy now came forward,and, with Powerful holycritter, he must be ! Here, you
a haughty,negligentair,delivered her basket. rascal, you make believeto be so pious, did n't