UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

that
1
"
'
-
The
eh
and
"
where
"
course
the
" eh
"
"
"
"
"
"
on solemn,holyeye of light, looking
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
141
indulged
than common ; so that, when he and you '11 pay down your money like a lady,
had discharged his sable attendants, he fell wont you ? I think I see you doingit !"'
heavilyon a settle in the room, and was sound Legree, like many other planters, had but one
form
asleep
of to have in the heaviest ambition," crop
0 ! how dares the had soul to enter the shadowy of the season, he had several bets on this
world of sleep ? land whose dim outlines very presentseason, pendingin the next town.
lie so fearfully mysticscene of retribution!
Cassyțherefore, with woman's tact,touched the
Legree dreamed. In his heavy and onlystringthat could be made to vibrate.
"
feverish sleep, a veiled form stood beside him, Well,I '11 let him off at what he 's got,"
and laid a cold șofthand upon him. He thought said Legree; " but he shall beg my pardon, and
he knew who and shuddered,with promisebetter fashions."
Cassy.
it was, creeping
horror,though the face was veiled. Then he
thought he feltthat hair twininground his fingers ;
and then that it slid smoothly round his neck,
"
That he
"Won't,
won't do,"said
?"
draw his and then he breath ; thought voices
and tightened tightened, and he could not
in the extreme of scorn.
whisperedto him," whispersthat chilled him
"
Because
with horror. Then it seemed to him he was on and won't he 's done say
right,and
wrong."
the edge of a frightful abyss,holding on and
struggling mortal fear,while dark hands
shall say
what
what he I please, ' '
"
it,
nigger
he knows ? The crop,
Cassy came him very
him. And then rose
up that solemn veiled figure, press."
and drew aside the veil. It was his mother ; and
" But he willgiveup,
he will ; don't
"
Or, you
'11 lose your
bet on the cotton
by keeping him out of the field, just at this
stretched up,
behind
and were pulling him
laughing,
over ; and
pushed
she turned away from him, and he fell down, I know what niggers is? He '11 beglike a dog,
down, down, amid a confused noise of shrieks, this morning."
"
and groans,
and shouts of demon laughter, and He won't,Simon ; you
don't know thiskind.
Legree awoke.
You may kill him by inches, you won't get the
Calmly the rosy hue of dawn was stealing firstword of confessionout of him."
the room. The morning star stood,with its
"
We '11 see ;
down the going out
man of sin,from out the brightening sky. 0
with what freshness,what solemnity and beauty, Cassy.
is each new day born ; as if to say to insensate
man, "Behold! thou hast one more chance!
"
No, he won't," sitidCassy.
"
I 'd like to know why,Mistress,"s:..dLegree
is he ?" said Legree,
Strivefor immortal glory !" There is no speechmisgiving
which was not common with him. His
nor language where this voice is not heard ; but dreams of the pastnight,mingled with Cassy]s
the bold,bad man heard it not. He woke with prudential suggestions, considerably affectedhis
an oath and a curse. What to him was the gold mind. He resolved that nobodyshould be witness
and purple, the daily miracle of morning'! What of his encounter with Tom ; and determined,
to him the sanctityof that star which the Son of ^f he could not subdue him bybullying, to defer his
God has hallowed as his own emblem ] Brutelike,
he saw without perceiving; and, stumbling
forward,poured out a tumbler of brandy, and
drank half of it.
"I've had a h "
of a night!" he said to
Cassy, who just then entered from an opposite
door.
" You '11 get plentyof the same sort,by and
by," sail she,dryly.
"
What do you mean, you minx?"
"
You '11find out, one of these days," returned
Cassy, in the same tone. "Now, Simon, I've
one piece of advice to giveyou."
"
The devil you have !"-
"My advice is,"said Cassy șteadily, as she
began adjusting things about the room,
' ; that you let Tom alone .
' '
In the waste-room of the gin-house," said
Legree țhoughhe talked so stoutlyto Cassy,
stillsalliedforth from the house with a degree of
vengeance, to be wreaked in a more convenient
season.
"
solemn light of dawn angelicglory
looked in through the
"
of the morning-starhad rude window of the shed where Tom was lying;
and,as if descending on that star-beam, came the
solemn words,"I am the root and offspring
David,and the brightand morningstar.". The
mysterious warnings and intimationsof Cassy șo
far from discouraging his soul, in the end had
roused it as with a heavenlycall. He did not know
but that the day of his death was dawning in the
all,of which he had often pondered,
great white throne, with its ever radiantrainbow ;
the white-robed multitude,with voices as many
"
sky; and his heart throbbed with solemn throes
of joy and desire, as he though that the wondrous
the
"
What business is't of yours?"
waters; the crowns, the palms, the "
harps,
"What? To be sure, I don't know what it might all break upon his vision before that sun
ehould be. If you want to pay twelve hundred should set again. And, therefore, without^
shuddering
for a fellow,and use him rightup in the or
press
trembling, he heard the vcice of his persecutor,
of the season, just to serve your own spite,
as he drew near.
"
no business of mine. I 've dona what I could for Well, my boy," said Legree with a con
him."
temptuouskick, " how do you find yourself?
"You have? What business have you meddling
Did n'tT tell yer I could larn yer
a thingor two?
in my
matters ? ' '
How do yer like eh ? How did it," yer whaling
"None, to be sure. I've saved you some agree with yer, Tom? An't quite so crank as ye
thousands of dollars, at differentimes,by taking was last night. Ye could n't treat a poor sinner,
care of your
that 's all the thanks I hands," get. now, to a bit of a sermon, could ?"
ye,
If your crop comes shorter into market than any
Tom answered nothing.
"
of theirs, you won't lose your bet,I suppose? Get up, you beast !" said Legree,kicking him
Tompkinswon't lord it over you, I suppose, again.