UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

then
"I
152 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : ORs
eternal,inexorable lapseof moments is ever hurrying
;ling
with the negroes who held them,bayingand
the dayof the evil to an eternal night,and .barking at each other.
the night of the just to an eternal "day.We have The men were, two of them, overseers of plantations
walked with our humble friend thus far in the in the vicinity ; and others were some of
valley of slavery; first throughflowery fields of Legree'sassociates at the tavern bar of a neighboring
ease and indulgence, then throughheart-breaking city, who had come for the interest of the
separations from all that man holds dear. Again, sport. A more hard- favored set,perhaps, could
we have waited with him in a sunny island, not be imagined.Legree Avas servingbrandy,
where generous hands concealed his chains with
flowers ;
and,lastly, we have followed him when
the last ray of earthlyhope went out in night,
and seen how, in the blackness of earthlydarkness,
the firmament of the unseen has blazed with
stars of new and significant lustre.
The morning-star now stands over the topsof
the mountains,and gales and breezes, not of
earth,show that the gatesof day are unclosing. A grave sneer overcast the dark, severe
The escape of Cassyand Emmeline irritated gravity of her. face,as she listened,and heard
the before surlytemperof Legreeto the last degree
; and his fury, as was to be expected, fell
upraising of his hands, that did not escape him.
He saw that he did not jointhe muster of the
pursuers. He thought of forcing him to do it ;
but,havinghad,of old,experience bility
of his inflexi-
when commanded to take part in any deed
of inhumanity, he would not, in his hurry,stop
to enter into any conflictwith him.
Tom, therefore, remained behind,with a few
who had learned of him to pray, and offered up
prayers for the escape of the fugitives.
When Legreereturned,baffledand disappointed, be?"
all the
hatred of his soul towards
long-working
Emmeline, in her child-like simplicity, was
his slave beganto gather in a deadly and desperate
half afraid of the dirk moods of Cassy. She
form. Had not this man
"
braved him, looked perplexed, but made no answer. She only
"
steadily,powerfully, resistlessly, ever since he took her hand, with a gentle,caressing movement.
bought him? Was there not a spiritin him
which,silent as it was, burned on him like the
firesof perdition ?
he sat
" I hate him ! " said Legree, that night, as
np in his bed ; " I hate him ! And is n't he mine? "Poor Cassy!" said Emmeline, "don't feel
Can't I do what I like with him ? Who 's to so ! If the Lord givesus liberty, perhapshe 'II
hinder,I wonder?" And Legreeclenched his fist, giveyou back your daughter; at any rate, I '11
and shook it,as if he had something his hands be like a daughterto you. I know I '11never see
that he could rend in pieces.
my poor old mother again ! I shall love you,
But,then Țom was a faithful, valuable servant ; Ca.ssy, whether you love me or not !"
and,althoughLegree hated him the more for that, The gentle,child-like spirit conquered.Cassy
yet the consideration was stillsomewhat of a sat down by her,put
restraintto him.
The next morning, he determined to say nothing,
would break that fellow down, or there was
a dire inward whisper țo which his soul assented.
profusely, round among them, as also among the
negroes
who had been detailed from the various
plantations for this service ; for it was an object
to make every service of this kind, among the
negroes, as much of a holiday as possible.
Cassyplacedher ear at the knot-hole ; and,aa
the morning air blew directlytowards the house,
she could overhear a good deal of the conversation.
them divide out the ground,discuss the rival
merits of the dogs,give orders about firing, and
upon the defencelesshead of Tom. When he hurriedly
the treatment of each,in case "ofcapture.
announced the tidkigsamong
his hands, Cassy drew back ; and, claspingher hands,
there was a sudden lightin Tom's eye, a sudden looked upward, and said,"0, greatAlmighty
God ! we are all sinners ; but what have we done,
more, than all the rest of the world, that we
should be treated so ? "
There was a terrible earnestness in her face
and voice,as she spoke.
"
If it was n't for you, child,"she said,looking
at Emmeline,, " I 'd go out to them; and I'd
thank any one of them that would shoot me down ;
for what use will freedom be to me ? Can it give
me back my children, or make me what I used to
"
"
Don't !" said Cassy,trying to draw it away ;
you '11 get me to loving you ; and I never mean
to love anythingagain !' '
her arm round her neck,
stroked her soft,brown hair ; and Emmeline thei"
wondered at the beauty of her magnificent eyes,
as yet; to assemble a party, from some now soft with tears.
neighboring plantations, with dogs and guns ; to "0, Em!" said Cassy, "I've hungeredfoi
surround the swamp,
and go about the hunt systematically.
my children,and thirsted for them, and my eyes
If it succeeded, well and good; if fail with longing for them ! Here, here," she
"
not, he would summon Tom before him, and said,strikingher breast, " it 's all desolate, all
"
his teeth clenched and his blood boiled he
empty ! If God would give me back my children,
then I could pray."
"
You must trust him,Cassy," said Emmeline ;
"
he is our Father !"
"
Ye say that the interestof the master is a sufficient
" His wrath is upon us," said Cassy; " he has
safeguard for the slave. In the fury of turned away
in anger."
man's mad will,lie will wittingly, and with open "No, Cassy! He will be good to us ! Let us
eye, sell his own soul to the devil to gainhis hope in Him," said Emmeline, alwayshave
ends ; and will he be more careful of his neighbor's
had hope."
body?
# # # * #
The hunt was long,animated, and thorough,
"
Well," said țhe next day, from the
garret, as Cassy throughthe knot-hole, but unsuccessful ; and, with grave,
ironic exultation,
"
the hunt 's going to beginagaințo-day !"
Cassy looked down on Legree,as, weary
Three or four mounted horsemen were curvetting
and dispirited, he alighted from his horse.
about,on the space front of the house ; and
Quimbo," said Legree, as he stretched
"
Now,
sne or two leashes of strangedogs were strug-himself down in the sitting-room, "you jestgo