UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

"
come
this
54 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
holdingout a littleheart to the boy,who came
up gazingthrough his curls,and acceptedit
Shyly.
"'Where 's thybaby, Ruth
?" said Rachel.
"
0, he 's coining; but thyMarycaughthim as
I came in,and ran off with him to the barn,to
show him to the children."
At this moment, the door opened,and Mary, an
honest,rosy-looking girl, with largebrown eyes,
likeher mother's,came in with the baby.
"
All ! ha !" said Rachel,coming up, and taking
the great,white, fat fellow in her arms; "howgood
he looks,and how he does grow !"'
"
To be sure, he does,"said littlebustlingRuth,
as she took the child,and begantakingoff a little
blue silkhood,and various layersand wrappers of
outer garments ; and havinggivena twitch here,
and a pullthere,and variously adjustedand arranged
him,and kissed him heartily, she set him
on the floorto collect his thoughts Ḅaby seemed
quite used to this mode of proceeding, for he put
his thumb in his mouth (as if it were quite a thing
of course), and seemed soon absorbed in his own
reflections, while the mother seated herself,and
taking out a longstockingof mixed blue and white
yarn, began to knit with briskness.
"
Mary, thee 'd better fill the kettle,hadn't
thee ?" gentlysuggested'the mother.
morning; made the bed, tidied up the house.
Leah Hills went in, this afternoon,and baked If I did n't love John and the baby, I should not
bread and piesenough to last some days,and I know how to feel for her. Come, now, do tell
engagedto go back to get her up, this evening." her," do !" and she laid her hands
into
persuasively
thy bed-room,
"
Take her
"
I will go in to-morrow, and do any cleaningon Rachel's arm.
there may be,and look over the mending," said there,and let me frythe chicken while thee does
.Rachel.
"
Ah !
it."
Rachel came out into the kitchen, where
that iswell,"saidRuth.
"
I 've heard,"
she added, " that Hannah Stanwood issick. John Eliza was sewing, and openingthe door of a small
was
up there,last night;" I must go there tomorrow."
bed-room,said,gently, "-Come in here with me,
"
John can come in here to his meals,if thee
needs to stay all day,"suggestedRachel.
sink,in a littf 3 back porch,
"Indeed!" said Rachel,lookingthoughtfully
and glancingat Eliza.
"Did thee say thy name was Harris?" said
Simeon to Eliza,as liereentered.
Rachel glancedquickly at her husband, as Eliza
"
tremulously answered
suggestingthat
advertisements out for her. '
fears, ever
"
trembling with nervous anxiety,
her boy.
"
Thank thee,Rachel ; we will see, to-morrow ;
but,here comes Simeon."
"
No, no," said little Ruth, dartingup, and
Simeon Halliday,atall,straight, muscular man, seizing "
Never thee fear; it 's good
in drab coat and pantaloons, and broad-brimmed news, Eliza, go in, go in!" And she gently
hat,now entered.
pushed her to the door, which closed after her ;
"
How is thee,Ruth?" he said,warmly, as he and then,turninground, she caught little Harry
spread his broad open hand for her littlefat palm; in her arms, and begankissing him.
thy
"
Thee '11 see father,little one. "
and how is John?"
Does thee
"
0 ! John is well,and allthe rest of our folks," know it? Thy father is coming," she said,over
said Ruth, cheerily.
and over again, as the boy looked wonderingly "
Any news, father ?" said Rachel,as she was her.
putting her biscuits into the oven.
Meanwhile, within the door,another scene was
"
Peter Stebbins told me that theyshould be going on. Rachel Hallidaydrew Eliza toward
along to-night, with
nificantly, her, and said,"The Lord hath had mercy
on
yes ;" her
uppermost,
there mi^ht be
possibly
"
Mother !" said Simeon,standing in the perch,
and callingRachel out.
"
What does thee want, father?" said Rachel,
rubbingher flouryhands, as she went into the
porch.
"
This child'shusband is in the settlement, and
will be here
to-night," said Simeon.
"
Now, thee doesn't say that, father?" said
Rachel,all her face radiant with joy.
"
It 's reallytrue. Peter was down yesterday,
with the wagon, to the other stand,anilthere ho
and one said
found an old woman and two men ;
his name was GeorgeHarris ; and, from what he
told of his history,I am certain who he is. He
is a bright,likelyfellow țoo."
"
Shall we tell her now?" said Simeon.
"Let's tell Ruth,'-'said Rachel. "Here,
Ruth
,
here
.
' '
Ruth laid down her knitting-work, and was in
the back porchin a moment.
"
"
Mary took the kettle to the well,and soon reappearing,
"
Ruth, what does thee think?" said Rachel.
placedit over the stove, where it was
company,
"
Father Eliza's husband is in the last
soon purring and steaming, a sort of censer of
and
says
will be here to-night."
hospitality and good cheer. The peaches, A burst of joy from the little Quakeress interrupted
in obedience to a few gentlewhispersfrom
the speech. She gave such a bound
Rachel, were. soon deposited, by the same hand, in from the floor,as she clapped her littlehands,
a stew-pan over the fire.
that two straycurls fell from under her Quaker
Rachel now took down a snowy moulding-board, cap, and laybrightly on her white neckerchief.
and, tying on an apron, proceededquietlyto "Hush thee, dear!" said Rachel, gently;
making up
some biscuits,firstsaying to "
Mary, hush, Ruth ! Tell us, shall we tell her
"
Mary, had n't thee better tell John to get a
"
Now ! to be sure, very minute.
now?"
Why,
chicken ready?" and Mary disappeared now, suppose 'twas my John, how should I feel?
Do tell her,right off."
Thee thyselfonlyto
"
And how is AbigailPeters ?" said Rachel,as
" uses learn how to love
she went on with her biscuits.
thyneighbor,Ruth," said Simeon,looking, "
0, she 's better,"said Ruth
"
; I was in,this a beaming face,on Ruth.
"
To be sure. Is n't it what we are made for?
my daughter;
I have news to tellthee."
The blood flushed in Eliza's paleface ; she rose,
and looked towards
friends,'''' said Simeon, sig-
as he was washing his hands at a neat
thee,daughter; thy husband hath escaped from
the house of bondage."