UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

head
home,"
it
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
55
The bbod flushed to
Ehza'^cheek in a sudden ingup
the rose-leaves and trimmingUie bushes
glow, and went back to her heart with as sudden in Paradise,askingother hands than those of tho
a rush. She sat down, paleand faint.
original mother. While,therefore,John ran to
"Have courage, child," said Rachel,layingthe spring for fresh water, and Simeon the second
"
her hand on her head. He is among friends, sifted meal for corn-cakes,and Mary ground
who will bring him here to-night."
coffee,Rachel moved gently and quietlyabout,
"To-night!" Eliza repeated,"to-night!" making biscuits, cuttingup chicken,and diffusing
The words lost all meaning to her ; her head
a sort of sunny radiance over the whole proceeding
was dreamy and confused ; all was mist for a
generally Ịf there was any danger of
moment.
friction or collisionfrom the ill-regulated zeal of
so many young operators,her gentle "Come!
"
When she awoke, she found herself snuglycome !" or I wouldn't, now," was quite sufficient
tucked up
on the bod, with a blanket over her, to allay the difficulty. Bards have written
and littleRuth rubbing her hands with camphor. of the cestus of Venus,that turned the heads of
She opened her eyes in a state of dreamy, delicious
all the world in successivegenerations Ẉe :.ad
languor șuch as one has who has long been rather,for our
part,have the cestus of Rachel
bearing a heavyload, and now feels it gone, and Halliday, that keptheads from beingturned, and
would rest. The tension of the nerves, which made everything go on harmoniouslyẈe think
had never ceased a moment since the firsthour of it is more suited to our modern days,decidedly.
her flight, had givenway, and a strangefeeling While all other preparations were goingon,
of security and rest came over her ; and, as she Simeon the elder stood in his shirt-sleevesbefore a
lay,with her large,dark eyes open, she followed, littlelooking-glass in the corner, engaged in the
as in a quietdream, the motions of those about anti-patriarchal operationof shaving.Everything
her. She saw the door open into the other
went on so sociably,
quietlyșo harmoniously,
room ; saw the supper-table, with its snowy
in the great kitchen. "
seemed so
cloth ; heard the dreamy murmur of the singingpleasant to every one to do justwhat theywere
tea-kettle ; saw Ruth tripping backward and forward,
doing țhere was such an atmosphereof mutual
with platesof cake and saucers of preserves,
confidence and good fellowshipeverywhere,"
and ever and anon stopping put a cake even the knives and forks had a social clatter as
into Harry'shand, or pat his head,or twine his they went on to the table ; and the chicken and
long curls round her snowy fingersṢhe saw the ham had a cheerful and joyous fizzlein the pan,
ample,motherly form of Rachel,as she ever and as if they rather enjoyedbeingcooked than otherwise
anon came to the bed-side,and smoothed and arranged
something about the bed-clothes,and gave
a tuck here and there,by way of expressing her
good-will ; and was conscious of a kind of sunshine
beaming down upon her from her large,
clear,brown eyes. She saw Ruth's husband come
saw her in," flyup to him,and commence whispering
very earnestly, ever and anon, with im-
gesture,pointing
toward
her little finger
pressive
the room. She saw her,with the babyin her
arms, sitting down to tea ; she saw them all at
table,and littleHarry in a highchair,under the
shadow of Rachel's amplewing; there were low
murmurs of talk,gentletinkling of tea-spoons,
cup
into the
and musical clatter of cups and saucers, and all food and drink she offered.
mingled in a delightful dream of rest ; and Eliza It was the firsttime that ever Georgehad sat
slept, as she had not sleptbeforeșince the fearful
down on equalterms at any white man's table ;
midnighthour when she had taken her child and he sat down, at first, with some constraint
and fled through the frostystar-light.
and awkwardness ; but theyall exhaled and went
of this
She dreamed of a beautiful a land, off like country," fog, in the genialmoruingrays
it seemed to her,of rest,"
green shores,pleas-simple,overflowinant
islands,
beautifully glittering water; and
"
kindness.
This,indeed,was a home, a word
there,in a house which kind voices told her was that George had never yet known a meaning for ;
a home, she saw her boyplaying, a freeand happy
and a belief in God, and trust in his providence,
child. She heard her husband's- footsteps ; began
she to encircle his heart, as, with a golden
felt him
comingnearer ; his arms were around cloud" of protectionand confidence, dark,misanthropic,
her,his tears falling on her face,and she awoke ! pining,atheistic doubts,and fierce despair,
It was no dream ! The daylight had longfaded ;
The next morningwas a cheerful one at the
"
Quaker house. Mother " Avas
up betimes,and
surrounded by busy girlsand boys,whom we had
scarce time to introduce to our readers yesterday,
and who all moved obediently to Rachel's gentle
"
Thee had better," or more gentle " Hadn't thee
better?" in the work of gettingbreakfast;for a
breakfast in'the luxurious valleysof Indiana is a
thingcomplicated multiform,and,like j ick-
"
; and when Georgeand Eliza and little
Harry came out,theymet such a hearty,rejoicing
welcome,no wonder it seemed to them like a
dream.
At last they were all seated at breakfast, while
Mary stood at the ^tove,bakinggriddle-cakes,
which,as theygained the true,exact golden-brown
tintof perfection, were transferredquitehandily
to the table.
Rachel never looked so truly and benignlyhappy
as at the
.
of her table. There was so
much motherliness and full-heartedness even in
the way she passeda plate of poured cakes,or a
of coffee, that it seemed to put a spiiit
melted away before the light of a living
Gospel, breathed in livingfaces,preachedby a
thousand unconscious acts of love and goodwill,
her child laycalmlysleepingby her side ; a candle
was burningdimlyon the stand,and her
husband was sobbingby her pillow.
which, like the cup of cold water givenin the
name of a disciple, shall never lose their reward.
"
Father,what if thee should get found out
again?"said Simeon second,as he buttered his
cake.
"
I should pay my fine,"said Simeon, quietly.
"
But what if theyput thee in prison ?"
"
Could n't thee and mother manage the farm?"
said Simeon,smiling.
"
Mother can do almost everything," said the
boy. " But isn't it a shame to make such laws'1"