UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 65
Master
Adolph,laughing '' I ca. delighted to see
in such spirits."
"
Here, Tom," said St. Clare,beckoning.
Tom entered the room. He looker1wistfully on
the velvet carpets, and the before unimagined
"
I '11 have the first juniper-berries get
splendors statues,and curtains,
ripein our gardenby the lake broughtin for that
and, like the Queen of Sheba before Solomon, especial purpose,"said St. Clare,gravelypulling
"
there was no more spirit in him. He looked the bell as he did so; meanwhile, cousin, you
afraideven to set his feet down.
must be wanting to retire to your apartment, and
"
See here,Marie," said St. Clare to his wife, refresh yourself a little,after your journey.
"
I've boughtyou a coachman, at last țo order. Dolph." he added, " tell Mammy to come here."
I tell you he 's a regular hearse for blackness and The decent mulatto woman whom Eva had
sobriety, and will drive you like a funeral,if you
caressed so rapturouslysoon entered ; she was
want. Open your eyes, now, and look at him.
Now, dou't say I never think about you when I 'm
gone."
Marie openedher eyes, and fixedthem on Tom,
without rising.
"
I know he '11get drunk,"she said.
Raid the lady,shutting
"
Hang the woman !" said St. Clare,mentally;
but aloud he added, " Come, now, Marie,what
do you think of the likeness? Don't be nonsensical,
now."
"It's
very inconsiderate of you, St. Clare,"
Baid the lady, " to insiston my talkingand looking
at things. You know I 've been lying all day
with the sick head-ache ; and there 's been such
a tumult made ever since you came, I'm half
dead."
"
You 'resubject to the sick-headache, ma'am?"
eaid Miss Ophelia,suddenlyrisingfrom the
depths
of the largearm-chair,where she had sat
quietly,taking an inventory of the furniture, and
calculating its expense.
"
Yes,I 'rn a perfectmartyr to it," said the
lady
"No, he 's warranted a and
p?ous
sober article."
the rear
"
Juniper-berry tea is good for sick-h'ndache,"
said Miss Ophelia; "at least,Auguste, Deacon
Abraham Perry'swife,used to say so ; and she
was a great nurse."
dressed neatly, with a high red and yellow turban
on her head,the recent gift of Eva, and which
the child had been arrangingon her head.
"Mammy," said St. Clare,"I put this lady
under your care ; she is tired,and wants rest;
take her to her chamber,and be sure she is made
comfortable," and Miss Opheliadisappeared in
oi Mammy.
"
Well, I hope he may tun out well,"said the
lady; " ife's more that*I expectțhough."
"Dolph," said St. Clare,"show Tom down
stairs ; and. mind
"
yourself,'* he added ; remember
CHArTER XVT.
what I toldyou."
Adolph trippedgracefully forward,and Tom,
tom's mistress and her opinions.
'St.Clare, with lumberingtread,went after.
" And now, Marie," said " your
goldendays are dawning. Here is our practical,
"
He 's a perfectbehemoth !" said Marie.
"
Come, now, Marie," said St. Clare,seatingbusinesslike New Englandcousin,who will take
himself on a stool beside her sofa, " be gracious, the whole budgetof cares off your shoulders, and
and say somethingpretty to a fellow."
giveyou time to refresh yourself, and grow young
"
You :ve been gone a fortnight beyond the and handsome. The ceremony of delivering time," said the lady,pouting.
keyshad better come off forthwith."
the reason."
This remark was made at the breakfast- table,a
"
Well, you know I wrote you
"
Such a short,cold letter!" said the lady. few mornings after Miss Opheliahad arrived.
"
"Dear me! the mail was justgoing, and it I 'in sure she 's welcome," said Marie,leaning
had to be that or nothing."
her head languidly "
I think
" That *sjustthe way, always," said the lady; she '11 find one thing,if she does,and that is,
"
always something to make your journeyslong,
that it 'a we mistresses that are the slaves,down
and letters short."
here."
"
See here, now," he added, drawing an "0, certainly, she will discover that, and a
elegant velvet case out of his pocket, and opening
world of wholesome truths besides,no doubt,"
it, " here 's a present I got for you in New said St. Clare.
York."
"
Talk about our keepingslaves,as if we did it
It was a daguerreotype, clear and soft as an for our convenience," said Marie.
"
I 'm sure, if
engraving, representing Eva and her father sitting
we consulted that,we might let them all go at
hand in hand.
once."
Marie looked at it with a dissatisfied air. Evangeline largeșerious eyes
on her
"
What made you sit in such an awkward mother's face,with an earnest and perplexed position?" she said.
and said,simply, " What do you keep
"
Well,the position may be a matter of opinion
them for,mamma?"
know, ; but what do you think of the likeness?"
"
I don't I 'm sure, except for a plague;
" If you don't think anything of my opinion they are the plague of my
life. I believe that
one case, I suppose you wouldn't in another,"
the daguerreotype.
more of my illhealth is caused by them than by
anyone thing; and ours, I know, are the very
worst that ever anybody was plagued with."
"0, come, Marie, you 've got the blues țhis
morning,"said St. Clare. "You know "t isn't
so. There 's Mammy, the best creature "
living,
what could you do without her?"
Mammy is the best I ever knew," said Marie ;
"
"and yet Mammy, now, is selfish" dreadfully
selfish ; it 's the fault of the whole
race."
"
Selfishnessis a dreadful fault,"said St. Clare,
gravely.
"
Well, now, there 's Mammy." said Marie,"I
think it 's selfishof her to sleep so sound nights;
she knows I need littleattentions almost every
hour, when my worst turns are on, and yetshe '*
am worse, this very
so hard to wake. I absolutely
morning, for the effortsI had to make to v\raka
her lastni^ht."