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Show 292 UNCLE TOM's CADIN: OR, "I am perfectly astonished:'' said George, pushing back his chair a pace or two, und looking at l\Iadamc de Thoux. 11 I was sold to the South when he was a boy," said she. "I was bought by a good and generous man. lie took me with him to the West Indies, set me free, and married me. It is but lately that he died; and I was corning up to Kentucky, to sec ifi could find and redeem my brother." "I have heard him speak of a sister Emily, that was sold South," said George. "Y cs, indeed ! I am the one," said Madame de Thoux; - "tell me what sort of a _n "A very fine young man," said George, "notwithstanding the curse of slavery that lay on him. lie sustained a first rate character, both for intelligence and principle. I know, you sec," he said; "because he married in our family." "What sort of n. gir11" said ~fadamo de Thoux, eagerly. "A treasure," said George; "a beautiful, intelligent, amiable girl. Very pious. My mot!Jcr had brought her up, and trained her as carefully, almost, as a. daughter. She could read and write, embroider and sew, beautifully; and was a beautiful singer.'' " 'Vas she born in your house ? " said ~fadarne de Thoux. "No. Father bought her once, in one of his trips to New Orleans, and brought her up as ~ present to mother. She was about eight or nine years old, then. Father would never tell mother what he gave for her; but, the other day, in looking over his old papers, we came across the bill of sale. lie paid an extravagant sum for her, to be sure. I suppose, on account of her extraordinary beauty." George sat with his back to Cassy, and did not see tho l.IFE AMONG THE LOWLY. absorbed expression of her countenance, as he was giving these details. At this point in the story, she touched his arm, and, with a face perfectly white with interest, said, ll Do you know tho names of the people he bought her of1" "A man of the name of Simmons, I think, wns the principal in the transaction. At least, I think that was the name on the bill of sale.'' "0, my God!" said Cassy, and fell insensible on the floor of the cabin. George was wide awake now, and so was 1\Iadame de Thoux. Though neither of them could conjecture what was the cause of Cassy's fainting, slill they made all the tumult which is proper in such cases; -George upsetting a washpitcher, and breaking two tumblers, in the warmth of his humanity ; and various ladies in the cabin, hearing that somebody had fainted, crowded the state-room door, and kept out all the air they possibly coulJ, so that, on the whole, everything was done that could be expected. Poor Cassy! when she recovered, turned her f:'lce to the wall, and wept and sobbed like a child,- perhaps, mother, you can tell what she was thinking of! Perhaps you cannot, -but she felt as sure, in that hour, that God had had mercy on her, and that she should sco her daughter,- as she did, months afterwards,- when- but we anticipate. VOL. II. 2.5* |