OCR Text |
Show 232 UNCLE TOM'S CABIN: on, "Why, aunty, we arc only going up home;- what is the use? " " To keep it nice, child ; ~ople must take care of their things, if they ever mean to have anything; and now, Ev::~, is your thimble put up?" "Really, aunty, I don't know." "Well, never mind; I '11 look your box over,-thirnblc, wax, two spools, scissors, knife, tape-needle; all right,-put it in here. 'Vhat did you over do, child, when you were coming on with only your papa. I should have thought you'd a lost everything you had." "Well, aunty, I did lose a great many; and then, when we stopped anywhere, papa would buy some more of whatever it was.'' 1' Mercy on us, child,-what a way!'' "It was a very easy way: aunty," said Eva. "It's a dreadful shiftless one/' said aunty. "Why, aunty, what '11 you do now?" said Eva; "that trunk is too full to be shut down." "It must shut down," said aunty, with the air of a general, as she squeezed the things in, and sprung upon tho lid;- still a little gap remained about tho mouth of the trunk. "Get up here, Eva! " said ~iiss Ophelia, courageously; 11 what has been done can be done again. This trunk ha.s got to be shut and locked- there are no two ways about it." And the trunk, intimidated, doubtless, by this resolute st,tcment, gave in. Tho hasp snapped sharply in it.'! hole, and Miss Ophelia turned the key, and pocketed it in triumph. "Now we're ready. Where 's your papa? I think it time this baggage was set out. Do look out, Eva, and see if you see your papa.'' LU'E AhlO::-l"G THE LOWLY. 283 "0, yes, he's down the other end of the gentlemen's cabin, eating an orange." " He can't know how ncar we are coming," s..'l.id aunty; 11 hadn't you better run and speak to him ?" "Papa. noYor is in a hurry about anything," said Eva, l( and we haven't come to the la.nding. Do step on the guards: aunty. I.ook ! there's our house, up that street! " The boat now began, with heavy groans, like some vast, tired monster, to prepare to push up among the multiplied steamers at tho levee. Eva joyously pointed out the various spires, domes, and way-marks, by which she recognized her native city. "Yes, yes, dear j Ycry fine,·: said l\fiss Ophelia. "But mercy on us! tho boat has stopped! where is your fnther1" And now ensued the usua.l tunnoil of lnnding- waiters running twenty ways at once- men tugging trunks, carpetbags, boxes-women anxiously calling to their children, and everybody crowding in a dense mass to tho plank towards the landing. Miss Ophelia seated herself resolutely on tho lately vanquished trunk, and marshalling all her goods and chattels in fino military order, seemed resolved to defend them to the last. "Shall I take your trunk, ma.'nm ? ., ' 1 Shall I take your baggage?" "Let me 'tend to your baggage, Missis?" "Shan't I carry out these yer, ~Iissis ?-" rained down upon lJCr unheeded. She sat with grim determination, upright ns o. darning-needlo stuck in a bonrd, holding on her bundle of umbrella and pa.rasols, and replying with a. determinntion that was enough to strike dismay even into a hackman, wondering to Eva, in each interval, "what upon earth l10r papa could be thinking of; he could u't have fallen over, now,-butsomething must have happened;"-nnd just n,'i sh') 20"' |