OCR Text |
Show so UNCLE TO.M'S CABIN; OR, some. Last year I could make all the letters, but I 'm afraid I 've forgotten." . So Eva put her little golden head close to Ius, and tho two commenced a. grave and anxious discussion, each one equally earnest, and about equally ignorant; and, with a deal of consulting and advising over every word, the composition began, as they both felt very sanguine, to look quito like writing. «Yes, Uncle Tom, it really begins to look beautiful," said Eva, gazing delightedly on it. "How pleased your wife 'II bo, and the poor little children! 0, it's a shame you ever had to go away from them ! I mean to ask papa to let you go back, some time." " Missis said that she would send down money for me, as soon as they could get it together,'' said Tom. ''I 'm 'spectin' she will. Young Mas'r George, he said he'd come for me; and he gave me this ycr dollar as a sign ; '' and Tom drew from under his clothes the precious dollar. "0, he'll certainly come, then! " said Eva. "I'm so glad!" "And I wanted to send a letter, you know, to let 'em know whar I was, and tell poor Chloe that I was well off,cause she felt so drefful, poor soul ! " "I say, Tom ! " said St. Clare's voice, coming in the door at this moment. Tom and Eva both started. " What's here 1 " said St. Clare, coming up and looking at the slate. " 0 , it's Tom's letter. I'm helping him to write it/' sa.iU Eva.; "isn't it nice?" "I wouldn't discourage either of you," said St. Cll1re, "but I rather think, Tom, you'd better get me to write LIFE AMONG TilE LOWLY. 31 your letter for you. I 'II do it, when I come home from my ride.'' " It 's very important he should write," said Eva, " be~ cause his mistress is going to send down money to redeem him, you know, papa; he told me they told him so." St. Claro thought, in his heart, that this was probably only one of those thinga which good-natured owners say to their servants, to alleviate their horror of being sold, without any intention of fulfilling the expectation thus excited. But he did not make any audible comment upon it,- only ordered Tom to got the horses out for a ride. Tom's letter was written in due form for him that evening, and safely lodged in tho post-office. Miss Ophelia still persevered in her labors in the bousekeeping line. It was universally agreed, among all the household, from Dinah down to the youngest urobin, that Miss Ophelia was decidedly" curis,"-a term by which a southern servant implies that his or her betters don't exactly suit them. The higher circle in the family- to wit, Adolph, Jane and Rosa- agreed that she was no lady; !adios never kept working obout as she did;- that she had no ai>· at all; and they were surprised that she should bo any relation of tho St. Clores. Even Marie declared that it was absolutely fatiguing to sec Cousin Opbelio always so busy. And, in fact, Miss Ophelia's industry was so incessant ns to lay some foundation for the complaint. She sewed and stitched away, from daylight till dark, with tho energy of one who is pressed on by some immediate urgency; and then, when the light faded, and the work was folded away, with one turn out came the cver~rea.dy knitting-work, and there she was again, going on as briskly as ever. It really was a labor to see her. |