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Show 34 UNCLE TOM'S CAIUN: OH., u Now, Augustine, what upon earth is th~s for 1" said ~iiss Ophelia. "Your house is so f~tll of th~sc httle pla.gucs, ~ow, that a. body can't set down their foot Without trc:dmg on em. 1 get up in the morning, :mel find one asleep bchmd .the door, and sec one black bead poking out from under the table, one lying on the door-mat,- and they arc mopping ~ud mowing and grinning between all the ra~lmgs, and tumbli~g ov~r the kitchen floor ! What on earth did you want to bnng tins one for? " "For you to educate-didn' t I tell you1 You're always preaching about educating. I thought I would make you a present of a fresh-caught specimen, and lot you try your hand on her, and bring her up in tl1e way she should go." ''I don't want her, I am sure;- I have more to do with 'em now than I want to." "TJmt's 7ou Christians, all over !-you'll get up a society, a;d get some poor missionary to spend all h1s days among just such heathen. But let me sec one of you that would take one into your house with you, and take the labor of their conversion on yourselves! No i when it comes to that, they are dirty and disagreeable, and it's too much care, and so on." "Augustine, you know I didn't think of it in that light," said Miss Ophelia, evidently softening. "Well, it might be a real missionary work," said she, looking rather more favorably on the child. St. Clare had touched the right string. Miss Ophelia's conscientiousness was ever on the alert. "But," she added, "I really didn't see tho need of buying this one;-there are enough now, in your house, to take all my time and skill." 11 Well, then, Cousin," said St. Clare, drawing her aside, "I onght to beg your pardon for my good-for-nothing UFF. A~IOXG THE LOWLY. 35 speeches. You are so good, after al1, thnt there's no sense in them. Why, the fact is, this concern belonged to a couple of drunken creatures that keep a low restaurant that I have to pass by every day, and I was tired of hearing her screaming, and them beating and swearing at her. She looked bright and funny, too, as if something might be made of her; -so I bought her, and I 'II give her to you. Try, now, and give her a good orthodox New England bringing up, and sec what it'll make of her. You know I haven't any gift that way; but l'cllike you to try." "Well, I'll do what I can," said Miss Ophelia; and she approached her new subject very much as a person might be supposed to approach a black spider, supposing them to have benevolent designs toward it. "She's dreadfully dirty, and half naked," she said. "Well, take her down stairs, and make some of them clean and clothe her up." Miss Ophelia carried her to tho kitchen regions. "Don't see what Mas'r St. Claro wants of 'nothor nigger!" said Dinah, surveying the new arrival with no friendly air. "Won't have l10r round under 'fi1IY feet, I know ! " ''Pah!'' said Rosa and Jane, with supreme disgust; ''let her keep out of our way ! What in the world Mas'r wanted another of these low niggers for, I can't see!" "You go long! No more nigger dan you be, Miss Rosa," said Dinah, who felt this last remark a reflection on herself. "You seem to tink yourself white folks. You an't nerry one, black nor white. I'd like to be one or turrer." Miss Ophelia saw that there was nobody in the camp that would undertake to oversee the cleansing and dressing of the new arrival; and so she was forced to do it herself, with some very ungracious and reluctant assistance from Jane. |