OCR Text |
Show 128 UNCLE TO.M1S CAIHN: On, feel anythjng; and, as she was a woman that had n. great faculty of making everybody unhappy when she was, her immediate attendants had still stronger reason to regret the loss of their young mistress, whose winning ways aml gentle intercessions had so often been a shield to them from tho tyrannical and selfish exactions of her mother. Poor old 1\fammy, in particular, whose heart, severed from all natural domestic tics, had consoled itself with this one bc::mtiful being, was a.lmost heart-broken. She cried day and night, and was, from excess of sorrow, less skilful and alert in her ministrations on her mistress than usual, which drew down a constant storm of invectives on her defenceless head. Miss Ophelia felt the loss; but, in her good and honest heart, it bore fruit unto everlasting life. She was more soft-. ened, more gentle; and, though equally assiduous in every duty, it was with a chastened and quiet air, as one who communed with her own heart not in vain. She was more diligent in teaching ~f.lopsy,- ta.ught her mninly from the Bible, - did not nny longer shrink from her touch, or manifest an ill-repressed disgust, bcc::tuse she felt none. She viewed her now through the softened medium that Eva's h::md had first held before her eyes, and saw in her only an immortal creature, whom God had sent to be led by her to glory and virtue. Topsy did not become at once a saint; but the Jifc and death of Eva did work a marked change in her. The callous indifference was gone i there was now sensibility, hope, desire, and the striving for good,-n. strife irregula.r, intcrl'Uptcd, suspended oft, but yet renewed again. One day, when Topsy had been sent for by Miss Ophelia, she came, hastily thrusting something into her bosom. "YVhat arc you doing there, you limb? You \'e hecn stealing something~ I'll be bound," said the imperious little LIFE Al\IONG THE LOWLY. 129 H.osa, who had been sent to call her, seizing her, at the same time, roughly by the arm. "You go 'long, Miss Rosa!" said Topsy, pul1ing from her; '~ 'tan't none o' your business! " ''None o' your sa/ce!" said Rosa. ':I saw you hiding something,- I know yer tricks," and Rosa seized her arm, and tried to force her hand into her bosom, while Topsy, enraged, kicked and fought valiantly for what she considered her rights. The clamor and confusion of the battle drew Miss Ophelia and St. Clare both to the spot. " She's been stealing ! " said Rosa. "I han't, neither! " vociferated Topsy, sobbing with passion. "Gi\'e me that, whatever it is!" said Miss Ophelia, firmly. Topsy hesitated; but, on a second order, pulled out of her bosom a little parcel done up in the foot of one of her own old stockings. Miss Ophelia turned it out. There was a small book which had b:en given to 1'opsy by Eva, containing a singl~ ~·erse of Scr1pture, arranged for every day in the year, and m a paper the curl of hair that she had given her on that memorable day when she had taken her last farewell. . St. Clare was a good deal affected at the sight of it; the l1 ttlc book had been rolled in a long strip of black crape, torn from the funeral weeds. " What did you wrap this round the book for? " said St. Clare, holding up the crape. , 11 Cause,-cat,tse,-cause 'twas Miss Eva. 0, don't take om mray, please!" she said i and, sittin(J' fiat down on the floor, and putting her apron over her head~ she bc~'~'an to sob vehemently. 0 It was a curious mixture of the pathetic and the ludicrous, |