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Show 194 UNCT .. E TOJ\178 CAHI~: OH1 there's such a press o' work, it don't seem wuth n. while to upset her jist now. She's slender; but these ycr slender gals will bear half kill in' to get their own way! " "'Ynl, Lucy was real aggra.vatin' and bzy, sulkin' round; wouldn't do nothin',-and l'orn he tuck up for her." "He did, oh! Wal, then, 'rom shall have tho pleasure of !logging her. It '11 be a good practice for him, and he won't put it on to the gal like you devils, neither." "Ho, ho! haw! haw! haw! " la.ughcd both the sooty wretches; and the diabolical sounds seemed, in truth, a not unapt expression of tho fiendish character which Legree gave them. "Wal, but, Mas'r, Tom und Misso Cussy, and dey among 'em, filled Lucy's basket. I ruther guess dcr weight's in it, :Mas'r!" "I do the 10eiglting!" said Legree, emphatically. Both the drivers again laughed their diabolical laugh. "So!" he added, "Misse Cassy did her day's work." "She picks like de dcbil and all his angels ! " "She's got 'em all in her, I believe! " said J.iegrec; and, growling a brutal ooth, he proceeded to tho weighing-room. * Slowly the weary, dispirited creatures, wound their way into the room, and, with crouching reluctance, presented their boskots to be weighed. Legree noted on a slate, on tho side of which wos pasted a. list of names, the amount. Tom's basket was weighed and approved; and he looked, with an anxious glance, for the success of the woman he had befriended. 'rottcring with weakness, she came forward, aml delivered LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 195 her basket. It was of full weigltt, as Legree well perceived i but, affecting anger, he said, " 'Vhat, you bzy beast! short again! st..1.nd aside, you '11 catch it, pretty soon!" The woman gave a groan of utter despair, and sat down on a boo.rd. ~.'he person who had been called J\'lisso Cassy now came forward, and, with a haughty, negligent air, delivered her Lasket. As she delivered it, Legree looked in her eyes with a. sneering yet inquiring glance. She fixed her black eyes steadily on him, her lips moved slightly, and she said something in French. "\Vhat it was, no one knew; but Legree's face became perfectly demoniacal in its expression, as she spoke; he lmlf ra.ised. his hand, as if to strike,- a gesture which she regarded with fierce disdain, as she turned and walked away. "And now," said Legree," co1ne here, you 'Tom. You see, I telled ye I didn't buy yo jest for the common work; I mean to promote ye, and make a driver of ye; and to-night ye may jest as well begin to got yor hand in. Now, yo jest take tliis yer gal and flog her; ye 've seen enough on 't to know how." "I beg l\Ias' r's pardon," said. Tom; "hopes :i\fas1r won' t set me at tliat. It's what I an' t used to,- never did,an. d can1t do, no way possible.'' " Y c '11 larn a pretty smart chance of things yo never Llid know, before I 'vc done with yo! " said Legree, taking up a cow-hide, and striking Tom a. heavy blow across the check, nnd following up the infliction by a shower of blows. "~rhere!" he said, as he stopped to rest; "now, will yo tell me yo can't do it1" "Yes, l\Ias'r/' said Tom, putting up his hnml, to wipe |