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Show 206 UNCJ~E TOM'S CAniN : OR1 then he called me his good angel, and said I'd saved his lifo. 'Vc had two beautiful children. Tho first was a boy, and we called him Henry. lie wos the image of his father,- he had such beautiful eyes, such a forehead, and l1is hair hung all in curls around it i and he had all his father's spirit, and his talent, too. Little Elise, he said, looked like me. lie used to tell me that I was the most beautiful woman in Louisiana, he was so proud of me and the children. lie used to love to have me dress them up, and take them and me about in an open carriage, and hear tho rcmn.rks that people would make on us; and he used to fill my ears constantly with the fine things that were said in praise of me and the children. 0, those were happy days ! I thought I was as happy as any one could be; but then there came evil times. lie had a cousin come to New Orleans, who was his particular fricnd,hc thought all the world of him; -but, from the first time I saw him, I couldn't tell why, I dreaded him; for I felt sure be was going to bring misery on us. lie got Henry to going out with him, and often he would not come home nights till two or three o'clock. I did not dare say a word ; for Henry was so high-spirited, I was afraid to. lie got him to the gaminghouses i and he was one of the sort that, when he once got n. going there, there was no holding back. And then he introduced him to another lady, and I saw soon tlmt his heart was gone from me. IIo never told me, but I saw it,- I knew it, cla,y after clay,- I felt my heart breaking, but I could not say a word ! At this, the wretch offered to buy me and the children of Henry, to clear off his gambling debts, which stoncl in the way of his marrying as he wished; -and he sold us. He told me, one clay, that he had business in the country, and should be gone two or three weeks. lie spoke kinder than usual, and said he should come back; but it Ll.FE A~IOXG- 'l'JU: I..OWI.Y. 20'/. didn't deceive mo. I know that the time had come; I was just like one turned into stone; I couldn't speak, nor shed a tear. He kissed me und kissed the children, a good many times, and went out. I saw him get on his horse, and I watched him till he was quite out of sight; and tlrcn I fell down, and fa.intod. " Then !te came, the cursed wretch! ho came to take possession. He told me that he had bought me and my children ; and showed me the papers. I cursed him before God, and told him I'd die sooner than live with him. "'Just as you plcase, 1 said ho; 'but, if you don't behave reasonably, I 'II sell beth the children, where you shall never see them again.' lie told me that he always had meant to have me, from the first time he saw me ; and that he had drawn Henry on, and got him in debt, on purpose to make him willing to sell me. That he got him in love with another woman; and that I might know, after all that, that he should not give up for a few airs and tears, and things of that sort. " I gave up, for my hands were tied. lie had my children ; -whenever I resisted his will anywhere, he would talk about selling them, and he made roo as submissive as he desired. 0, what a life it wos ! to live with my heart breaking, every day,- to keep on, on, on, loving, when it was only misery; and to be hound, body and soul, to one I hated. I used to love to read to Ilenry, to play to him, to waltz with him, and sing to him; but everything I did for this one was a perfect drag,- yet I was afraid to refuse anything. lie wos very imperious, and harsh to tho children. Elise was a timid little thing; but Henry wos bold and high-spirited, like his father, and he had never been brought under, in the least, by any one. lie was always finding fault, and quarrelling with him; and I used to |