The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-11-06

self
Topsy with great gravity and adroitness went
through the exercise completely to Miss Ophe-
las atisfaction--smOothing the sheets, patting
out every wrinkle, and exhibiting through the
whole process a gravity and seriousness with
which her instructress was greatly edited By
an unlucky slip, however, a futteriDg fragment
of the ribbon hung out of one of her sleeves just
as she was finishing, and caught Miss Ophelas
attention Instantly she bounced upon it.
whats this you naughty, wicked child
you've been stealing this !"
The ribbon was pulled out of Topsy's own
sleeve, yet was she not in the least disconnected;
she only looked at it with an air Of the most
surprised and unconscious innocence
claws, why that airs Miss Feely's ribbon,
amt it How could it got caught in my
sleeve!n
ropsy, you naughty girl don't You tall mao
q Ee--J GU stole that ribbon"
"Mfssis declar fort didn't-never seed it
till dis yer blessed minnitD
"Topsy" said Miss Ophela, don't you know
it's wicked to tell lies?
"Inever tells no lies, Miss Feely," said Topsy,
with virtuous gravity-"its jist the truth I've
been tellin now-and amt nothin else"
"Topsy, shall have to whip you if you tell
lies So
Law, mssis, if you's to whip all day, couldn't
say nosother way said Topsy, beginning to
blubber. IL never seed dat Art must got
caught in my sleeye-Miss Feely must have left
it on the bed, and it got caught in the clothes
and so got in my sleeve
Miss Ophela was so indignant Mt the bare
faced lie, that she caught the child and shook
her.
Don't you tell me that again
The shake brought the gloves on to the floor
from the other sleeve
ssl:...e ss. -saiii. 6SSi.- fi,eSa, q Si&i ,o@
tell me now you didn't steal the ribboni
Topsy now confessed to the gloves but still
psrsissd ~ denying, the, ,riAoq. -.
~" Nov, Topsy said Miss Ophelia, II youn'
confess all about it. won't whip you thistme.p
Thus adjured, Topsy confessed TO the ribbon
and gloves with woeful protestations OF peni-
| tence.
"Well, now, tell me | know you must have
taken other things since you have been in the
Now, tell me if you took anything, and shan't
whip you"
laws, mssis took Miss Evas red thing
she wars on her neck
"You did, you naughty child Well, what
else ~
al took Rosa's yer rings-them red ones"
"GO bring them TO me this minute, both OF
EN-"
Laws, missis, can't--they's burnt up"
Burnt up! what story! Go get EN-, or
I'll whip you"
Topsy with loud protestations and tears and
groans, declared that she could not "They's
burnt up-they was"
| What dill WON hurn 'orn nm for ~ said Miss
Ophelia.
'"Cause rs wicked is. Is mighty wicked
anyhow | can't help it."
Just at this moment Eva came innocently
into the room, with the identical coral neck
lace on her neck.
"Why Eva, where did you get your neck
lace 90 said Miss Ophelia.
"Get it? Why, Pye had it on all day." said
Eva.
"Dd you have it ON yesterday"
d" Yes and what is funny, Aunty, had 1T on
all night. | forgot to take it off when ] went
to bedo
Miss Ophela looked perfectly bewildered
the more 50 as Rosa at that instant came into
the room, with basket of newly-ironed liner
|, poised ON her head and the coral ear-drop
shaking in her ears
y ppm sure can't tell anything what to d.
with such a child ~ she said, in despair "Wha
7 in the world did you tell me you took thos
things for, Topsy"
: "Why, missis said must 'fess, and couldn'
s think of nothin else to 'fess," said Topsy rub
bling her eyes
But of course | didn't want you TO confes
things you didn't do" said Miss Ophelia
chats telling lie just as much ~ the other
flaws, now, is it % said Topy, with an al
of innocent wonder
ala, there amt any such thing az truth ii
, that limb said Rosa, looking Indignantly a
Topsy "If | was massr St Clare I'd wifi
her till the blood run ! would-Fd let he
{ catch itn
"No, no, Rosa" said Eva, with an air o
command, which the child could assume a
times "you mustn't talk 80, Rosa cam
bear to hear it,"
"La sakes, Miss Eva, you's so good you dom
know nothing how to get along with niggers
There's no way but to cut em well up,
tell ye"
"Rosan said Eva, hush don't you say
another word of that sort )" and the eye of the
child flashed, and her cheek deepened its color.
Rosa was cowed in a moment
"Miss Eva has got the st. Clare blood in
her, that's plain She can speak for all the
world just like her papa" she said, M she
passed out of the room.
Eva stood looking at Topsy
There stood the two children, representatives
Of the two extremes of society. The fair, high
bred child, with her golden head--her deep
eyes-her spiritual noble brow, and prince-like
movements and her black, keen, subtle, cring-
ing yet acute neighbor They stood the repre-
sentatives Of their races The Saxon born Of
ages of cultivation command, education, physi-
cal and moral eminencc the Afric, born Of
ages of oppression, submission, ignorance, toll,
and vice
Something, perhaps, of such thoughts strug-
ged through Eva's mind. But chids thoughts
are rather dim, underlined instincts; and in
Eya's noble nature many such were yearning
and working for which she had no power OF
utterance. When Miss Ophela expatiated
on Topsy's naughty wicked conduct, the child
looked pcrplexed and sorrowful, but said,
sweetly--
"Poor Topsy, why need you steal ? You're
going 10 be taken good care Of now. Pm sure
| I'd rather give you anything of mine than have
you steal it,"
IL was the first word of Kindness the child
had ever heard in her life; and the sweet tone
and manner struck strangely on the Wild rude
heart, and Il sparkle Of something like tear
shone in the keen round, gittering eye, but II
was followed by the short laugh and habitual
grin. No! the ear that had never heard any
thing but abuse il strangely incredulous OF
anything 10 heavenly as kindness and Topsy
only thought Evas speech something funny and
nexplicable-she did not beeve 1t.
But what was to be done with Topsyl Miss
Ophelia found the case puzzler; her rules for
4 4 Ill sI.k