The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-10-09
[coPYRIGHT SECURED ACCORDING TO LAw.l
For the National Era.
UNCLE TOMS CABIN:
OR,
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
BY MRS. II. 3. STOWE.

A l.
BY MRS H. 3. STOWE
CHAPTER XVIlI-.Miss Ophehas Experiences
and Opinions -
Our friend Tom, in his own simple musings,
often compared his unfortunate lot, in the bond
age into which he was cast, with that of Joseph
| in Egypt and in fact as time went on, and he
developed more and more under the eye of his
master, the strength of the parallel increased
st. Clare was indolent and careless of money.
| Hitherto the providing and marketing had been
| principally done by Adolph who was, to the
full, as careless and extravagant as his master !;
and between them both, they had carried on
the dispensing process with great alacrity Ac-
customed, for many years, to regard his mas
ters property as his own care, Tom saw, with
| an uneasness he could scarcely repress, the
| wastefm expenditure of tho establishment and
IN the quiet indirect way which his class often
| acquire, would sometimes make his own sug-
gestions
st. Clare at first employed him occasionally,
but struck with his soundness of mind and good
business capacity, he confided in HIM more and
more, till gradually all the marketing and pro-
yiding for the family were intrusted to him.
No no, Adolph," he said one day, as Adolph
was deprecating the passing of power out of his
hands let Tom alone. You only understand
what YOU want; Tom understands cost and
come TO- and there may be some end to money
some time if We don't let somebody do that
| Trusted to an unlimited extent by careless
master, who handed him bill without looking
at it and pocketed the change without counting
il Tom had every facility and temptation to
dishonesty anu nothing but an impregnable
rsrapiiety Of nature, strengthened by Christian
FAITH conid have kept HIM from IT ,yuv 70 mat
nature the very unbounded trust reposed in
him was hOnd and seal for the most scrupulous
accuracy.
With Adolph the case had been different
Thoughtless and selfindulgent, and unrestrain-
ed by master who found it easier to indulge
| than to regulate, he had fallen into an absolute
confusion as to meum rum with regard to HIM
self and his master, which sometimes troubled
even St Clare, His own good sense taught him
that such a training Of his servants was unjust
and dangerous A sort Of chronic remorse
went with him everywhere, although not strong
enough to make any decided change in his
course; and this very remorse reacted again
into indulgence He passed lightly over the
most serious faults, because he told himself that
if he had done his part, his dependents had not
fallen into them
Tom regarded his gay, airy, handsome young
master with an odd mixture Of fealty, reverence,
and fatherly solicitude That he never read the
Bible; never went to church that he TESTED
and made free with any and everything that
came in the way of his wit that he spent his
Sunday evenings at the opera or theatre; that
he went to wine parties and clubs and suppers
oftener than was at all expedent, were all
| LOT t.,
body, and on which he based a conviction that
'Mass'r wasn't a Christian "A conviction,
however, which he would have been very slow
to express to any one else, but on which he
founded many prayers in his own simple fashion,
when he was by himself in his little dormitory
Not that Tom had not his own way of speaking
, his mind occasionally with something of the
tact often observable in his class, as, for exam
, \ ple-the worry dizzy .sfssp tio Sabbath NC hay,
described St. Clare was invited out to con
: vvial party Of choice spirits, and was helpet
!, home, between one and two o'clock at night il
n a condition when the physical had decidedly at
q tanned the upper hand Of the intellectual Ton
/ and Adolph assisted to get him composed 70
: the night the latter in high spirits evidentl,
: regarding the matter as good Joke, and laugh
a ed heartily at the rusticity of Toms horror
. who really was simple enough to lie awak,
!, most of the rest of the night praying for hi
/. young master.
2 "Well Tom what are you waiting for ~
said St. Clare the next day, as he sat in his
. library in dressing gown and slippers. St Clare
had Just been ntrusting Tom with some money
+ and various commissions " Isn't all right there
Tom ~ he added, as Tom still stood waiting.
"rm 'fraid not mass'r," said Tom, with a
, grave face
| st. Clare laid down his paper, and sat down
his cohee-cup, and looked at Tom.
| "Why, Tom, what's the case? You look as
solemn as a coffin"
81 feel very bad, massr. allays have
thought that mass'r would be good to every
body
"Well, Tom, haven't been! Come, now,
what do you wantl There's something you
haven't got, suppose, and this is the preface.
"Mass'r allays been good to me. haven't
nothing to complain of on that head But there
is one that mass'r isn't good to-there's one
mass'r isn't even just TO-"
"Why, Tom, what's got into you? Speak
out what do you mean ~
"Last night between one and two thought
30. | studied upon the matter then Mass'r
isn't good nor just to himself"
Tom said this with his back to his master
| ilIiu Iis Iiuiiu VII ilc uooI hhoD' pe Si"iS
his face flush crimson, but he laughed.
"Oh. that's all, is it?n he said, gaily.
"Al!p said Tom, turning suddenly round
and falling on his knees "Oh, my dear young
mass'r Pm afraid it will be loss of aH--ait-
body and soul The good Book says, it biteth
like serpent and stingeth like an ADDER my
dear mass'r !"
Toms voice choked and the tears run down
his cheeks.
"You poor, silly fool,' said st. Clare with
tears in his own eyes. Get up Tom. amt
worth crying over"
But Tom wouldn't rise andlooked imploring.
"Well, won't 60 TO any more of their cursed
nonsense Tom" said st. Clare " on my honor
| won't I don't know why ! haven't stopped
long ago Pve always despised ii, and myself
for it-so now, Tom wipe up your eyes, and 60
about your errands. Come, Gomez he added,
no blessings ] amt 40 wonderfully good,
now" he said, as he gently pushed Tom to tho
door "There, Pll pledge my honor to you,
Tom, you don't see me 20 again, he said and
Tom went off, wiping his eyes with great salts
faction.
an keep my faith with him, too,D said st.
Clare, as no closed the door.
| And ST. Clare did so-for gross sensualsm in
any form was not the peculiar temptation Of
his nature
But all this time who shall detail the tribu-
latons manifold Of our friend, Miss Ophelia,
who had begun the labors Of Southern house
keeper.
There is all the difference in the world in the
servants Of Southern establishments, according
to the character and capacity OF the mistresses
who have brought them up
South, rs well as North, there are women
who have an extraordinary talent for command,
and tact in educating. Such are enabled, with
apparent ease, and without severity, TO subject
to their will, and bring into harmonious and
systematic order the various members Of their
small estate-to regulate their peculiarities, and