The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-11-27
WASHINGTON, ID. c.
BY MRS. II. B. STOWE,
CHAPTER XIV.

clined on sofa, opposite the WINDOW opening
on the verandah, closely secluded under an
awning of transparent gauze, from the out
RACES of the mosquitoes, and lang,lidy hold
ing in her hand an elegantly bound prayer
book-she was holding it because it was Sun
day-and she imagined she had been reading
it-though, in fact, she had been only taking
succession of short maps with it open in her
hand
Miss Ophelia, who after some rummaging
had hunted up a small Methodist meeting
within riding distance had gone out with Tom
for IL driver, to attend it. and Eva had ac-
cOmpanied them.
II say, ndg,nscruo ,r,,. s1... ---ssr ddzrns,
& whsi- '-Sf.,s.st -aa? 20 The Pity aftoS r. old
Doctor PSssS' i. sS2S go;;s .!tc eo,.ns -.
of the heart
"Well; why need you send for him This
doctor that attends Eva seems skiful"
' | would not trust him in a critical case,p
said Marie and ! think | may say mine is
becoming so Eve been thinking Of it these
two or three nights past have such distress
ing pains, and such strange feelings"
"Oh, Marie, you are blue don't believe
it's heart complaint"
/" | dare say you don't, said Marie ~ was
prepared to expect that. You can be alarmed
enough if Eva coughs or has the least thing
the matter with her but you never think of
me-"
lifts particularly agreeable to you to have
heart disease. why I'll try and maintain you
have it." said St Clare " didn't know it
was
"Well | only hope you won't be sorry tor
this. when it's too late,n said Marie; but, be-
leve it or not my distress about Eva, and the
exertions | have made with that dear child,
have developed what have long suspected"
What the ereri,onS WERE which Marie re-
ferred to- it would have been difficult to state.
st. Clare quietly made this commentary to
himself, and went on smoking, like hard
hearted wretch of a man as he was, till car
riage drove up before the verandah, and Eva
and Miss Ophelia alighted.
Miss Ophelia marched straight to her own
chamber to put away her bonnet and shawl,
rs was always her manner, before she
spoke word on any subject while Eva
&. came at st. Clares call, and was sitting on his
knee, giving him an account of the services
they had heard
They soon heard loud exclamation from
Miss Ophelia's room, which, like the one in
which they were sitting, opened on to the
verandah, and violent reproof addressed to
somebody
"What new witchcraft has Topsy been
brewing" asked st Clare "That commo-
ton is of her raising, I'll be bound
And in moment after Miss Ophelia, in
high Indignation, came dragging the culprit
along.
Come out here now" she said, q aciH tell
your master
What's the case now " asked Augustine
The case is, that cannot be plagued with
this child any longer; it's past all bearing
flesh and blood cannot endure it. Here, I
locked her up and gave her hymn to study !;
and what does she do, but spy out where put
my key, and has gone to my bureau and got
bonnet trimming and cut it all to pieces to
make dolls jackets. never saw anything like
it in my life
Il told you, Cousin" said Marie, CHAT
you'd find out that these creatures cant be
brought up without severity If had my way,
now she said, looking reproachfnlly at st.
Clare Id send that child out and have her
thoroughly whipped I'd have her whipped
til she couldn't stand
=" don't doubt it, said St Clare. Tell me
of the lovely rule of woman | never saw
above dozen women that wouldn't half kill
a horse, or a servant either, if they had their
own way with them let alone man,
There is no use in this shilly -shally way of
yours, st. Clare" said Marie :" Cousin is a
woman of sense, and she sees it now as plain
as do
Miss Ophelia had Just tho capability of in
dgnation that belongs to the Thoroughbred
housekeepcr, and this had been pretty actively
reused by the artifce and wastefulness of the
child in fact, many of nv lady readers must
own that they should have felt Just 80 in her
circumstances; but Marie's words went be-
yond her. and she felt less heat.
+" 1 wouldn't have the child treated 40 for
the world" she said "but am sure, Angus
tin, ! don't know what to do I've taught and
taught Eve talked till I'm tired I've whip
ped her; I've punished her in every way ! can
think Of and still she's just what she was at
hrstr
Come here, Tops, you monkey said st.
Clare, calling the child up to him
Iopsy came up; her round, hard eyes gilt
tering and blinking with a mixture OF appre.
henslyeness and their usual odd drollery
What makes you behave so?n said ST
Clare, who could not help being amused with
the child's expression.
"Spects it's my wicked heart,n said Topsy
demurely Miss Feely says So"
Don't you see how much Miss Ophelia has
done for you? She says she has done every
thing she can think off
Lor, yes, mass'r old missis used to say so.
too. She whipped me a heap harder and
used to pull my har, and knock my head agn
the door, but it didn't do me no good spects
if they's to pull every spear o. har out o my
head, it wouldn't do no good neithcr-rs 50
wicked Laws, rs nothin but a niger, no
ways
Well, ] shall have to give her up said
Miss Ophelia; IL can't have that trouble any
longer
well, I'd just like to ask one question
said St Clare.
What is il ~
why, if your Gospel is not strong enough
% save one heather child, that you can have
az nome here, all to yourself what's the use
sendlng one or two poor missionaries off
~lh II among thousands Of Just such | sup
use tins child is about a fair sample of what
thousands Of your heather are
MISS ophelia did not make an immediate
answer and Eva, who had stood q silent
sPcctator OF the scene thus far, made silent
Ign 10 Topsy to follow her There was lit
ue glass room at the corner of the yerandah,
"n'ch d. Clare used as sort of reading
tpIn, Ia and Eva and Topsy disappeared into
~, what's Eva going about, now ~ said st.
'iare . mean ~ see.D
anu advancing on tiptoe, he lifted up a cur
s'"' 'hst covered the glass door, and looked
~ IN moment, laying his finger on his lins
"p made q silent gesture IN Miss OpheIia 10
'o'"e ana look. There sat the two children ON