The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-11-13
CHAPTER XXI.

"The grass wthereth-the flower fadeth."
Life passes with us all day at time; so il
passed with our friend Tom till two years were
gone. Though parted from all his soul held
dear, and though often yearning for what lay be-
hind, still was he never positively and conscious
ly miserable; for so well is the harp of human
feeling strung that nothing but crash that
breaks every string can wholly mar Its har-
mony; and on looking back to seasons which
in review appear to us as those OF deprivation
and trial, we can remember that each hour, as
it glided, brought its diversions and alterations
so that though not happy wholly, we were not
either wholly miserable.
Tom read, in his only literary cabinet
of one who had "learned in whatsoever
state he was, Herewith to be content" IL
seemed to him good and reasonable doctrine,
and accorded well with the settled and thought
full habit which he had acquired from the read
ing of that same book.
His letter homeward, as we related in the
last chapter, was in due time answered by mas
ter George, in good, round, school-boy hand,
that Tom said might be read most acrost the
room" IL contained various refreshing items
of home intelligence with which our reader is
fully acquainted-stated how Aunt Chloe had
been hired out to confectioner in Louisville,
where her skill in the pastry line was gaining
wonderful sums of money, all of which Tom
was informed was to be laid up to 60 to make
up the sum of his redemption money-Mose
and Pete were thriving, and the baby was trot-
ting all about the house under the care of Sally
and the family generally.
| Toms cabin was shut up for the present but
George cxpatiated brilliantly on ornaments and
additions to be made to it when Tom came
back
The rest of this letter gave list of Georges
school studies, each one headed bya fiourishing
capital and also told the names Of four new
colts that appeared on the premises since Tom
left and stated in the same connection that
father and mother were well. The style of the
letter was decidedly concise and terse but Tom
thought it the most wonderful specimen Of com
position that had appeared in modern times
He was never tired Of looking at it, and ever
held council with Eva ON the expediency o.
getting it framed, to hang up in his room
Nothing but the difficulty of arranging it 81
that both sides of the page would show at onc'
stood in the way of this undertaking
The friendship between Tom ard Eva hat
| grown with the child,s growth. II would b.
hard to say what place she held in the soft, i'm
pressible heart of her faithful attendant He
loved her as something frail and earthly, We
almost worshipped her as something heavenly
and divine He gazed on her as the Italian
sailor gazes on his image Of the child Jesus
with a mixture Of reverence and tenderness
and to humor her graceful fancies, and NEE
those thousand simple wants which invest child
hood like many-colored rainbow, was Tom
chief delight. In the market at morning hi
eyes were always on the flower stalls for rar'
bouquets for her, and the choicest peach o.
orange was slipped into his pocket to give T.
her when he came back and the sight tina
pleased him most was her sunny head lookin,
out the gate for his distant approach and he
childish question" Well, Uncle Tom VIVA
have you got for me to-day %
Nor was Eva less jealous in kind Offices !,
return. Though child she was a beautiful
readers fine musical ear, n quick poeti
fancy, and an instructive sympathy with wba
Is grand and noble, made her such a reader O
the Bible a. Tom had never before heard. A
first she read to please her humble friend bu
soon her own earnest nature threw ont its ten
drills, and wound itself around the mystic book
and Eva loved it because it woke in her strang
yearnings and strong dim emotions, such n
impassioned imaginative children love TO feel.
The parts that pleased her most, were In,
Revelations and the Prophecies wbos,
dim and wondrous imagery and feryent Ian
guage impressed her the more, that she cues
toned yainly Of their meaning--and she ant
her simple friend, the old child and the young
one, felt just alike about it All that they knew