The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-10-16
For the National Era
UNCLE TOMS CABIN:
OR,
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
BY MRS. u. B. STOWE


the old, faded shawl which covered her shoul
ders.
I'll carry your basket piece" said Tom
compassonately.
why should ye?" said the woman 81
don't want no help"
You seem to be sick, or in trouble, or some
thin said Tom
IL Amt sick !" said the woman, shortly.
| al wish" said Tom looking at her earnestly
al wish could persuade you 70 leave off drink.
ing. Don't you know it will be the ruin of We,
body and soul 2"
III knows I'm gwine to torment said the
woman, sullenly. aye don't need to tell me
that ar. rs ugly-rs wicked rs gwine
. strs'gs e to 'Ornens Oh, Lord wish P'
| ION shuddered at these f1ghtfM wortM spa,
ken with sullen, imprisoned earnestness.
"Oh, Lord have mercy on ye poor crittur
Haint We never heard of Jesus Christie
" Jesus Christ-whos he ~
"Why, he's the Lord" said Tom
I" think I've hearn tell O the Lord and thu
| judgment and torment Eve heard o. that"
But didn't anybody ever tell you of the
Lord Jesus, that loved US poor sinners, and died
| for us?p
"Don't know nothin bout that" said the wo
man nobody haint never loved me, since my
old man died.
Where was you raised - said Tom.
"Up in kentuck. A man kept me to breed
chill EN- for market and sold EN- as fast ~ they
got big enough; last of all, he sold me to spec.
ulator, and my massr got me o him.
What set you into this bad way of drink
inlr
"To get shet o my misery had one child
after come here, and thought then I'd have
one to raise, cause mass'r vast a Spectator
1t was de peartest little thing and missis she
seemed to think a heap ont Mt first it never
cried; it was likely and fat But missis tuck
sick, and tended her; and | tuck the fever
and my milk all left me, and the child it pinec
to skin and bone, and missis wouldn't buy mill
Tor it. She wouldn't hear to me when ! telleC
her | hadn't milk She said she knowed
could feed it on what other folks eat and tn
child kinder pinned, and cried, and cried, ant
cried, day and night, and got all gone to ski
and bones and mlssis got rot agln it and sh
said 'twant nothin but crossness She wishe
it was dead she said and she wouldn't let m
have it q nights, cause. she said it kept m
awake, and made me good Tor nothing 81
made me sleep in her room, and had to pr
it way of in little kind o. garrett and til,
it cried tsef to death one night 1t did and
tuck to drinkin to keep its crying out of m
ears. | did--and will drink will, if &
go to torment for it. Mass'r says shall go
|. torment and tell him I've got thar now"
"Oh, We poor crittur" said Tom, hair
nobody never telled We how the Lord Jesr
loved we, and died for ye? Haint they telled y
that he'll help We, and ye can 60 to HEAVIER
i and have rest at last
I'll looks like gwine to heaven" said the We
man; saint thar where white folks is gwine-
spose they'd have me thar Pd rather go {
torment, and get away from mass'r and mssi
had So" she said, az with her usual groar
she got her basket on her head, and wake
sullenly away.
Tom turned, and walked sorrowfully bacl
to the house In the court he met little Eva
a crown of tuberoses on her head, and he
eyes radiant with delight
| "Oh, Tom, here youare. I'm glad I've loun,
you. Papa says you may get out the ponies
and take me in my little, new carriage" sh
said catching his hand "But what's the mat
ter Tom-you look sober!N
I'll feel bad, Miss Eva" said Tom, sOrrowful
ly. :" But III get the horses for you"
But do tell me, Tom, what is the matter
| saw you talking to cross old PrueD
: Tom, in simple, earnest phrase, told Eva thu
woman's history She did not exclaim, or won
; der, or weep, as other children do. Her cheek
grew pale, and deep earnest shadow passed
over her eyes She laid both hands on he
bosom, and sighed heavily
"Tom, you needn't get me the horses
don't want to 60" she said.
"Why not Miss Eva,D
"Thsse things sink into my heart, Tom" sait
Eva" they sink into my heart" she repeated
earnestly III don't want to go and she turn
ed from Tom, and went into the house.
A few days after, another woman came II
old Prue's place, TO bring the rusks; Mis-
Ophelia was in the kitchen.
'Lor . said Dlnah whats got Prue?n
" Prue isn't coming any more, said the wo
man. mysteriously.
"Why not 2" said Dinah. "She amt dead
il she 90
@We doesn't exactly know She's down eel
lar" said the woman, glancing at Miss Ophelia
After Miss Ophelia had taken the rusks Di
nah followed the woman 10 the door
"What has got Prue, any how 2 she said.
The woman seemed DESTROYS, yet reluctant
to speak, and answered in a low, mysterious
| tone.
@Well, you mustn't tell nobody. Prue, sh.
got drunk agn--and they had her down eel
lar--and a dreffnl time--and thar they left hel
all day and hearn EN- saying that the t,e
had got 10 hsr---and She's dead - ..'.
Dinah held up her hands, and, turning, saw
close by her side the spirit-lke form of Eyange
line, her large, mystic eyes dilated with horror
and every drop Of blood driven from her lip
and checks
"Lor bless Ms Miss Eva's gwine to faint
away! What got us all, 10 let her har such
talk Her Pail be rail madp
| III shsnt faint Dinah," ssid the child firm
ly; "and why shouldn't hear il? II amt ~
much for me TO hear it as for poor Prue to suf
fer it?p
Lor Mkes ii isn't for sweet delicate young
ladies like you---these yer stories isn't it'
enough 10 kill 'emD
Eva sighed again, and walked up stairs with
a slow and melancholy step.
Miss Ophea anxiously inquired the woman'
story. Dinah gave very garrulous version o
II, 10 which Tom added the particulars which
he had drawn from her that morning
"An abOminable business! perfectly horr
ble!D she exclaimed, M she entered the room
where 1t Clare lay reading his paper.
spray, what iniquity has turned up now ~
said he
"What now why, those folks have whipped
Prue 10 death said Miss Ophelia, going on
with great strength Of detail into the story and
cniarging ON tn most shocking psrtseulsvs. -
IL thought il would come tO that some time, y
said St. Glare, going ON with his paper
Thought 10 amt you going 10 do anything
about it!p said Miss Ophelia. Haven't you