The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1868-11-10
Uncle Toms Cabin.
A STORY ABOUT A STORY.

own personal eAiSteHCc, 10 euc MoSs
satisfactory explanation of the produc-
ton of this story. 1t grew! While as
yet the form and plan of the work lay
undeveloped in her mind, she made a
beginning, which, instead of q beginning
was stroke at the very neart of the
whole story.
One day, on entering his wife's room
in Brunswick, Professor Stowe saw sew.
eral sheets of paper lying loosely here
and there, which were covered with her
hand writing. The death of Uncle Tom,
was what he read. That was first writ
ten, and it was all that had been written.
"Y ou can make something out of this, y
said he. 81 mean to do so.' was the re
ply. Soon after, Mr.. Bailey. who was
then Publishing an anti slavery paper in
Washington, solicited Mrs. Stowe to
write series of articles for its columns
The way was open, and she was ready
and, being called of God, by faith she
went forth, not knowing whittier she
went! Her uncle Tom should have a
history, Of which his death scene should
be the logical consequence and culmina
ton. AS she mused the fire burned
The true starting point was readily
found, and gradually a most felicitous
story was conceived, in which a picture
of slavery as it might be exhibited-a
web was laid, into which she might
weave with threads Of gold, and silver
and purple, her brave designs. Uncle
Tom began to be published in the Va
tional Era. as serial, in the summer Of
1851, and was continued from week to
week until it's conclusion in March, 1852
1t was not a product of leisure hours
"Wrought with sad sincerity
and under most grievous burdens and
disadvantages. Her health was delicate.
Her cares were great. In charge of q
large family, and compelled by the
sternest of all necessities to make the
most Of very little and poor help in her
household labors, much more of this
wonderful book was actually written by
Mrs. Stowe, as she sat with her port
folio upon her knee, by the kitchen fire,
in moments snatched from her domestic
cares. We may be pardoned for saying
that if the casino was half as we'll man
aged as the composition, those who sat
at Mrs. Stoves table, as well as those
other innumerable ones who have feast
ed upon the fruits of her literary toll,
were fortunate indeed. s'The book as
Professor Stowe finely says, "was writ
ten in sorrow, in sadness, and obscurity,
with no expectation Of reward, save in
the prayers Of the poor, and with heart
which it described, and the still greater
sufferings it dared not describe" c
Our older readers need not be told
with what avidity the weekly instalments
of this serial were caught up and devour-
ed by the readers of the Era. The wri
ter of this article was then little boy
in one of the remote villages of Maine,
but remembers how Uncle Toms Cabin
was the theme Of universal discussion,
and how those in his own home, and
through the villages, too, who had never
before bowed down to any idols of fic
ton, ner served them, were so complete
ly demoralized by this novel that they
not only read it, but read it to their
children; and how the papers which con-
tanned it, after being nearly worn out in
going through so many hands, in diff
ferent homes, were as carefully folded
up and laid away as if the tear stains on
them were sacred, as, indeed, they were
We were all, from the baby upward,
converted into the most earnest kind of
abolitionists. Strangely enough, how
ever, when, after its publication i'll the
Era, Mrs. Stowe proposed its republica-
ton in book form to Messrs. Phillips d
Sampson, of Boston, the proposition was
respectfully declined. That, she thought
was the end of it. A woman's shrewd-a
ness had something to do with its pub
lication. The wife of Mr.. Jewett, Of
Boston, had read the story, and advised
her husband to publish it, if possible.
1t was offered to him, and he remarked
to Prof. Stowe that it would "bring his
wife som ething handsome" On return
ing home, his success and the remark of
Mr.. Jewett was reported TO Mrs Stowe,
who, with an eye twinkle, and tone in
which little hope, more joy, and still
more incredulity were expressed, replied
that she hoped it would bring her enough
to purchase what she had possessed for
long time-d new six dress!
She was not obliged to wait very long
for that very desirable article, nor to
limit herself very ri9idly in the gratif-
cation of SO legitimate desire; for only
few months after it republication, Mr..
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