Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1921-07-01
CONDENSED
CLASSICS
~
UNCLE TOMS
CABIN
-
HARRIET BEEcHER STOWE
Condensation by
John kendrick Bangs
Condensation by
John kendrick Bangs


q L WAS in the days when African
b slavery flourished under the free
skies of America. Evil times had
befallen the house of Shelby, and
pressing debt required the sacrifice of
a portion of the holdings of the Ken
lucky planter in human chattels. On
Gle Tom instead of the freedom that
of a lifetime of devoted service found
himself torn from wife, home and
children, transferred to the hands of
an INSCRIPTIONS trader, and consigned
to the terror-ridden slave-markets of
the lower Mississippi. So trusted had
the black man been that numerous
avenues of escape lay open to him.
OF one of these, in the dead of winter,
over the ice-bound waters of the Ohio
river, by the underground" to San
dusky, and thence to freedom in Can
ada, the mulatto-girl Eliza, and her
son who had been sold at the same
time, had availed themselves. But
Toms fidelity to his master was too
strong, and fearing TO involve him in
further difficulties he bravely faced
the miseries of the future.
81 am in the Lords hands," said
he to those who tried to persuade him
to escape, "and there'H be the same
God there that there is here"
III I, oefx, hor
Toni" sobbed his masters son George,
as he babe the old slave farewell.
"But remember-some day I'll come
down and buy you back
The voyage down the Mississippi
with the slave-gang to which Tom was
attached was filled with scenes and
episodes of woe and tragedy, but Tom
found relief from sorrow in the COM
partnership of felloW-passenger,
fairy-like little girl, full of the smil-
ing spirit of play, who fascinated by
Toms unusual dexterity in the making
of strange toys dear to the hearts Of
children, chung to him as to an old
and beloved friend.
"Where are you going, Tom?' she
asked one day.
81 dunno, Missy" said tom. "Reck-
on I'm gwine to be sold to somebody
but l dunno Who"
swell, my father can buy you" said
she, "and I'll ask him to this very
day.
''Thank you, my little lady," smiled
Tom, gratefully.
And his "little lady" she soon be-
came, for the brave black won little
Eya's life back from the swirling wa
tiers of the Mississippi into which she
had fallen, and in sheer gratitude for
her deliyerance the child'S father, Au-
gustine st. Glare, bought him from
the trader.
The scene now changes to New Or
leans, where in beautiful home, in
daily comradeship with his little mis-
tress. Tom for a time was happy. st
| Clare. his new master, was kindly ano
sympathetic, and while of an easy
going disposition dawning conscious
ness of the iniquity of slavery hac
come into his soul, a consciousness
| confirmed and accumulated by his dai
! ly contemplation of the nobility OF
heart of the faithful Tom. Two years
of this unlocked for happiness passeo
away. and once more Tom was face
to face with misfortune. His flower
| like little companion, growing daily
more and more fragile, herself in spite
of her years envisaging and depressed
| by the wickedness of the system OF
/ slavery which not only destroyed the
souls of the oppressed, but debaset
the character Of the oppressors, fnal
ly died. Heart-broken over his loss
/ st. Glare found comfort only in the
companionship of the equally heart
broken Tom, and one day in sud
den surge of gratitude he promised
the old man his freedom, but the hgh
Of 10y that shone in Toms face wher
he heard the promise disconnected
him.
.You haven't had such bad time
here that you should be so glad t.
leave me-" he said sadly.
"Tain't leavin' We, Marse st. Clare
said Tom, "it's bein' free that In
a-joyin' in"
But it was not to be. The easy
going nature of st. Clare caused bin
to delay Toms emancipation papers
and one night trying to separate tw'
drunken brawlers intent upon killlns
each other st. Clare was himself STAB
bed to death; and in the settlemen
Of his estate Tom once more foune
himself at the auction-block.
Enter now one Simon Legree, mas
ter of far different type from Shelb.
and st. Glare. A brute, and drunk
ard. A beast whose glance was an IN
suit to wornanhood. A fiend Wn'
prided himself upon his infexible Dru
tality, and with british satisfactloi
showed to all who would look, MI
knuckles calloused with the blows u
had inflicted upon the helpless. -
| him nv virtue of length of purse lei