Uncle Tom's Cabin

ears That a Sen

rting his feet in a pair of new handsome slippers, which his wife had been working for him while away on his senatorial tour. Mrs. Bird, looking the very picture of delight, was superintending the arrangements of

, you mustn't climb on that table,-no, no!-You don't know, my dear, what a surprise it is to us all,

spend the night, and have a little comfort at

stood in the half-open closet, and appeared to medi

t tea, and some of our good home living, is what I

ther liked the idea of considering

f the tea-table was getting rather slack, "

ith what was going on in the house of the state, very wisely considering that she had e

much of im

meat and drink to those poor colored folks that come along? I heard they were talk

getting to be a poli

generally, but I think this is something downright cruel and

hat thing has been done by these reckless Abolitionists, that our brethren in Kentucky are very strongly excited, and it

ures a night, does it, and to give 'em something comfortable to eat,

hat would be aiding a

how of his teeth. Her husband and children were her entire world, and in these she ruled more by entreaty and persuasion than by command or argument. There was only one thing that was capable of arousing her, and that provocation came in on the side of her unusually gentle and sympathetic nature;-anything in the shape of cruelty would throw her into a passion, which was

pped and tumbled off to bed, without any supper, before I could get over wondering what had come about; and, after that, I heard mother

s, which quite improved her general appearance, and walked up to her

if you think such a law as

t me, now, Mary

ught it of you, John; y

my fair po

the first time I get a chance; and I hope I shall have a chance, I do! Things have got to a pretty pass, if a woman can't give a warm su

ar, we mustn't suffer our feelings to run away with our judgment; you must consider it's a matter of private feeling,-there are

my Bible; and there I see that I must feed the hungry, clothe the

r doing so would involv

vils. I know it can't. It's always sa

nd I can state to you a ver

put it to you, John,-would you now turn away a poor, shivering, hung

n this particular pinch of the argument was, that his wife knew it, and, of course was making an assault on rather an indefensible point. So he had recourse to the usual means of gaining time for such cases made and provided; h

an out of doors in a snowstorm, for instance; or may be you'd take her up

ery painful duty," began Mr

e. If I had slaves (as I hope I never shall have), I'd risk their wanting to run away from me, or you either, John. I tell you folks don't run away when they are happy; and w

dear, let me r

round and round a plain right thing; and you don't believe in it yourselves, when it comes to practice. I know

issis would come into the kitchen;" and our senator, tolerably relieved, looked after his little wife with a

t the door, in a quick, earnest tone,-"John!

in a deadly swoon upon two chairs. There was the impress of the despised race on her face, yet none could help feeling its mournful and pathetic beauty, while its stony sharpness, its cold, fixed, deathly aspect, struck a solemn chill over him. He drew his breat

faint. She was tol'able peart when she cum in, and asked if she couldn't warm herself here a spell; and I was just a-a

her large, dark eyes, and looked vacantly at her. Suddenly an expression of ago

e, and running to her side put up his arms

, to Mrs. Bird, "do protect

oman," said Mrs. Bird, encouragingl

er face and sobbing; while the little boy,

ettle, near the fire; and, after a short time, she fell into a heavy slumber, with the child, who seemed no less weary, soundly sleeping on her arm; for the mother resisted, with nervou

reference was made, on either side, to the preceding conversation; but Mrs. Bird bu

e is!" said Mr. Bird, at

els a little rested, we w

Bird after musing in sil

l, d

she, by any letting down, or such matter?

immered on Mrs. Bird's face,

and Mr. Bird

ay,

! Wha

n purpose to put over me when I take my afternoon's na

in to say that the woman was a

ed by the two eldest boys, the smaller fry havi

was looking steadily into the blaze, with a calm, heart-broke

rd, in gentle tones. "I hope yo

her dark eyes, and fixed them on her with such a forlorn and impl

friends here, poor woman! Tell me where y

Kentucky," sa

Bird, taking up

nig

id you

sed on

ice!" said eve

ing me, I crossed on the ice; for they were beh

all in broken-up blocks, a swinging an

dn't think I should get over, but I didn't care! I could but die, if I didn't. The Lord helped me

slave?" sa

elonged to a m

unkind

he was a g

r mistress u

mistress was alw

a good home, then, and run awa

n, scrutinizing glance, and it did not escap

suddenly, "have you

a new wound; for it was only a month since a darli

e window, and Mrs. Bird burst into tear

that? I have los

e,-to sell him,-sell him down south, ma'am, to go all alone,-a baby that had never been away from his mother in his life! I couldn't stand it, ma'am. I knew I never should be good for anything, if they did; and when I knew the papers the papers were signed, and he was sold, I took

e tears are dry; but every one around her was, in some way c

pocket-handkerchief; and old Dinah, with tears streaming down her black, honest face, was ejaculating, "Lord have mercy on us!" with all the fervor of a camp-meeting;-while old Cudjoe, rubbing his eyes very hard with his cuffs, and making a most uncommon variety of wry faces, occasionally responded in the same key, with great fervor. Our senator was a states

y exclaimed, gulping down very resolutely some kind of risi

n had a hold on them, and they were obliged to give him his will. I listened, and heard him telling mistress that, and she begging and pleading for me,-and he told her he couldn't help himself, and

ou no h

let him come to see me, hardly ever; and he's grown harder and harder upon us

ial observer to think that she was entirely apathetic; but there was a calm, settl

an to go, my poor wo

very far off, is Canada?" said she, looking up, w

said Mrs. Bird

ay off, think?" said

or you. Here, Dinah, make her up a bed in your own room, close by the kitchen, and I'll think what to d

the fire, swaying thoughtfully to and fro. Mr. Bird strode up and down the room, grumbling to

she could lie quiet till it was over; but that little chap can't be kept still by a troop of horse and foot, I'll warrant me; he'll bring it all out, popping his h

is it possib

his boots, with a reflective air; and, stopping when his leg was half in, h

fter one boot was fairly on, the senator sat with the other in his hand, profoundly studying the figure of the carpet. "It will

ugh pretty well aware of the shape her husband's meditations were taking, she very prudently forbore to meddle with them, only sat

a place seven miles up the creek, here, back in the woods, where nobody goes, unless they go on purpose; and it's a place that isn't

joe is an exc

lp for it. Cudjoe must put in the horses, as quietly as may be, about twelve o'clock, and I'll take her over; and then, to give color to the matter, he must carry me on to the next tavern to take the stage for Columbus, that comes by about three o

And the little woman looked so handsome, with the tears sparkling in her eyes, that the senator thought he must be a decidedly clever fellow, to get such a pretty creature into such a passion

t drawer full of things-of-of-poor little Henry's." So sayin

lock of a drawer, and made a sudden pause, while two boys, who, boy like, had followed close on her heels, stood looking, with silent, significant glances, at their mother. And oh! mother that rea

from the folds of a paper. There was a toy horse and wagon, a top, a ball,-memorials gathered with many a tear and many a heart-break! She sat down by the drawer, and, leaning her head on her hands over it, we

gently touching her arm, "you g

ad to have us do this. I could not find it in my heart to give them away to any common person-to anybody that was happy;

many tears, are the seed from which spring healing flowers and balm for the desolate and the distressed. Among such was the delicate

k-table, and, with needle, scissors, and thimble, at hand, quietly commenced the "letting down" process which her husband had recomme

with his overcoat in his hand, "you m

red at the door with her child in her arms. Mr. Bird hurried her into the carriage, and Mrs. Bird pressed on after her to the carriage steps. Eliza leaned out of the carriage, and put out her hand,-a hand as soft and beautiful as was given in return. She fixed her large, dark eyes, fu

before spurring up the legislature of his native state to pass more strin

uence which has won for them immortal renown! How sublimely he had sat with his hands in his pockets, and scouted al

the despairing appeal of helpless agony,-these he had never tried. He had never thought that a fugitive might be a hapless mother, a defenceless child,-like that one which was now wearing his lost boy's little well-known cap; and so, as our poor senator was not stone or steel,-as he was a man, and a downright noble-hearted one, too,-he was, as everybody must see, in a sad case for his patriotism. And you need not exult over

penance. There had been a long continuous period of rainy weather, and the soft, rich earth of Ohio, as every o

astern traveller, who has been accustomed to connect no

and coated over in their pristine freshness with earth, turf, and whatsoever may come to hand, and then the rejoicing native calleth it a road, and straightway essayeth to ride thereupon. In process

ter various ineffectual pullings and twitchings, just as the senator is losing all patience, the carriage suddenly rights itself with a bounce,-two front wheels go down into another abyss, and senator, woman, and child, all tumble promiscuously on to the front seat,-senator's hat is jammed over his eyes and nose quite unceremoniously, and he considers himself fairly extinguished;-child cries, and Cudjoe on the outside delivers animated addresses to the horses, who are kicking, and floundering

begin to flatter themselves that they are not so badly off, after all. At last, with a square plunge, which puts all on to their feet and

er. I don't know how we's to get clar out. I'

es one foot an immeasurable depth,-he tries to pull it up, loses his balance, and tu

r in the interesting process of pulling down rail fences, to pry their carriages out of mud holes, will have

emerged, dripping and bespattered, out of the cr

unting-shirt. A very heavy mat of sandy hair, in a decidedly tousled condition, and a beard of some days' growth, gave the worthy man an appearance, to say the least, not particularly prepossessing. He stood for a few minutes holding the candle aloft, and blin

ng with repressed uneasiness the workings of a system equally bad for oppressor and oppressed. At last, one day, John's great heart had swelled altogether too big to wear his bonds any longer; so he just took his pocket-book out of his desk, and went over into Ohio, and bought a quarter of a t

poor woman and child from slave-cat

aid honest John, with so

so," said t

, each six foot high, and they'll be ready for 'em. Give our respects to 'em," said John; "tell 'em it's no matter how soon they call,-make no

candle to her face, and uttering a kind of compassionate grunt, opened the door of a small bed-room adjoining to the large kitchen where they

three goodly rifles over the mantel-piece; "and most people that know me know that 't wouldn't be healthy to try to get anybody out o'

ll; handsome uns has the greatest cause to run, sometimes, if they has

words, briefly expla

honest John, as he wiped his eyes with the back of a great, freckled, yellow hand. "I tell yer what, stranger, it was years and years before I'd jine the church, 'cause the ministers round in our parts used to preach that the Bible went in for these ere cuttings up,-and I couldn't be up to 'em with their Greek and Hebrew, and so I took

," said he, heartily, "and I'll call up the old w

the senator, "I must be along, to

and show you a cross road that will take you there bet

he senator's carriage towards a road that ran down in a hollow, back of his

er," he sai

John, with eq

k hands,