"What for, p.u.s.s.y? Are you going to use him for a rattle-box, or a rocking-horse, or what?"
"I want to make him happy."
Mr. St. Clare laughed; but after making a few more jokes about it, he gave Haley the money he asked for, and Tom had a new master.
"Come, Eva," said Mr. St. Clare, and, taking her hand, went across the boat to Tom.
"Look up, Tom," he said to him, "and see how you like your new master."
Tom looked up. Mr. St. Clare had such a gay, young, handsome face, that Tom could not help feeling glad. Grateful tears rushed to his eyes as he said, "G.o.d bless you, mas"r."
"Can you drive horses, Tom?"
"I"ve been allays used to horses," said Tom.
"Well, I think I"ll make you a coachman. But you must not get drunk."
Tom looked surprised and a little hurt.
"I never drink", mas"r," he said.
"Never mind, my boy," said Mr. St. Clare, seeing him look so grave; "I don"t doubt you mean to do well."
"I certainly do, mas"r," said Tom.
"And you shall have good times," said Eva. "Papa is very good to everybody, only he always will laugh at them."
"Papa is much obliged to you," said Mr. St. Clare laughing, as he walked away.
CHAPTER VIII
ELIZA AMONG THE QUAKERS
While Uncle Tom was sailing South, down the wide river, to his new master"s home, Eliza with her boy was travelling north to Canada.
Kind people helped her all the way. She pa.s.sed from friend to friend, till she arrived safely at a village where the people were Quakers.
The Quakers were gentle, quiet people. They all dressed alike in plain grey clothes, and the women wore big, white muslin caps. Because they thought it was wicked to have slaves, they helped those who ran away from their cruel masters. Often they were punished for doing this, but still they went on helping the poor slaves. For though the laws said it was wrong, they felt quite sure that it was really right to do so.
The kind Quaker women grew to be very fond of Eliza, and would have been glad if she would have stayed with them.
But Eliza said, "No, I must go on; I dare not stop. I can"t sleep at night: I can"t rest. Last night I dreamed I saw that man come into the yard."
"Poor child," said Rachel, the kind Quaker woman to whom she was speaking, "poor child, thee mustn"t feel so. No slave that has run away has ever been stolen from our village. It is safe here."
While they were talking, Simeon, Rachel"s husband, came to the door and called, "Wife, I want to speak to thee a minute."
Rachel went out to him. "Eliza"s husband is here," he said.
"Art thee sure?" asked Rachel, her face bright with joy.
"Yes, quite certain; he will be here soon. Will thee tell her?"
Rachel went back into the kitchen, where Eliza was sewing, and, opening the door of a small bedroom, said gently, "Come in here with me, my daughter; I have news to tell thee."
Eliza rose trembling, she was so afraid it was bad news.
"No, no! never fear thee. It"s good news, Eliza," said Simeon,
Rachel shut the door, and drew Eliza towards her. "The Lord has been very good to thee," she said gently. "Thy husband hath escaped, and will be here to-night."
"To-night!" repeated Eliza, "to-night!"
Then it seemed as if the room and everything in it swam round her, and she fell into Rachel"s arms.
Very gently Rachel laid her down on the bed. Eliza slept as she had not slept since the dreadful night when she had taken her boy and run away through the cold, dark night.
She dreamed of a beautiful country--a land, it seemed to her, of rest--green sh.o.r.es, pleasant islands, and lovely glittering water. There in a house, which kind voices told her was her home, she saw Harry playing happily. She heard her husband"s footstep. She felt him coming nearer. His arms were around her, his tears falling upon her face, and she awoke.
It was no dream. The sun had set, the candles were lit. Harry was sleeping by her side, and George, her husband, was holding her in his arms.
CHAPTER IX
UNCLE TOM"S NEW HOME
Uncle Tom soon settled down in his new home. He was as happy as he could be, so far away from his wife and dear little children. He had a kind master.
Mrs. St. Clare, however, was not nearly so nice as her husband. She was cruel, and would often have beaten her poor slaves, but Mr. St. Clare would not allow it.
She always pretended that she was very ill, and spent most of her time lying on a sofa, or driving about in her comfortable carriage.
Mrs. St. Clare said she really was too ill to look after the house, so everything was left to the slaves. Soon things began to be very uncomfortable, and even good-natured Mr. St. Clare could stand it no longer.
He went to his cousin, Miss Ophelia St. Clare, and begged her to come and keep house for him, and to look after Eva. It was on the journey back with her that the accident to Eva happened, which ended in his buying Tom.
Miss Ophelia was a very prim and precise person, not at all like the St. Clares. In her home people did not have slaves. Though her cousin had a great many, and was kind to them, she could not help seeing that it was a very wicked thing to buy and sell men and women as if they were cattle. She was very, very sorry for the poor slaves, and would have liked to free them all. Yet she did not love them. She could not bear even to have them near her, nor to touch them, just because they were black.
[Ill.u.s.tration]