NEGRO LIFE IN AMERICA. ve!)

CHAPTER X.

THE PROPERTY IS CARRIED OFF.

Tue February morning looked grey and drizzling through the
window of Uncle Tom’s cabin. It looked on downcast faces, the
images of mournful hearts! The little table stood out before the
fire, covered with an ironing-cloth ; a coarse but clean shirt or two,
fresh from the iron, hung on the back of a chair by the fire, and
Aunt Chloe had another spread out before her on the table. Care-
fully she rubbed and ironed every fold and every hem, with the
most scrupulous exactness, every now and then raising her hand to
her face to wipe off the tears that were coursing down her cheeks.

Tom sat by, with his Testament open on his knee, and his
head leaning upon his hand; but neither spoke. It was yet
early, and the children lay all asleep together in their little rude
trundle-bed.

Tom, who had to the full the gentle, domestic heart, which,
woe for them! has been a peculiar characteristic of his unhappy
race, got up and walked silently to look at his children.

‘‘ It’s the last time,” he said. *

Aunt Chloe did not answer, only rubbed away over and over
on the coarse shirt, already as smooth as hands could make it;
and finally setting her iron suddenly down with’a despairin
plunge, she sat down to the table, and “ lifted up her voice ia
wept.”

‘‘ S’pose we must be resigned ; but O Lord! how ken I? If
I know'd anything whar you’s goin’, or how they'd sarve you!
Missis says she’ll try and ’deem ye, in a year or two; but Lor!
nobody never comes up that goes down thar! They kills ’em!
I’ve hearn ’em tell how dey works ’em up on dem ar plantations.”

‘“‘ There’ll be:the same God there, Chloe, that there is here.”

“Well,” said Aunt Chloe, “ s’pose dere will; but de Lord lets
drefful things happen, sometimes. I don’t seem to get no com-
fort dat way.”

“I’m in the Lord’s hands,” said Tom; “ nothin’ can go no
furder than he lets it; and thar’s one thing I can thank him for.
It’s me that’s sold and going down, and not you nur the chil’en.
Here you're safe; what comes will come only on me; and the
Lord, he’ll help me—I know he will.”

Ah, brave, manly heart, smothering thine own sorrow, to com-
fort thy beloved ones! Tom spoke with a thick utterance, and
with a bitter choking in his throat—but he spoke brave and
strong.