ee a ea arr er See et arr eR == er tLe ¢
=
>.
>.

a

 

124 _ UNCLE Tom’s CABIN; OR,

and sorrowful earnestness ; and sometimes she would lift their
chains with her slender hands, and then sigh woefully, as she
glided away. Several times she appeared suddenly among them,
with her hands full of candy, nuts, and oranges, which she would
distribute joyfully to them, and then be gone again.

Tom watched the little lady a great deal, before he ventured
on any overtures towards acquaintanceship. He knew an abun.
dance of simple acts to propitiate and invite the approaches of the
little people, and he resolved to play his part right skilfully. He
could cut cunning little baskets out of cherry-stones, could make
grotesque faces on hickory-nuts, or odd, jumping figures out of

Ider-pith, and he was a very Pan in the manufacture of whistles
of all sizes and sorts. His pockets were full of miscellaneous
articles of attraction, which he had hoarded in days of old for his
master’s children, and which he now produced, with commendable
prudence and econom » one by one, as overtures for acquaintance
and friendship.

The little one was shy, for all her busy interest in everything
going on, and it was not casy to tame her. For a while, she
would perch like a canary-bird on some box or package near Tom,
while busy in the little arts aforesaid, and take from him, with «
kind of grave bashfulness, the little articles he offered. But at
last they got on quite confidential terms,

“What's little missy’s name?” gaid Tom at last, when he
thought matters were ripe to push such an inquiry.

“Evangeline St. Clare,” said the little one, ‘“ though papa
and everybody else call me Eva, Now what's your name ?”

“My name’s Tom: the little chil’en used to call me Uncle
Tom, way back thar in Kentuck.”

‘* Then I meait to call you Uncle Tom, because, you see, I
like you,” said Eva. « So, Uncle Tom, where are you going ?”

‘‘T don’t know, Miss Eva.” :

“ Don’t know ?” said Eva,

“No. I am going to be sold to somebody. I don’t know
who.”

“ My papa can buy you,” said Eva quickly; “and if he buys
you, you will have good times. I mean to ask him to, this very
da 9.

“ Thank you, my little lady,” said Tom.

The boat here stopped at a small landing to take in wood, and
Eva, hearing her father’s voice, bounded nimbly away. ‘Tom rose
up, and went forward to offer his service in wooding, and soon was
busy among the hands,

Eva and her father were standing together by the railings to
see the boat start from the landing-place, the wheel had made two
or three revolutions in the water, when, by some sudden move-
Ment, the little one suddenly lost her balance, and fell sheer over
the side of the boat into the water. Her father, scarce knowing