Uncle Tom's Cabin

her's S

more wholly desolate and forlorn than Eliza, when

from the protection of a friend whom she loved and revered. Then there was the parting from every familiar object,-the place where she had grown up, the trees under which she had played, the groves where she had walk

enough to have walked by her side, and, in an indifferent case, she would only have led him by the hand; but now the bare thought of

teps. She wondered within herself at the strength that seemed to be come upon her; for she felt the weight of her boy as if it had been a feather, and every flutter of fear seem

the papers were signed and delivered, and you had only from twelve o'clock till morning to make good your escape,-how fast could you walk? How many miles could y

repressed every breath or sound, and so assured him that if he were only still she would certainly

't need to kee

ng; sleep, if

o get asleep, you wo

mother, with a paler cheek, and a b

re, an't y

How the touch of those warm arms, the gentle breathings that came in her neck, seemed to add fire and spirit to her movements! It seemed to her as if strength poured into her in electric streams, from every gentle touch

till she went, leaving one familiar object after another, slacking not, pausing not, till reddening

ot far from the Ohio river, and knew the road well. To go thither, to escape across the Ohio rive

mark and suspicion. She therefore put the boy on the ground, and, adjusting her dress and bonnet, she walked on at as rapid a pace as she thought consistent with the preservation of appearances. In her little bundle she had provided a store of c

him; and, sitting down behind a large rock which concealed them from the road, she gave him a breakfast out of her little package. The boy wondered and grieved that she

on-on-till we come to the river!" And she hurried again into the road,

kindness of the family would be of itself a blind to suspicion, as making it an unlikely supposition that she could be a fugitive. As she was also so wh

e dinner for her child and self; for, as the danger decreased with the distance, the super

in to talk with; and accepted, without examination, Eliza's statement, that she "was going on a little

and foot-sore, but still strong in heart. Her first glance was at the river, w

e Kentucky side, the land bending far out into the water, the ice had been lodged and detained in great quantities, and the narrow channel which swept round the bend was full of ice, piled one c

which she saw at once must prevent the usual ferry-boat from running, and

s over the fire, preparatory to the evening meal, stopped, with a

s it?"

boat, that takes people ov

he woman; "the boats

isappointment struck the wom

o get over?-anybody sick

"I never heard of it till last night, and I've walke

sed; "I'm re'lly consarned for ye. Solomon!" she called, from the window, towards a s

, "is that ar man going to t

y, if 't was any way

g, if he durs' to; he'll be in here to supper tonight, so you'd better set down

lly exhausted, cri

d to walking, and I've hur

ary boy upon it, and held his hands in hers till he was fast asleep. For her there was no rest. As a fire in her bones, the thou

f her for the present, to fol

han one to make a bargain. So, although the order was fairly given out in Haley's hearing, and carried to Aunt Chloe by at least half a dozen juvenile messengers,

then gravy had to be got up de novo, with due care and formality, Aunt Chloe watching and stirring with dogged precision, answering shortly, to all suggestions of haste, that she "warn't a going to have raw gravy on the table, to help nobody's catchings." One tumbled down with the water, and had to go to

us nor oneasy, one of these days, if he don't mend his ways. H

nt, and no mistake

ping, with a fork uplifted in her hands; "it's like what Mas'r George reads in Ravelations,-souls a callin' unde

h open mouth; and, the dinner being now fairly sent in, the whole ki

rever, and no mistake;

it, I'll be boun',

art. It was Uncle Tom, who had come in, and st

ayin'. Forever is a dre'ful word, chil'en; it's awful to th

vers," said Andy; "nobody can help wishi

thes,-don't dey pull 'em off and sells 'em? Don't dey tear wife and husband apart?" said Aunt Chloe, beginning to cry, "when it's jest takin' the very life on 'em?-and all the while does they feel one b

itefully use you, the g

Chloe; "Lor, it's too to

an awful state a poor crittur's soul 's in that'll do them ar things,-you oughter thank God that you an't like him, C

id Jake. "Lor, should

oulders, and gave an

as has known him from a baby; but I've seen Mas'r, and I begin ter feel sort o' reconciled to the Lord's will now. Mas'r couldn't help hisself; he did right, but I'm feared things will be kinder goi

, and Tom was summ

feit a thousand dollars if you are not on the spot when he wants you; he's going today to loo

u, Mas'r,

ith any o' yer nigger tricks; for I'll take every cent out of him, if you a

you wasn't a year old. 'Thar,' says she, 'Tom, that's to be your young Mas'r; take good care on him,' says she. And n

overcome, and the te

u say but the truth; and if I was able to

redeemed as soon as I can any way bring together means. Sir," she said

der, "I may bring him up in a year, not m

, and make it for your ad

de 'em up as down, so I does a good business. All I want is a l

. The more hopelessly sordid and insensible he appeared, the greater became Mrs. Shelby's dread of his succeeding in recapturing Eliza and her child, and of course the great

up to the posts, apparently greatly refreshed

ousness. As Haley approached, he was boasting, in flourishing style, to Andy, of t

eep no dogs," said Haley, thoug

runo-he's a roarer! and, besides that, 'bout ever

ething else, too, with regard to t

o use cussin'

dogs (I pretty much know he d

, but he kept on a look of ear

d no practice. They 's far dogs, though, at most anything, if you'd get 'em started. Here, Bruno

Haley, getting up. "

he did so, which occasioned Andy to split out into a laugh, greatly

ravity. "This yer's a seris bisness, Andy. Yer mustn't

edly, after they had come to the boundaries of the estate. "I kn

thing right in de middle. Now, der's two roads to de riv

aring this new geographical fact, but instantly c

ed to 'magine that Lizy 'd take de dirt

d, and naturally inclined to be suspicious of cha

ussed liars, now!" he said, conte

ly, and he drew a little behind, and shook so as apparently to run a great risk of fail

ght road, if Mas'r thinks best,-it's all one to us. Now, when

me way," said Haley, thinking al

Gals is nat'lly made contrary; and so, if you thinks they've gone one road, it is sartin you'd better go t' other, and the

Haley particularly to the straight road, and he announced decidedly t

he added, gravely, "but I've studded on de matter, and I'm quite clar we ought not to go dat ar way. I nebber

said Haley, "I s

ll that dat ar road was all fenced up and

l" about that road, but never been over i

avor of the dirt road aforesaid. The mention of the thing he thought he perceived was involuntary on Sam's part at first, and

he road, Haley plunged briskly i

ut an hour's ride, and after that it was cut across by various farms and fences. Sam knew this fact perfectly well,-indeed, the road had been so long closed up, that Andy had

"I know yer; yer won't get me to turn off th

ission, at the same time winking most portentously to A

eminence, or calling to Andy "if that thar wasn't 'Lizy' down in the hollow;" always making these exclamations in some rough or craggy part of the ro

a large farming establishment. Not a soul was in sight, all the hands being employed in the fields; but, as the barn stood con

of injured innocence. "How does strange gentleman spect to

d Haley, "you kne

e? I telled Mas'r 't was all shet up, and fenced up, a

et his wrath with the best grace he was able, and all three faced t

e. Eliza was standing by the window, looking out in another direction, when Sam's quick eye caught a glimpse of her. Haley and Andy were two yards behind. At this crisis, Sam contrived to

horse, and calling loudly on Sam and Andy, he was after her like a hound after a deer. In that dizzy moment her feet to her scarce seemed to touch the ground, and a moment brought her to the water's edge. Right on behind they came; and, nerved with strength such as God gives only to the des

perate energy she leaped to another and still another cake; stumbling-leaping-slipping-springing upwards again! Her shoes are gone-her stockings cut from he

whoever ye ar!" said

d face for a man who owned a

e me-do save me-do

aid the man. "Why, if

is Mas'r," said she, pointing to the Kentucky

ly, drew her up the steep bank. "Besides, you're a

d the top of the ba

l ye to go thar," said he, pointing to a large white house which stood by itself, off the main street of the village

s you!" said E

he world," said the man. "Wh

y, sir, you won

said the man. "Come, now, go along like a likely, sensible gal, as y

om, and walked firmly and swiftly awa

the same fix, he's welcome to pay back. Somehow I never could see no kind o' critter a strivin' and pantin', and trying to clar theirselves,

l relations, and consequently was betrayed into acting in a sort of Christianized manner, w

scene, till Eliza had disappeared up the bank, whe

ble fair stroke of

her, I believe!" said Haley. "

ll 'scuse us trying dat ar road. Don't think I feel spry

aid the trader

ul. "She looked so curi's, a leapin' and springin'-ice a crackin'-and only to hear her,-plump! ker chunk! k

r mouths!" said the trader, laying a

g up the bank, and were on t

nt us no longer. Missis wouldn't hear of our ridin' the critters over Lizy's bridge tonight;" and, with a facetious poke in