Hard times here, mas'r!" said the first. mas'r, buy us, please!" "Do, "I can't I can't," said George with difficulty, motioning them off; "it's impossible!" The poor fellows looked dejected, and walked off in silence. Witness, eternal God," said George, kneeling on the grave of his poor friend-" oh! witness, that from this hour I will do what one man can to drive out this curse of slavery from my land!" au-thor-i-ta-tive New Words in this Lesson. de-ject-ed knoll Questions:-1. What did George Shelby say to Uncle Tom? 2. How was George affected by the sight of the dying negro? 3. What did Uncle Tom exclaim? 4. What change passed over his face? 5. What were his last words? What thought possessed George as he rose from his seat by Tom? Whom did George find standing behind him? 6. What order did George give? 7. Where did they bury Uncle Tom? 8. What did the negroes ask George to do? What did he answer? What vow did he make on Uncle Tom's grave? 1 Pen-e-trat-ed to, reached. Notes and Meanings. 5 Mor-tal, dying; human. 2 Be-wil-dered, confused; not able to 6 Au-thor-i-ta-tive, commanding. understand. 3 Va-cant, meaningless; not seeing. understand. In-spi-ra-tions, breaths taken in. Coun-ter-mand', oppose. Un-con-cern', indifference; careless ness. 7 Knoll, little round hill. 8 De-ject-ed, cast down; sad. Summary:-George Shelby was greatly affected when he saw Uncle Tom dying in the shed where he had lain two days. At the sound of George's voice the old man smiled, and then, full of thankfulness that he had not been forgotten, he said, "Now I shall die content!" When he was dead George Shelby buried him on a dry sandy knoll beyond the boundaries of the plantation; and then on his poor friend's grave he called God to witness that from that hour he would do what one man could to drive out the curse of slavery from the land. Exercises:-1. Parse and analyze: George Shelby buried him on a dry sandy knoll. 2. Change into Verbs-connection, collection, creation, exertion, protection, profession. 3. Make Sentences containing-threw, through; throne, thrown; tide, tied. 4. Write a letter thanking a relation or friend for giving you book or toy. XXI.- -THE VOW FULFILLED. 1. George Shelby had written to his mother merely a line, stating the day that she might expect him home. Of the death-scene of his old friend he had not the heart to write. He had tried several times, and only succeeded in halfchoking himself; and invariably finished by tearing up the paper, wiping his eyes, and rushing somewhere to get quiet. There was a pleased bustle all through the Shelby mansion that day, in expectation of the arrival of young "Mas'r George." 2. The rattling of wheels was at last heard. Mas'r George!" said Aunt Chloe, starting to the window. Mrs. Shelby ran to the entry door, and was folded. in the arms of her son. Aunt Chloe stood anxiously straining her eyes out into the darkness. "O poor Aunt Chloe!" said George, stopping compassionately, and taking her hard, black hand between both his, "I'd have given all my fortune to have brought him with me-but he's gone to a better country." 3. There was a passionate exclamation from Mrs. Shelby; but Aunt Chloe said nothing. Chloe turned, and was walking out of the room. Mrs. Shelby followed her softly, and took one of her hands, drew her down into a chair, and sat down by her. "My poor, good Chloe!" said she. Chloe leaned her head on her mistress's shoulder, and sobbed out, "O missis, missis, my heart's broke -dat's all !" There was a silence for some time, and all wept together. At last George, sitting down beside the mourner, took her hand, and with simple pathos repeated the triumphant scene of her husband's death, and his last messages of love. 4. About a month after this, one morning, all the servants of the Shelby estate were convened together in the great hall that ran through the house, to hear a few words from their young master. To the surprise of all, he appeared among them with a bundle of papers in his hand, containing a certificate of freedom to every one on the place, which he read successively, and presented, amid the sobs and tears and shouts of all present. 5. Many, however, pressed around him, earnestly begging him not to send them away, and with anxious faces tendering back their free papers. "We don't want to be no freer than we are. We's allers had all we wanted. We don't want to leave de ole place, and mas'r and missis, and de rest!" 6. "My good friends," said George, as soon as he could get a silence, "there'll be no need for you to leave me. The place wants as many hands to work it as it did before. We need the same about the house that we did before. But you are now free men and free women. I shall now pay you wages for your work, such as we shall agree on. The advantage is, that in case of my getting in debt or dyingthings that might happen―you cannot now be taken up and sold. I expect to carry on the estate, and to teach you what, perhaps, it will take you some time to learn how to use the rights I give you as free men and women. I expect you to be good, and willing to learn; and I trust in God that I shall be faithful, and willing to teach. And now, my friends, look up and thank God for the blessing of freedom. 7. "You all remember our good old Uncle Tom?" George here gave a short account of the scene of his death, and of his loving farewell to all on the place, and added,—“ It was on his grave, my friends, that I resolved, before God, that I would never own another slave while it was possible to free him; that nobody, through me, should ever run the risk of being parted from home and friends, and dying on a lonely plantation, as he died. So, when you rejoice in your freedom, think that you owe it to that good old soul, and pay it back in kindness to his wife and children. Think of your freedom every time you see UNCLE TOM'S CABIN; and let it be a memorial to put you all in mind to follow in his steps, and be as honest, and faithful, and Christian as he was." MRS. H. B. STOWE.8 cer-tif-i-cate New Words in this Lesson. pa-thos suc-ces-sive-ly tri-um-phant Questions:-1. What was George Shelby unable to do? 2. Who were waiting to receive George? What did he say to Aunt Chloe? 3. What was the poor creature's exclamation? How did George seek to comfort her? 4. What happened about a month afterwards? 5. What did many of the slaves do with their free papers? 6. Why had the slaves no need to leave him? What was the advantage of having free papers? 7. Of what were they to think when they rejoiced in their freedom? Of what were they to think every time they saw UNCLE TOM'S CABIN? 1 In-va-ri-a-bly, always. Notes and Meanings. 2 Com-pas-sion-ate-ly, pitifully. 3 Pa-thos, feeling. Tri-um-phant, glorious. 4 Cer-tif-i-cate, writing. Suc-ces-sive-ly, one after another. 5 We's allers, we have always. 7 Me-mo-ri-al, something held in remembrance. 8 Mrs. Har-ri-et Beecher Stowe, an American writer who lived for many years on the confines of a slave State. Her house was more than once a refuge for fugitive slaves. Mrs. Stowe still lives (1884), a witness of the freedom of that oppressed race whose cause she so earnestly pleaded in UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. Summary:-George Shelby wrote home to say when he might be expected, but he had not the heart to write about Uncle Tom. No words can describe the sorrow and the disappointment of Aunt Chloe when she saw her young master return alone: leaning her head on her mistress's shoulder, she sobbed out, O missis, missis, my heart's broke." About a month after this, George Shelby set all his slaves free, telling them to remember Uncle Tom, and to think of their freedom every time they saw UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. 66 Exercises: 1. Parse and analyze: George Shelby set all his slaves free. 2. Change into Nouns-please, give, simple, resolve, faithful. 3. Make Sentences containing-time, thyme; to, too, two; toe, tow. 4. Tell the story of Uncle Tom in your own words. LAUS DEO! ON HEARING THE BELLS RING ON THE PASSAGE OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ABOLISHING SLAVERY. (See Note, p. 217.) 1. 2. It is done! Clang of bell and roar of gun How the belfries rock and reel! Ring, O bells! Every stroke exulting tells Of the burial hour of crime. Loud and long, that all may hear, Ring for every listening ear Of Eternity and Time ! |