Chloe leaned her head on her mistress's shoulder, and sobbed out, 'Oh,
missis, 'scuse me, my heart's broke--dat's all.'
'I know it is,' said Mrs. Shelby, as her tears fell fast, 'and I cannot
heal it.'
There was silence for a little as they wept together. Then George sat
down beside Aunt Chloe, and took her hand. He talked gently to her,
telling her of Uncle Tom's last loving messages. So she was comforted a
little.
One morning, about a month after this, George Shelby called all his
servants together, telling them he had something to say to them.
They wondered what it could be, and were very much surprised when he
appeared, carrying a bundle of papers in his hand.
They were still more astonished when he gave a paper to each one, and
told them all that they were free.
With sobs and tears and shouts they pressed round him, thanking and
blessing him. But some of them came with anxious faces, begging him to
take their free papers back again, and not to send them away.
'We don't want to be any freer than we are,' they said. 'We have always
had all we wanted.'
'We don't want to leave the old place, and young mas'r and Missis, and
the rest.'
[Illustration]
'My good friends,' said George, when he could get silence, 'there will
be no need for you to leave me. We want quite as many servants as we did
before.
Pages:
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78