“All right,” said Haley, his face beaming
with delight; and pulling out an old inkhorn, he proceeded
to fill out a bill of sale, which, in a few moments,
he handed to the young man.
“I wonder, now, if I was divided up and inventoried,”
said the latter as he ran over the paper, “how
much I might bring. Say so much for the shape
of my head, so much for a high forehead, so much for
arms, and hands, and legs, and then so much for education,
learning, talent, honesty, religion! Bless me!
there would be small charge on that last, I’m
thinking. But come, Eva,” he said; and taking
the hand of his daughter, he stepped across the boat,
and carelessly putting the tip of his finger under
Tom’s chin, said, good-humoredly, “Look-up,
Tom, and see how you like your new master.”
Tom looked up. It was not in nature to look into
that gay, young, handsome face, without a feeling
of pleasure; and Tom felt the tears start in his eyes
as he said, heartily, “God bless you, Mas’r!”
“Well, I hope he will. What’s your
name? Tom? Quite as likely to do it for
your asking as mine, from all accounts. Can you
drive horses, Tom?”
“I’ve been allays used to horses,”
said Tom. “Mas’r Shelby raised heaps
of ’em.”
“Well, I think I shall put you in coachy, on
condition that you won’t be drunk more than
once a week, unless in cases of emergency, Tom.”
Tom looked surprised, and rather hurt, and said, “I
never drink, Mas’r.”
“I’ve heard that story before, Tom; but
then we’ll see. It will be a special accommodation
to all concerned, if you don’t. Never mind,
my boy,” he added, good-humoredly, seeing Tom
still looked grave; “I don’t doubt you
mean to do well.”
“I sartin do, Mas’r,” said Tom.
“And you shall have good times,” said
Eva. “Papa is very good to everybody, only
he always will laugh at them.”
“Papa is much obliged to you for his recommendation,”
said St. Clare, laughing, as he turned on his heel
and walked away.
Of Tom’s New Master, and Various Other Matters
Since the thread of our humble hero’s life has
now become interwoven with that of higher ones, it
is necessary to give some brief introduction to them.
Augustine St. Clare was the son of a wealthy planter
of Louisiana. The family had its origin in Canada.
Of two brothers, very similar in temperament and character,
one had settled on a flourishing farm in Vermont,
and the other became an opulent planter in Louisiana.
The mother of Augustine was a Huguenot French lady,
whose family had emigrated to Louisiana during the
days of its early settlement. Augustine and another
brother were the only children of their parents.
Having inherited from his mother an exceeding delicacy
of constitution, he was, at the instance of physicians,
during many years of his boyhood, sent to the care
of his uncle in Vermont, in order that his constitution
might, be strengthened by the cold of a more bracing
climate.
