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h no very gracious air；—for endurance was the utmost to which her principles could bring her。 When she saw； on the back and shoulders of the child； great welts and calloused spots； ineffaceable marks of the system under which she had grown up thus far； her heart became pitiful within her。
“See there！” said Jane； pointing to the marks； “don’t that show she’s a limb？ We’ll have fine works with her； I reckon。 I hate these nigger young uns！ so disgusting！ I wonder that Mas’r would buy her！”
The “young un” alluded to heard all these comments with the subdued and doleful air which seemed habitual to her； only scanning； with a keen and furtive glance of her flickering eyes； the ornaments which Jane wore in her ears。 When arrayed at last in a suit of decent and whole clothing； her hair cropped short to her head； Miss Ophelia； with some satisfaction； said she looked more Christian…like than she did； and in her own mind began to mature some plans for her instruction。
Sitting down before her； she began to question her。
“How old are you； Topsy？”
“Dun no； Missis；” said the image； with a grin that showed all her teeth。
“Don’t know how old you are？ Didn’t anybody ever tell you？ Who was your mother？”
“Never had none！” said the child； with another grin。
“Never had any mother？ What do you mean？ Where were you born？”
“Never was born！” persisted Topsy； with another grin； that looked so goblin…like； that； if Miss Ophelia had been at all nervous； she might have fancied that she had got hold of some sooty gnome from the land of Diablerie； but Miss Ophelia was not nervous； but plain and business…like； and she said； with some sternness；
“You mustn’t answer me in that way； child； I’m not playing with you。 Tell me where you were born； and who your father and mother were。”
“Never was born；” reiterated the creature； more emphatically； “never had no father nor mother； nor nothin’。 I was raised by a speculator； with lots of others。 Old Aunt Sue used to take car on us。”
The child was evidently sincere； and Jane； breaking into a short laugh； said；
“Laws； Missis； there’s heaps of ’em。 Speculators buys ’em up cheap； when they’s little； and gets ’em raised for market。”
“How long have you lived with your master and mistress？”
“Dun no； Missis。”
“Is it a year； or more； or less？”
“Dun no； Missis。”
“Laws； Missis； those low negroes；—they can’t tell； they don’t know anything about time；” said Jane； “they don’t know what a year is； they don’t know their own ages。
“Have you ever heard anything about God； Topsy？”
The child looked bewildered； but grinned as usual。
“Do you know who made you？”
“Nobody； as I knows on；” said the child； with a short laugh。
The idea appeared to amuse her considerably； for her eyes twinkled； and she added；
“I spect I grow’d。 Don’t think nobody never made me。”
“Do you know how to sew？” said Miss Ophelia； who thought she would turn her inquiries to something more tangible。
“No； Missis。”
“What can you do？—what did you do for your master and mistress？”
“Fetch water； and wash dishes； and rub knives； and wait on folks。”
“Were they good to you？”
“Spect they was；” said the child； scanning Miss Ophelia cunningly。
Miss Ophelia rose from this encouraging colloquy； St。 Clare was leaning over the back of her chair。
“You find virgin soil there； Cousin； put in your own ideas；—you won’t find many to pull up。”
Miss Ophelia’s ideas of education； like all her other ideas； were very set and definite； and of the kind that prevailed in New England a century ago； and which are still preserved in some very retired and unsophisticated parts； where there are no railroads。 As nearly as could be expressed； they could be comprised in very few words： to teach them to mind when they were spoken to； to teach them the catechism； sewing； and reading； and to whip them if they told lies。 And though； of course； in the flood of light that is now poured on education； these are left far away in the rear； yet it is an undisputed fact that our grandmothers raised some tolerably fair men and women under this regime； as many of us can remember and testify。 At all events； Miss Ophelia knew of nothing else to do； and； therefore； applied her mind to her heathen with the best diligence she could command。
The child was announced and considered in the family as Miss Ophelia’s girl； and； as she was looked upon with no gracious eye in the kitchen； Miss Ophelia resolved to confine her sphere of operation and instruction chiefly to her own chamber。 With a self…sacrifice which some of our readers will appreciate； she resolved； instead of comfortably making her own bed； sweeping and dusting her own chamber；—which she had hitherto done； in utter scorn of all offers of help from the chambermaid of the establishment；—to condemn herself to the martyrdom of instructing Topsy to perform these operations；—ah； woe the day！ Did any of our readers ever do the same； they will appreciate the amount of her self…sacrifice。
Miss Ophelia began with Topsy by taking her into her chamber； the first morning； and solemnly commencing a course of instruction in the art and mystery of bed…making。
Behold； then； Topsy； washed and shorn of all the little braided tails wherein her heart had delighted； arrayed in a clean gown； with well…starched apron； standing reverently before Miss Ophelia； with an expression of solemnity well befitting a funeral。
“Now； Topsy； I’m going to show you just how my bed is to be made。 I am very particular about my bed。 You must learn exactly how to do it。”
“Yes； ma’am；” says Topsy； with a deep sigh； and a face of woful earnestness。
“Now； Topsy； look here；—this is the hem of the sheet；—this is the right side of the sheet； and this is the wrong；—will you remember？”
“Yes； ma’am；” says Topsy； with another sigh。
“Well； now； the under sheet you must bring over the bolster；—so—and tuck it clear down under the mattress nice and smooth；—so；—do you see？”
“Yes； ma’am；” said Topsy； with profound attention。
“But the upper sheet；” said Miss Ophelia； “must be brought down in this way； and tucked under firm and smooth at the foot；—so；—the narrow hem at the foot。”
“Yes； ma’am；” said Topsy； as before；—but we will add； what Miss Ophelia did not see； that； during the time when the good lady’s back was turned in the zeal of her manipulations； the young disciple had contrived to snatch a pair of gloves and a ribbon； which she had adroitly slipped into her sleeves； and stood with her hands dutifully folded； as before。
“Now； Topsy； let’s see you do this；” said Miss Ophelia； pulling off the clothes； and seating herself。
Topsy； with great gravity and adroitness； went through the exercise completely to Miss Ophelia’s satisfaction； smoothing the sheets； patting out every wrinkle； and exhibiting； through the whole process； a gravity and seriousness with which her instructress was greatly edified。 By an unlucky slip； however； a fluttering fragment of the ribbon hung out of one of her sleeves； just as she was finishing； and caught Miss Ophelia’s attention。 Instantly； she pounced upon it。 “What’s this？ You naughty； wicked child；—you’ve been stealing this！”
The ribbon was pulled out of Topsy’s own sleeve； yet was she not in the least disconcerted； she only looked at it with an air of the most surprised and unconscious innocence。
“Laws！ why； that ar’s Miss Feely’s ribbon； an’t it？ How could it a got caught in my sleeve？
“Topsy； you naughty girl； don’t you tell me a lie；—you stole that ribbon！”
“Missis； I declar for ’t； I didn’t；—never seed it till dis yer blessed minnit。”
“Topsy；” said Miss Ophelia； “don’t you now it’s wicked to tell lies？”
“I never tell no lies； Miss Feely；” said Topsy； with virtuous gravity； “it’s jist the truth I’ve been a tellin now； and an’t nothin else。”
“Topsy； I shall have to whip you； if you tell lies so。”
“Laws； Missis； if you’s to whip all day； couldn’t say no other way；” said Topsy； beginning to blubber。 “I never seed dat ar；—it must a got caught in my sleeve。 Miss Feeley must have left it on the bed； and it got caught in the clothes； and so got in my sleeve。”
Miss Ophelia was so indignant at the barefaced lie； that she caught the child and shook her。
“Don’t you tell me that again！”
The shake brought the glove on to the floor； from the other sleeve。
“There； you！” said Miss Ophelia； “will you tell me now； you didn’t steal the ribbon？”
Topsy now confessed to the gloves； but still persisted in denying the ribbon。
“Now； Topsy；” said Miss Ophelia； “if you’ll confess all about it； I won’t whip you this time。” Thus adjured； Topsy confessed to the ribbon and gloves； with woful protestations of penitence。
“Well； now； tell me。 I know you must have taken other things since you have been in the house； for I let you run about all day yesterday。 Now； tell me if you took anything； and I shan’t whip you。”
“Laws； Missis！ I took Miss Eva’s red thing she wars on her neck。”
“You did； you naughty child！—Well； what else？”
“I took Rosa’s yer…rings；—them red ones。”
“Go bring them to me this minute； both of ’em。”
“Laws； Missis！ I can’t；—they ’s burnt up！”
“Burnt up！—what a story！ Go get ’em； or I’ll whip you。”
Topsy； with loud protestations； and tears； and groans； declared that she could not。 “They ’s burnt up；—they was。”
“What did you burn ’em for？” said Miss Ophelia。
“Cause I ’s wicked；—I is。 I ’s mighty wicked； any how。 I can’t help it。”
Just at this moment； Eva came innocently into the room； with the identical coral necklace on her neck。
“Why； Eva； where did you get your necklace？” said Miss Ophelia。
“Get it？ Why； I’ve had it on all day；” said Eva。
“Did you have it on yesterday？”
“Yes； and what is funny； Aunty； I had it on all night。 I forgot to take it off when I went to bed。”
Miss Ophelia looked perfectly bewildered； the more so； as Rosa； at that instant； came into the room； with a basket of newly…ironed linen poised on her head； and the coral ear…drops shaking in her ears！
“I’m sure I can’t tell anything what to do with such a child！” she said； in despair。 “What in the world did you tell me you took those things for； Topsy？”
“Why； Missis said I must ’fess； and I couldn’t think of nothin’ else to ’fess；” said Topsy； rubbing her eyes。
“But； of course； I didn’t want you to confess things you didn’t do；” said Miss Ophelia； “that’s telling a lie； just as much as the other。”
“Laws； now； is it？” said Topsy； with an air of innocent wonder。
“La； there an’t any such thing as truth in that limb；” said Rosa； looking indignantly at Topsy。 “If I was Mas’r St。 Clare； I’d whip her till the blood run。 I would；—I’d let her catch it！”
“No； no Rosa；” said Eva； with an air of command； which the child could assume at times； “you mustn’t talk so； Rosa。 I can’t bear to hear it。”
“La sakes！ Miss Eva； you ’s so good； you don’t know nothing how to get along with niggers。 There’s no way but to cut ’em well up； I tell ye。”
“Rosa！” said Eva； “hush！ Don’t you say another word of that sort！” and the eye of the child flashed； and her cheek deepened its color。
Rosa was cowed in a moment。
“Miss Eva has got the St。 Clare blood in her； that’s plain。 She can speak； for all the world； just like her papa；” she said； as she passed out of the room。
Eva stood looking at Topsy。
There stood the two children representatives of the two extremes of society。 The fair； high…bred child； with her golden head； her deep eyes； her spiritual； noble brow； and prince…like movements； and her black； keen； subtle； cringing； yet acute neighbor。 They stood the representatives of their races。 The Saxon； born of ages of cultivation； command； education； physical and moral eminence； the Afric； born of ages of oppression； submission； ignorance； toil and vice！
Something； perhaps； of such thoughts struggled through Eva’s mind。 But a child’s thoughts are rather dim； undefined instincts； and in Eva’s noble nature many such were yearning and working； for which she had no power of utterance。 When Miss Ophelia expatiated on Topsy’s naughty； wicked conduct； the child looked perplexed and sorrowful； but said； sweetly。
“Poor Topsy； why need you steal？ You’re going to be taken good care of now。 I’m sure I’d rather give you anything of mine； than have you steal it。”
It was the first word of kindness the child had ever heard in her life； and the sweet tone and manner struck strangely on the wild； rude heart； and a sparkle of something like a tear shone in the keen； round； glittering eye； but it was followed by the short laugh and habitual grin。 No！ the ear that has never heard anything but abuse is strangely incredulous of anything so heavenly as kindness； and Topsy only thought Eva’s speech something funny and inexplicable；—she did not believe it。
But what was to be done with Topsy？ Miss Ophelia found the case a puzzler； her rules for bringing up didn’t seem to apply。 She thought she would take time to think of it； and； by the way of gaining time； and in hopes of some indefinite moral virtues supposed to be inherent in dark closets； Miss Ophelia shut Topsy up in one till she had arranged her ideas further on the subject。
“I don’t see；” said Miss O