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46               UNCLE TOM'S CABIN; OR
case of books, and various little fancy articles, ranged by them, the gifts of Christmas holidays ; there was her sim­ple wardrobe in the closet and in the drawers: — here was, in short, her home; and, on the whole, a happy one it had been to her. But there, on the bed, lay her slum­bering boy, his long curls falling negligently around his unconscious face, his rosy mouth half open, his little fat hands thrown out over the bedclothes, and a smile spread like a sunbeam over his whole face.
" Poor boy ! poor fellow ! " said Eliza ; " they have sold you ! but your mother will save you yet!'
No tear dropped over that pillow; in such straits as these the heart has no tears to give, — it drops only blood, bleeding itself away in silence. She took a piece of paper and a pencil, and wrote hastily, —
" Oh, Missis ! clear Missis ! don't think me ungrateful — don't think hard of me, anyway, — I heard all you and master said to-night. I am going to try to save my boy, — you will not blame me ! God bless and reward you for all your kindness! "
Hastily folding and directing this, she went to a drawer and made up a little package of clothing for her boy, which she tied with a handkerchief firmly round her waist; and, so fond is a mother's remembrance, that, even in the terrors of that hour, she did not forget to put in the little package one or two of his favorite toys, reserving a gayly painted parrot to amuse him, when she should be called on to awaken him. It was some trouble to arouse the little sleeper ; but, after some effort, he sat up, and was playing with his bird, while his mother was putting on her bonnet and shawl.
" Where are you going, mother ? " said he, as she drew near the bed, with hi5* little coat and cap.
His mother drew near, and looked so earnestly into his eyes, that he af, once divined that something unusual was the matter.
" Hush, Harry," she said; " must n't speak loud, or