| Share page |
|
204 UNCLE TOM'S CABIN; OR
is three; and my tape and needle box is four; and my bandbox, five; and my collar-box, six; and that little hair trunk, seven. What have you done with your sunshade ? Give it to me, and let me put a paper round it, and tie it to my umbrella with my shade ; — there, now."
" Why, aunty, we are only going up home ; — what is the use ? "
" To keep it nice, child; people must take care of their things, if they ever mean to have anything; and now, Eva, is your thimble put up ? "
" Really, aunty, I don't know."
" Well, never mind ; I '11 look your box over, — thimble, wax, two spools, scissors, knife, tape-needle ; all right, — put it in here. What did you ever do, child, when you were coming on with only your papa ? I should have thought you 'd 'a' lost everything you had."
" Well, aunty, I did lose a great many; and then, when we stopped anywhere, papa would buy some more of whatever it was."
" Mercy on us, child, — what a way ! "
" It was a very easy way, aunty," said Eva.
" It's a dreadful shiftless one," said aunty.
" Why, aunty, what '11 you do now ? ". said Eva ; " that trunk is too full to be shut down."
" It must shut down," said aunty, with the air of a general, as she squeezed the things in, and sprung upon the lid ; — still a little gap remained about the mouth of the trunk.
" Get up here, Eva ! " said Miss Ophelia, courageously ; " what has been done can be done again. This trunk has got to be shut and locked, — there are no two wavs about it."
And the trunk, intimidated, doubtless, by this resolute statement, gave in. The hasp snapped sharply in its hole, and Miss Ophelia turned the key, and pocketed it in triumph.
" Now we 're ready. Where 's your papa ? I think it |
||