|
||||||||
two children on the floor, with their side faces towards them. Topsy, with her usual air of careless drollery and unconcern; but, opposite to her, Eva, her whole face fervent with feeling, and tears in her large eyes. What does make you so bad, Topsy? Why wont you try and be good? Dont you love anybody, Topsy? Donno nothing bout love; I loves candy and sich, thats all, said Topsy. But you love your father and mother? Never had none, ye know. I telled ye that, Miss Eva. O, I know, said Eva, sadly; but hadnt you any brother, or sister, or aunt, or No, none on em,never had nothing nor nobody. But, Topsy, if youd only try to be good, you might Couldnt never be nothin but a nigger, if I was ever so good, said Topsy. If I could be skinned, and come white, Id try then. But people can love you, if you are black, Topsy. Miss Ophelia would love you, if you were good. Topsy gave the short, blunt laugh that was her common mode of expressing incredulity. Dont you think so? said Eva. No; she cant bar me, cause Im a nigger!shed s soon have a toad touch her! There cant nobody love niggers, and niggers cant do nothin! I dont care, said Topsy, beginning to whistle. O, Topsy, poor child, I love you! said Eva, with a sudden burst of feeling, and laying her little thin, white hand on Topsys shoulder; I love you, because you havent had any father, or mother, or friends;because youve been a poor, abused child! I love you, and I want you to be good. I am very unwell, Topsy, and I think I shant live a great while; and it really grieves me, to have you be so naughty. I wish you would try to be good, for my sake;its only a little while I shall be with you. The round, keen eyes of the black child were overcast with tears;large, bright drops rolled heavily down, one by one, and fell on the little white hand. Yes, in that moment, a ray of real belief, a ray of heavenly love, had penetrated the darkness of her heathen soul! She laid her head down between her knees, and wept and sobbed,while the beautiful child, bending over her, looked like the picture of some bright angel stooping to reclaim a sinner. Poor Topsy! said Eva, dont you know that Jesus loves all alike? He is just as willing to love you, as me. He loves you just as I do,only more, because he is better. He will help you to be good; and you can go to Heaven at last, and be an angel forever, just as much as if you were white. Only think of it, Topsy!you can be one of those spirits bright, Uncle Tom sings about. O, dear Miss Eva, dear Miss Eva! said the child; I will try, I will try; I never did care nothin about it before. St. Clare, at this instant, dropped the curtain. It puts me in mind of mother, he said to Miss Ophelia. It is true what she told me; if we want to give sight to the blind, we must be willing to do as Christ did,call them to us, and put our hands on them. Ive always had a prejudice against negroes, said Miss Ophelia, and its a fact, I never could bear to have that child touch me; but, I dont think she knew it. |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
Copyright: All texts on Bibliomania are © Bibliomania.com Ltd, and may not be reproduced in any form without our written permission. See our FAQ for more details. | ||||||||