The higher circle in the family?to wit, Adolph, Jane and Rosa?agreed that she was no lady; ladies never keep working about as she did,?that she had no air at all; and they were surprised that she should be any relation of the StEven Marie declared that it was absolutely fatiguing to see Cousin Ophelia always so busyAnd, in fact, Miss Ophelia?s industry was so incessant as to lay some foundation for the complaintShe sewed and stitched away, from daylight till dark, with the energy of one who is pressed on by some immediate urgency; and then, when the light faded, and the work was folded away, with one turn out came the ever-ready knitting-work, and there she was again, going on as briskly as everIt really was a labor to see her
Chapter 20
Topsy
One morning, while Miss Ophelia was busy in some of her domestic cares, StClare?s voice was heard, calling her at the foot of the stairs
?Come down here, Cousin, I?ve something to show you
?What is it?? said Miss Ophelia, coming down, with her sewing in her hand
?I?ve made a purchase for your department,?see here,? said StClare; and, with the word, he pulled along a little negro girl, about eight or nine years of age
She was one of the blackest of her race; and her round shining eyes, glittering as glass beads, moved with quick and restless glances over everything in the roomHer mouth, half open with astonishment at the wonders of the new Mas?r?s parlor, displayed a white and brilliant set of teethHer woolly hair was braided in sundry little tails, which stuck out in every directionThe expression of her face was an odd mixture of shrewdness and cunning, over which was oddly drawn, like a kind of veil, an expression of the most doleful gravity and solemnityShe was dressed in a single filthy, ragged garment, made of bagging; and stood with her hands demurely folded before herAltogether, there was something odd and goblin-like about her appearance,?something, as Miss Ophelia afterwards said, ?so heathenish,? as to inspire that good lady with utter dismay; and turning to StClare, she said,
?Augustine, what in the world have you brought that thing here for??
?For you to educate, to be sure, and train in the way she should goI thought she was rather a funny specimen in the Jim Crow lineHere, Topsy,? he added, giving a whistle, as a man would to call the attention of a dog, ?give us a song, now, and show us some of your dancing
The black, glassy eyes glittered with a kind of wicked drollery, and the thing struck up, in a clear shrill voice, an odd negro melody, to which she kept time with her hands and feet, spinning round, clapping her hands, knocking her knees together, in a wild, fantastic sort of time, and producing in her throat all those odd guttural sounds which distinguish the native music of her race; and finally, turning a summerset or two, and giving a prolonged closing note, as odd and unearthly as that of a steam-whistle, she came suddenly down on the carpet, and stood with her hands folded, and a most sanctimonious expression of meekness and solemnity over her face, only broken by the cunning glances which she shot askance from the corners of her eyes
Miss Ophelia stood silent, perfectly paralyzed with amazementClare, like a mischievous fellow as he was, appeared to enjoy her astonishment; and, addressing the child again, said,
?Topsy, this is your new mistressI?m going to give you up to her; see now that you behave yourself
?Yes, Mas?r,? said Topsy, with sanctimonious gravity, her wicked eyes twinkling as she spoke
?You?re going to be good, Topsy, you understand,? said St
?O yes, Mas?r,? said Topsy, with another twinkle, her hands still devoutly folded
?Now, Augustine, what upon earth is this for?? said Miss Ophelia?Your house is so full of these little plagues, now, that a body can?t set down their foot without treading on ?emI get up in the morning, and find one asleep behind the door, and see one black head poking out from under the table, one lying on the door-mat,?and they are mopping and mowing and grinning between all the railings, and tumbling over the kitchen floor! What on earth did you want to bring this one for??
?For you to educate?didn?t I tell you? You?re always preaching about educatingI thought I would make you a present of a fresh-caught specimen, and let you try your hand on her, and bring her up in the way she should go
?I don?t want her, I am sure;?I have more to do with ?em now than I want to
?That?s you Christians, all over!?you?ll get up a society, and get some poor missionary to spend all his days among just such heathenBut let me see one of you that would take one into your house with you, and take the labor of their conversion on yourselves! No; when it comes to that, they are dirty and disagreeable, and it?s too much care, and so on
?Augustine, you know I didn?t think of it in that light,? said Miss Ophelia, evidently softening?Well, it might be a real missionary work,? said she, looking rather more favorably on the childClare had touched the right stringMiss Ophelia?s conscientiousness was ever on the alert?But,? she added, ?I really didn?t see the need of buying this one;?there are enough now, in your house, to take all my time and skill
?Well, then, Cousin,? said
shop St