Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Original Edition | Liberty - Chapter 11

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Dream Audio Books presents Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet beecher Stowe,
Chapter eleven, in which property gets into an improper state
of mind. It was late in a drizzly afternoon that
a traveler alighted at the door of a small country
hotel in the village of n in Kentucky. In the

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bar room he found assembled quite a miscellaneous company whom
Stress of Weather had driven to harbor. And the place
presented the usual scenery of such reunions, great tall, raw
boned Kentuckians attired in hunting shirts and trailing their loose
joints over a vast extent of territory, with the easy
lounge peculiar to the race. Rifles stacked away in the corner,

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shot pouches, game bags, hunting dogs, and little negroes, all
rolled together in the corners were the characteristic features in
the picture. At each end of the fireplace sat a
long legged gentleman with his chair tipped back, his hat
on his head, and the heels of his muddy boots
reposing sublimely on the mantelpiece, a position we will inform

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our readers decidedly favorable to the turn of reflection. Incident
to western taverns, where travelers exhibit a decided preference for
this particular mode of elevating their understandings. Mine host, who
stood behind the bar, like most of his countrymen, was
great of stature, good natured, and loose jointed, with an

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enormous shock of hair on his head, and a great
tall hat on the top of that. In fact, everybody
in the room bore on his head this characteristic emblem
of man's sovereignty. Whether it were felt hat, palm leaf,
greasy beaver, or fine new chapeau, there it reposed with
true republican independence. In truth it appeared to be the

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characteristic mark of every individual. Some wore them tipped rakishly
to one side. These were your men humor, jolly, free
and easy dogs. Some had them jammed independently down over
their noses. These were your hard characters, thorough men who,
when they wore their hats, wanted to wear them, and
to wear them just as they had a mind to.

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There were those who had them set far over back,
wide awake men who wanted a clear prospect, while careless
men who did not know or care how their hats
sat had them shaking about in all directions. The various hats,
in fact, were quite a Shakespearean study. Divers negroes, in
very free and easy pantaloons, and with no redundancy in

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the shirt line, were scuttling about hither and thither, without
bringing to pass any very particular results, except expressing a
generic willingness to turn over everything in creation generally for
the benefit of Massa and his guests. Add to this
picture a jolly crackling, rollicking fire going rejoicingly up a
great wide chimney, the outer door and every window being

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set wide open, and the calico window curtain flopping and
snapping in a good stiff breeze of damp raw air.
And you have an idea of the jollities of a
Kentucky tavern. Your Kentuckian of the present day, is a
good illustration of the doctrine of transmitted instincts and peculiarities.
His fathers were mighty hunters, men who lived in the

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woods and slept under the free open heavens, with the
stars to hold their candles, and their descendant to this
day always acts as if the house were his camp,
wears his hat at all hours, tumbles himself about, and
puts his heels on the tops of chairs or mantel pieces,
just as his father rolled on the green sward, and

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put his upon trees and logs, keeps all the windows
and doors open winter and summer, that he may get
air enough for his great lungs, calls everybody stranger with
nonchalant bonami, and is altogether the frankest, easiest, most jovial
creature living into such an assembly of the free and

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easy our traveler entered. He was a short, thick sat man,
carefully dressed, with a round, good natured countenance, and something
rather fussy and particular in his appearance. He was very
careful of his valise and umbrella, bringing them in with
his own hands, and resisting pertinaciously all offers from the

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various servants to relieve him of them. He looked round
the baur room with rather an anxious air, and, retreating
with his valuables to the warmest corner, disposed them under
his chair, sat down, and looked rather apprehensively up at
the worthy, whose heels illustrated the end of the mantelpiece,
who was spitting from right to left with the courage

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and energy rather alarming to gentlemen of weak nerves and
particular habits. I say, stranger, how are you, said the
aforesaid gentleman, firing an honorary salute of tobacco juice in
the direction of the new arrival. Well, I reckon, was
the reply of the other, as he does with some
alarm the threatening honor any news, said the respondent, taking

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out a strip of tobacco and a large hunting knife
from his pocket. Not that I know of, said the man. Chaw,
said the first speaker, handing the old gentleman a bit
of his tobacco with a decidedly brotherly air. No thanke'ee,
it don't agree with me, said the little man, edging off, don't,
he said the other, easily, and stowing away the morsel

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in his own mouth. In order to keep up the
supply of tobacco juice for the general benefit of society,
the old gentleman uniformly gave a little start whenever his
long sided brother fired in his direction, And this being
observed by his companion, he very good naturally turned his
artillery to another quarter, and proceeded to storm one of
the fire irons with a degree of military talent fully

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sufficient to take a city. What's that, said the old gentleman,
observing some of the company formed in a group round
a large handbill nigger advertised, said one of the company, briefly,
mister Wilson, for that was the old gentleman's name, rose up, and,
after carefully adjusting his valise and umbrella, proceeded deliberately to

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take out his spectacles and fix them on his nose.
And this operation being performed, read as follows, ran away
from the subscriber. My mulatto boy, George, said George, six
feet in height, a very light mulatto, brown curly hair,
is very intelligent, speaks handsomely, can read and write, will

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probably try to pass for a white man. Is deeply
scarred on his back and shoulders, has been branded in
his right hand with the letter H. I will give
four hundred dollars for him alive, and the same sum
for satisfactory proof that he has been killed. The old
gentleman read this advertisement from end to end in a

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low voice, as if he were studying it. The long
legged veteran, who had been besieging the fire iron as
before related, now took down his cumbrous length and rearing
aloft his tall form, walked up to the advertisement and
very deliberately spit a full discharge of tobacco juice on it.
Where's my mind upon that? Said he briefly, and sat

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down again. Why now, stranger, what's that for? Said mine Host.
I'd do it all same to the writer of that
our paper if he was here, said the long Man, coolly,
resuming his old employment of cutting tobacco. Any man that
owns a boy like that and can't find any better
way of treatin on him, deserves to lose him. Such
papers as these is a shame to Kentucky. That's my

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mind right out. If anybody wants to know, well, now
that's a fact, said mine Host, as he made an
entry in his book. I've got a gang of boy, sir,
said the long Man, resuming his attack on the fire irons.
And I just tells him, boys, as I run, now,
dig put just when you want to, I never shall
come to look after you. That's the way I keep em.

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Let em know they are free to run any time,
and it just breaks up their wantin to more and all.
I've got free papers for em, all recorded in case
I gets keeled up any of these times. And they
know it. And I tell you, stranger, aarr't a fellow
in our parts gets more out of his niggers than
I do. Why my boys have been to Cincinnati with
five hundred dollars worth of colts and brought me back

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the money, all straight timing. Again, it stands to reason
they should treat em like dogs, and you'll have dogs
work and dog's actions. Treat 'em like men, and you'll
have men's works. And the honest drover, in his warmth,
endorsed this moral sentiment by firing a perfect footgeois at
the fireplace. I think you're altogether right, friend, said mister Wilson.

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And this boy described here is a fine fellow, no
mistake about that. He worked for me some half dozen
years in my bagging factory, and he was my best hand, sir.
He is an ingenious fellow too. He invented a machine
for the cleaning of hemp, a really valuable effec. It's
gone into use in several factories. His master holds the
patent of it. I'll warrant you, said. The drover holds

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it and makes money out of it, and then turns
round and brands the boy in his right hand. If
I had a fair chance, I'd mark him I reckon
so that he'd carry it one while these you are
knowing boys as allars aggravatin and sarcy, said a coarse
looking fellow from the other side of the room. That's
why they gets cut up and marked, so if they
behave themselves, they wouldn't. That is to say, the Lord

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made him mend and it's a hard squeeze getting 'em
down into beasts, said the drover dryly. Bright niggers, isn't
no kind of advantage to their masters, continued the other,
well entrenched and a coarse unconscious obtuseness from the contempt
of his opponent. Watch the use of talents and then things.
If you can't get the use on'em yourself, why all

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the use they make on is get round you. I've
had one or two of these fellers, and I just
sold em down the river. I knew I'd got to
lose em first or last. If I didn't, better send
up to the Lord to make you a set and
leave out their souls entirely, said the drover. Here the
conversation was interrupted by the approach of a small one
horse buggy to the inn. It had a genteel appearance,

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and a well dressed gentlemanly man sat on the seat
with a colored servant driving. The whole party examined the
newcomer with the interest with which a set of loafers
in a rainy day usually examine every newcomer. He was
very tall, with a dark Spanish complexion, fine expressive black eyes,
and close curling hair, also of a glossy blackness. His

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well formed aquiline nose, straight thin lips, and the admirable
contour of his finely formed limbs impressed the whole company
instantly with the idea of something uncommon. He walked easily
in among the company, and with a nod indicated to
his waiter where to place his trunk, bowed to the company,
and with his hat in his hand, walked up leisurely

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to the bar and gave in his name as Henry Butter, Oakland's,
Shelby County. Turning with an indifferent air, he sauntered up
to the advertisement and read it over. Jim. He said
to his man, seems to me we met a boy
something like this up at Berman's, didn't we, Yes, massa,
said Jim. Only I ain't sure about the hand. Well,

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I didn't look, of course, said the stranger with a
careless yawn. Then walking up to the landlord, he desired
him to furnish him with a private apartment, as he
had some writing to do immediately. The landlord was all obsequious,
and a relay of about seven negroes, old and young,
male and female, little and big, were soon whizzing about

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like a covey of partridges, bustling, hurrying, treading on each
other's toes, and tumbling over each other in their zeal
to get mass's room ready, while he seated himself easily
on a chair in the middle of the room and
entered into conversation with the man who sat next to him,
The manufacturer, mister Wilson, in the time of the entrance
of the stranger, had regarded him with an air of

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disturbed and uneasy curiosity. He seemed to himself to have
met and been acquainted with him somewhere, but he could
not recollect. Every few moments when the man spoke or
moved or smiled, he would start and fix his eyes
on him, and then suddenly withdraw them as the bright,
dark eyes met his with such unconcerned coolness. At last,

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a sudden recollection seemed to flash upon him, for he
stared at the stranger with such an air of blank
amazement and alarm that he walked up to him. Mister Wilson,
I think, said he in a tone of recognition, and
extending his hand. I beg your pardon. I didn't recollect
you before I see you, remember me, mister Butler of
Oakland's Shelby County. Yes, yea, yea, yes, sir, said mister Wilson,

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like one speaking in a dream. Just then a Negro
boy entered and announced that Mass's room was ready. Jim
see to the trunks, said the gentleman negligently, Then addressing
himself to mister Wilson, he added, I should like to
have a few moments conversation with you on business in
my room, if you please. Mister Wilson followed him as
one who walks in his sleep, and they proceeded to

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a large upper chamber, where a new made fire was
crackling and various servants flying about putting finishing touches to
the arrangements. When all was done and the servants departed,
the young man deliberately locked the door and putting the
key in his pocket, faced about and folding his arms
on his bosom, looked mister Wilson full in the face.
George said, mister Wilson. Yes, George, said the young man.

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I couldn't have thought it. I am pretty well disguised.
I fancy, said the young man, with a smile. A
little walnut bark has made my yellow skin a genteel brown,
and I've dyed my hair black. So you see, I
don't answer to the advertisement at all. Oh, George, but
this is a dangerous game you are playing. I could
not have advised you to it. I can do it

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on my own responsibility, said George, with the same proud smile.
We remark on passant that George was by his father's
side of white descent. His mother was one of those
unfortunates of her race, marked out by personal beauty to
be the slave of the passions of her possessor, and
the mother of children who may never know a father.

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From one of the proudest families in Kentucky. He had
inherited a set of fine European features in a high
indomitable spirit from his mother. He had received only a
slight mulatto tinge amply compensated by its accompanying rich dark eye.
A slight change in the tint of the skin and
the color of his hair had metamorphosed him into the

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Spanish looking fellow he then appeared, and as gracefulness of
movement and gentlemanly manners had always been perfectly natural to him,
he found no difficulty in playing the bold part he
had adopted that of a gentleman traveling with his domestic
Mister Wilm. A good natured, but extremely fidgety and cautious

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old gentleman ambled up and down the room, appearing as
John Bunyan hath It much tumbled up and down in
his mind and divided between his wish to help George
and a certain confused notion of maintaining law and order.
So as he shambled about, he delivered himself as follows, Well, George,
I suppose you're running away, leaving your lawful masser George,

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I don't wonder at it. At the same time, I'm sorry, George. Yes, decidedly,
I think I must say that. George. It's my duty
to tell you. So why are you sorry, sir? Said
George calmly. Why to see you as it were, setting
yourself in opposition to the laws of your country. My country,
said George, with a strong and bitter emphasis. What country

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have I but the grave? And I wish to God
that I was laid there. Why, George, No, No, it
won't do. This way of talking is wicked, unscriptural. George,
You've got a hard master. In fact, he is well.
He conducts himself reprehensibly. I can't pretend to defend him,
but you know how. The angel commanded Higgar to return

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to her mistress and submit herself under the hand note
Genesis sixteen. The angel bad the pregnant Hagar returned to
her mistress Sirey, even though Saree had dealt harshly with her,
and the apostle sent back Anesimus to his master note
Philippians one ten. Anesimus went back to his master to

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become no longer a servant, but a brother beloved. Don't
quote Bible let me that way, mister Wilson, said George,
with a flashing eye. Don't. For my wife is a Christian,
and I mean to be if ever I get to
where I can, but to quote Bible to a fellow
in my circumstances is enough to make him give it
up altogether. I appeal to God Almighty. I'm willing to

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go with the case to him and ask him if
I do wrong to seek my freedom. These feelings are
quite natural, George, said the good natured man, blowing his nose. Yes,
they're natural. But it is my duty not to encourage.
I mean you, yes, my boy, I'm sorry for you. Now.
It's a bad case, very bad. But the apostle says,

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let everyone abide in the condition in which he is called.
We must all submit to the indications of providence. George,
don't you see? George stood with his head drawn back,
his arms folded tightly over his broad breast, and a
bitter smile curling his lips. I wonder, mister Wilson, if
the Indians should come and take you a prisoner, away

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from your wife and children, and want to keep you
all your life hoeing corn for them, if you'd think
it your duty to abide in the condition in which
you were called. I rather think that you'd think the
first stray horse you could find an indication of providence,
shouldn't you? The little old gentleman stared with both eyes
at this illustration of the case. But though not much

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of a reasoner, he had the sense in which some
logicians on this particular subject do not excel, that of
saying nothing where nothing could be said. So as he
stood carefully stroking his umbrella and folding and patting down
all the creases in it, he proceeded on with his
exhortations in a general way, is he, George? You know

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now I always have stood your friend, and whatever I've said,
I've said for your good. Now Here it seems to
me you're running an awful risk. You can't hope to
carry it out. If you're taken, it will be worse
with you than ever. They'll only abuse you and half
kill you and sell you down the river. Mister Wilson,
I know all this, said George, I do run a risk.

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But he threw open his overcoat and showed two pistols
and a bowie knife. There he said, I'm ready for
em down south. I never will go. No. If it
comes to that, I can earn myself at least six
feet of free soil, the first and last I shall
ever own in Kentucky. Why, George, this state of mind
is awful. It's getting really desperate, George, I'm concerned going

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to break the laws of your country. My country again,
mister Wilson, you have a country, But what country have
I or any one like me born of slave mothers?
What laws are there for us? We don't make em,
We don't consent to them, We have nothing to do
with them. All they do for us is to crush

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us and keep us down. Haven't I heard your Fourth
of July speeches? Don't you tell us all once a
year that governments derive their just power from the consent
of the governed. Can't a fellow think that here's such things?
Can't he put this and that together and see what
comes to Mister Wilson's mind was one of those that

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may not unaptly be represented by a bale of cotton, downy, soft,
benevolently fuzzy, and confused. He really pitied George with all
his heart, and had a sort of dim and cloudy
perception of the style of feeling that agitated him, But
he deemed it his duty to go on talking good
to him with infinite pertinacity. George, this is bad, I

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must tell you. You know, as a friend, you'd better
not be meddling with such notions. They are bad, George,
very bad for boys in your condition. Very and mister
Wilson sat down to a table and began nervously chewing
the handle of his umbrella. See here now, mister Wilson,
said George, coming up and sitting himself determinately down in
front of him. Look at me, now, don't I sit

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before you every way just as much a man as
you are. Look at my face, look at my hands,
look at my body. And the young man drew himself
up proudly. Why am I not a man as much
as anybody? Well, mister Wilson, hear what I can tell you.
I had a father, one of your Kentucky gentlemen, who

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didn't think enough of me to keep me from being
sold with his dogs and horses to satisfy the estate
when he died. I saw my mother put up a
SHARE's sail with her seven children. They were sold before
her eyes, one by one, all to different masters, and
I was the youngest. She came and kneeled down before

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old Masse and begged him to buy her with me,
that she might have at least one child with her,
and he kicked her away with his heavy boot. I
saw him do it, and the last that I heard
was her moans and screams when I was tied to
his horse's neck to be carried off to his place. Well,
then my master traded with one of the men and

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bought my oldest sister. She was a pious, good girl,
a member of the Baptist church, and as handsome as
my poor mother had been. She was well brought up
and had good manners. At first I was glad she
was bought for I had one friend near me. I
was soon sorry for it, Sir. I have stood at
the door and heard her whipped when it seemed as

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if every blow cut into my naked heart, and I
couldn't do anything to help her. And she was whipped, Sir,
for wanting to live a decent Christian life such as
your laws give no slave girl a right to live.
And at last I saw her chained with a trader's
gang to be sent to market in Orleans, sent there
for nothing else but that, And that's the last I

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know of her. Well, I grew up long years and years,
no father, no mother, no sister, not a living soul
that cared for me more than a dog, nothing but whipping, scolding, starving. Why, sir,
I've been so hungry that I have been glad to
take the bones they threw to their dogs. And Yet

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when I was a little fellow and laid awake whole
nights and cried, it wasn't the hunger, It wasn't the
whipping I cried for No, sir, it was for my
mother and my sister's. It was because I hadn't a
friend to love me. On earth, I never knew what
peace or comfort was. I never had a kind word
spoken to me till I came to work in your factory.

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Mister Wilson. You treated me well. You encouraged me to
do well, and to learn to read and write, and
to try to make something of myself, And God knows
how grateful I am for it. Then, Sir, I found
my wife. You've seen her. You know how beautiful she is.
When I found she loved me. When I married her,

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I scarcely could believe I was alive. I was so happy,
And Sir, she is as good as she is beautiful.
But now what why? Now comes my master takes me
right away from my work and my friends and all
I like, and grinds me down into the very dirt,
and why because he says I forgot who I was.
He says to teach me that I am only a

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nigga after all. And last of all, he comes between
me and my wife and says I shall give her
up and live with another woman. And all all this
your laws give him power to do in spite of
God or man. Mister Wilson, look at it. There isn't
one of all these things that have broken the hearts
of my mother and my sister, and my wife and myself.

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But your laws allow and give every man power to
do in Kentucky, and none can say to him, nay.
Do you call these the laws of my country? Sir?
I haven't any country any more than I have any father,
but I'm going to have one. I don't want anything
of your country except to be let alone to go

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peaceably out of it. And when I get to Canada,
where the laws will own me and protect me, that
shall be my country and its laws. I will obey.
But if any man tries to stop me, let him
take care for I am desperate. I'll fight for my
liberty to the last breath I breathe. You say your

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father's did it if it was right for them, it
is right for me. This speech, delivered partly while sitting
at the table and partly walking up and down the room,
delivered with tears and flashing eyes and despairing gestures, was
altogether too much for the good natured old body to
whom it was addressed, who had pulled out a great

(25:17):
yellow silk pocket handkerchief and was mopping up his face
with great energy. Blast em all, He suddenly broke out. Heaven,
I always said so, the infernal old cusses, thou hope
I ain't swire. Now, Well, go ahead, George, go ahead,
but be careful, my boy. Don't shoot anybody, George, unless well,
you'd better not shoot. I reckon, at least I wouldn't

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hit anybody. You know. Where is your wife, George, he added,
as he nervously rose and began walking the room. Gone, Sir, Gone,
with her child in her arms. The Lord only knows
where gone after the north star. And when we ever meet,
or whether we meet at all in this world, no
creature can tell. Is it possible astonishing from such a

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kind family. Kind families get in debt, and the laws
of our country allow them to sell the child out
of its mother's bosom to pay its master's debts, said George, bitterly. Well, well,
said the honest old man, fumbling in his pocket. I
s'pose perhaps I ain't following my judgment. Hang it, I

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won't follow my judgment, he added, suddenly, So here George,
and taking out a roll of bills from his pocket book,
he offered them to George. No, my kind, good sir,
said George. You've done a great deal for me, and
this might get you into trouble. I have money enough
I hope to take me as far as I need it. No,
but you must, George. Money is a great help everywhere.

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Can't have too much. If you get it, honestly, take it.
Do take it now, do my boy, on condition, sir,
that I may repay it at some future time. I will,
said George, taking up the money. And now, George, how
long are you going to travel in this way? Not
long or far? I hope it's well carried on, But
too bold. And this black fellow, who is he? A

(27:08):
true fellow who went to Canada more than a year ago.
He heard after he got there that his master was
so angry at him for going off that he had
whipped his poor old mother, and he has come all
the way back to comfort her and get a chance
to get her away. Has he got her not yet?
He has been hanging about the place and found no chance. Yet. Meanwhile,

(27:29):
he is going with me as far as Ohio to
put me among friends that helped him, and then he
will come back after her. Dangerous, very dangerous, said the
old man. George drew himself up and smiled disdainfully. The
old gentleman eyed him from head to foot with a
sort of innocent wonder George, something has brought you out wonderfully.

(27:50):
You hold up your head and speak and move like
another man, said mister Wilson. Because I'm a free man,
said George, proudly. Yes, Er, I've said master for the
last time to any man, I'm free. Take care you
are not sure you may be taken. All men are

(28:10):
free and equal in the grave if it comes to that,
mister Wilson said George. I'm perfectly dumbfounded with your boldness,
said mister Wilson. To come right here to the nearest tavern,
Miss Wilson. It is so bold, and this tavern is
so near, that they will never think of it. They
will look for me on head, and you yourself wouldn't
know me. Jim's master don't live in this county. He

(28:33):
is known in these parts. Besides, he is given up
and nobody is looking after him, and nobody will take
me up after the advertisement, I think, But the mark
in your hand, George drew off his glove and showed
a newly healed scar in his hand. That is a
parting proof of mister Harris's regard, he said scornfully. A

(28:53):
fortnight ago. He took it into his head to give
it to me, because he said he believed I should
try to get away one of these days. Looks interesting,
doesn't it, he said, drawing his glove on again. I declare,
my very blood runs cold when I think of it.
Your condition and your risks, said mister Wilson. Mine has
run cold a good many years, mister Wilson. At present,

(29:16):
it's about up to the boiling point, said George. Well,
my good sirs, continued George, after a few moments silence,
I saw you knew me. I thought i'd just have
this talk with you, lest your surprised look should bring
me out. I leave early tomorrow morning, before daylight. By
tomorrow night, I hope to sleep safe in Ohio. I
shall travel by daylight, stop at the best hotels, go

(29:39):
to the dinner tables with the lords of the land.
So good bye, sir. If you hear that I'm taken,
you may know that I'm dead. George stood up like
a rock and put out his hand with the air
of a prince. The friendly little old man shook it heartily,
and after a little shower of caution, he took his
umbrella and fumbled his way out of the room. George

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stood thoughtfully looking at the door as the old man
closed it. A thought seemed to flash across his mind.
He hastily stepped to it, and, opening it, said mister Wilson,
one more word. The old gentleman entered again, and George,
as before, locked the door, and then stood for a
few moments, looking on the floor irresolutely, at last raising
his head with a sudden effort, mister Wilson, you have

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shown yourself a Christian in your treatment of me. I
want to ask one last deed of Christian kindness of you. Well, George, Well, sir,
what you said was true. I am running a dreadful risk.
There isn't on earth a living soul to care If
I die, he added, drawing his breath hard and speaking
with a great effort, I shall be kicked out and

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buried like a dog, and nobody'll think of it a
day after. Only my poor wife, poor soul. She'll mourn
and grieve. And if you'd only contrive, mister Wilson, to
send this little pin to her. She gave it to
me for a Christmas present, poor child. Give it to
her and tell her I loved her to the last.
Will you? Will you? He added earnestly. Yes, certainly, poor fellow,

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said the old gentleman, taking the pin, with watery eyes
and a melancholy quiver in his voice. Tell her one thing,
said George. It's my last wish. If she can get
to Canada, to go there, no matter how kind her
mistress is, no matter how much she loves her home,
beg her not to go back, for slavery always ends
in misery. Tell her to bring up our boy a

(31:28):
free man, and then he won't suffer as I have
tell her this, mister Wilson, will you, yes, George, I'll
tell her, But I trust you won't die. Take heart,
you're a brave fellow. Trust in the Lord, George, I
wish in my heart you were saved through though that's
what I do. Is there a God to trust in?
Said George in such a tone of bitter despair as

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arrested the old gentleman's words. Oh, I've seen things all
my life that have made me feel that there can't
be a god. You Christians don't know how the things
look to us. There's a God for you, but is
there any for us? Oh? Now, don't don't, my boy,
said the old man, almost sobbing as he spoke. Don't

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feel so there is? There is. Clouds and darkness are
round about him, but righteousness and judgment are the habitation
of his throne. There's a God, George, believe it. Trust
in him, and I'm sure he'll help you. Everything will
be set right, if not in this life in another.
The real piety and benevolence of the simple old man

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invested him with a temporary dignity and authority. As he spoke,
George stopped his distracted walk up and down the room,
stood thoughtfully a moment, and then said quietly, thank you
for saying that, my good friend. I'll think of that.
End of Chapter eleven. Dream audio Books hopes you have

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enjoyed this program.