me you took those things
for, Topsy?"

"Why, Missis said I must 'fess; and I couldn't think of nothin' else to
'fess," said Topsy, rubbing her eyes.

"But, of course, I didn't want you to confess things you didn't do,"
said Miss Ophelia; "that's telling a lie, just as much as the other."

"Laws, now, is it?" said Topsy, with an air of innocent wonder.

"La, there an't any such thing as truth in that limb," said Rosa,
looking indignantly at Topsy. "If I was Mas'r St. Clare, I'd whip her
till the blood run. I would,--I'd let her catch it!"

"No, no Rosa," said Eva, with an air of command, which the child could
assume at times; "you mustn't talk so, Rosa. I can't bear to hear it."

"La sakes! Miss Eva, you 's so good, you don't know nothing how to get
along with niggers. There's no way but to cut 'em well up, I tell ye."

"Rosa!" said Eva, "hush! Don't you say another word of that sort!" and
the eye of the child flashed, and her cheek deepened its color.

Rosa was cowed in a moment.

"Miss Eva has got the St. Clare blood in her, that's plain. She can
speak, for all the world, just like her papa," she said, as she passed
out of the room.

Eva stood looking at Topsy.

There stood the two children representatives of the two extremes of
society. The fair, high-bred child, with her golden head, her deep eyes,
her spiritual, noble brow, and prince-like movements; and her
black, keen, subtle, cringing, yet acute neighbor. They stood the
representatives of their races. The Saxon, born of ages of cultivation,
command, education, physical and moral eminence; the Afric, born of ages
of oppression, submission, ignorance, toil and vice!

Something, perhaps, of such thoughts struggled through Eva's mind. But a
child's thoughts are rather dim, undefined instincts; and in Eva's noble
nature many such were yearning and working, for which she had no power
of utterance. When Miss Ophelia expatiated on Topsy's naughty, wicked
conduct, the child looked perplexed and sorrowful, but said, sweetly.

"Poor Topsy, why need you steal? You're going to be taken good care of
now. I'm sure I'd rather give you anything of mine, than have you steal
it."

It was the first word of kindness the child had ever heard in her life;
and the sweet tone and manner struck strangely on the wild, rude
heart, and a sparkle of something like a tear shone in the keen, round,
glittering eye; but it was followed by the short laugh and habitual
grin. No! t