The Project Gutenberg EBook of Uncle Tom's Cabin, Young Folks' Edition
by Harriet Beecher Stowe

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Title: Uncle Tom's Cabin, Young Folks' Edition

Author: Harriet Beecher Stowe

Release Date: February 19, 2004 [EBook #11171]

Language: English

Character set encoding: US-ASCII

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[Transcriber's note: there is no Chapter XI.]

UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

YOUNG FOLKS' EDITION

By

HARRIET BEECHER STOWE

UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

CHAPTER I

UNCLE TOM AND LITTLE HARRY ARE SOLD

Very many years ago, instead of having servants to wait upon them and
work for them, people used to have slaves. These slaves were paid no
wages. Their masters gave them only food and clothes in return for their
work.

When any one wanted servants he went to market to buy them, just as
nowadays we buy horses and cows, or even tables and chairs.

If the poor slaves were bought by kind people they would be quite happy.
Then they would work willingly for their masters and mistresses, and
even love them. But very often cruel people bought slaves. These cruel
people used to beat them and be unkind to them in many other ways.

It was very wicked to buy and sell human beings as if they were cattle.
Yet Christian people did it, and many who were good and kind otherwise
thought there was no wrong in being cruel to their poor slaves. 'They
are only black people,' they said to themselves. 'Black people do not
feel things as we do.' That was not kind, as black people suffer pain
just in the same way as white people do.

One of the saddest things for the poor slaves was that they could never
long be a happy family all together--father, mother, and little brothers
and sisters--because at any time the master might sell the father or the
mother or one of the children to some one else. When this happened those
who were left behind were very sad indeed--more sad than if their dear
one had died.

Uncle Tom was a slave. He was a very faithful and honest servant, and
his master, Mr. Shelby, was kind t