Uncle Tom Saves a Little Girl

A large river-boat was going down the Mississippi on its way to New Orleans. One of the passengers on the boat was a young gentleman, St. Clare by name. He had with him a daughter between five and six years of age. The child was so beautiful that people turned and looked after her as she went by.

Tom, who liked children very much, watched the little girl with great interest when she walked round the place where black men and women sat in their chains. She looked at them and thought how unhappy those Negro slaves were. Several times she brought fruit and cakes and gave them to the black people.

Tom watched the little girl for a long time.

“What’s your name, little girl?” he asked at last.

“Evangeline St. Clare,” said the little girl, “but papa and everybody else call me Eva. Now, what’s your name?”

“My name’s Tom, the little children call me Uncle Tom”.

“Then I want to call you Uncle Tom,” said Eva.

“So, Uncle Tom, where are you going?”

“I don’t know, Miss Eva. I am going to be sold to somebody. I don’t know who.”

“My papa can buy you,” said Eva quickly, “and if he buys you, you will have good times. I’ll ask him to buy you today.”

“Thank you, my little lady”, said Tom.

The boat here stopped at a small settlement, and Eva ran to her father. They were standing together at the side of the boat. Suddenly the little girl lost her balance and fell over the side of the boat. Her father was going to jump after her, but was stopped by someone behind him who jumped into the water. It was Tom whose hands were not chained at that time.

Tom saw Eva fell into the water, and was after her in a moment. He caught the child in his arms, and swimming with her to the boatside, handed her up to her father.

(After Harriet Beecher-Stowe “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”)