12. Miss Ophelia tried the recipe, and Topsy invariably made a terrible commotion, screaming, groaning, and imploring; though half an hour afterwards, when out of doors, surrounded by a flock of "young uns," she would express the utmost contempt of the whole affair. ac-cu-rate-ly an-nounced' car-ni-val New Words in this Lesson. e-stab-lish-ment mim-ic-ry re-hears-als fas-ci-nāt-ed per-form-an-ces san-guine gro-tesque-ly Questions:-1. How was Topsy made to look more Christian-like than formerly? 2. What did she say about her age, her mother, her birth? 3. Who used to take care of her? 4. What had she no idea of? 5. What reply did she give when asked, "Who made you?" 6. To what work did Miss Ophelia confine her? 7. For what was Topsy soon noted? 8. What did she quickly learn? 9. How did she sometimes amuse herself? 10. How did Miss Ophelia one day find her? 11. What did she say would make her good? 12. With what result did Miss Ophelia try the recipe? 1 Ar-rayed', dressed. Ma-ture', form. Dun-no, I do not know. 2 Per-sist-ed, again said. Notes and Meanings. 3 Em-phat-i-cal-ly, decidedly. 7 Spe-cies, kind.-Droll-er-y, fun. Ad-just', fix; put in order. 9 En-act', do; carry out. 12 Reç-i-pe, plan for curing or making Summary:-Topsy was cared for by Miss Ophelia, who hoped to be able to educate her. But when questioned, to her mistress's despair she neither knew her age nor her parents; and when asked about her birth and who made her, she replied that "she never was born," and that "she 'spect she growed." In all kinds of games and fun she was the leader of the other children. She learned many things from Miss Ophelia, but when left to herself she was given to spending her time in amusement. Exercises:-1. Parse and analyze: She learned many things from Miss Ophelia 2. Add ing to believe, receive, whistle, drive, ride, live. 3. Make Sentences containing-quartz, quarts; rest, wrest; rime, rhyme; road, rode, rowed. 4. Write in your own words all you know about the Queen. XVI. THE LITTLE EVANGELIST. 1. No one in the house was able to control poor Topsy. One day Miss Ophelia spoke to St. Clare about her. "I am sure, Augustine," said she, “I don't know what to do. I've taught and taught, I've talked till I am tired, I've whipped her, I've punished her in every way I can think of; and still she is just what she was at first.” 2. "Come here, Topsy. What makes you behave so?" said St. Clare, who could not help being amused with the child's expression. "'Spects it's my wicked heart," said Topsy demurely. "Miss Feely says so." 3. "Don't you see how much Miss Ophelia has done for you? She says she has done everything she can think of." "Yes, mas'r! old missus used to say so too. She whipped me a heap harder, and used to pull my hair, and knock my head again the door; but it didn't do me no good-I's so wicked! I's nothing but a nigger no ways!" "Well, I shall have to give her up," said Miss Ophelia. 4. Eva, who had stood a silent spectator of the scene thus far, made a silent sign for Topsy to follow her. There was a little glass room at the corner of the veranda, which St. Clare used as a sort of reading-room; and Eva and Topsy disappeared into this place. What's Eva going to do now?" said St. Clare. "I mean to see." 5. And, advancing on tiptoe, he lifted up a curtain that covered the glass door, and looked in. In a moment, laying his finger on his lips, he made a silent gesture to Miss Ophelia to come and look. There sat the two children on the floor, with their side faces towards them ;-Topsy with her usual air of careless drollery and unconcern; but, opposite to her, Eva, her whole face fervent with feeling, and tears in her large eyes. 6. "What does make you so bad, Topsy? Why won't you try and be good? Don't you love anybody, Topsy? Don't you love your father and mother?" "Never had none, ye know. I telled ye that, Miss Eva." "Oh, I know," said Eva sadly; "but hadn't you any brother, or sister, or aunt, or—” 66 No, none on 'em-never had nothing nor nobody." 7. "But, Topsy, if you'd only try to be good, you might-" "Couldn't never be nothin' but a nigger, if I was ever so good," said Topsy. "But people can love you though you are black, Topsy. Miss Ophelia would love you if you were good." 8. Topsy gave the short, blunt laugh that was her common mode of expressing incredulity. "Don't you think so?" said Eva. "No; she can't bear me, 'cause I'm a nigger! She'd as soon have a toad touch her. nobody love niggers. beginning to whistle. There can't 9. "O Topsy, poor child, I love you!" said Eva, with a sudden burst of feeling, and laying her little, thin, white hand on Topsy's shoulder," I love you, because you haven't had any father, or mother, or friends! I love you, and I want you to be good. I am very unwell, Topsy; and I think I shan't live a great while, and it really grieves me to have you be so naughty. I wish you would try to be good for my sake; it's only a little while I shall be with you." 10. The round, keen eyes of the black child were overcast with tears; large, bright drops rolled heavily down, one by one, and fell on the little white hand. Yes, in that moment a ray of real belief, a ray of heavenly love, had penetrated the darkness of her heathen soul! She laid her head down between her knees, and wept and sobbed; while the beautiful child, bending over her, looked like the picture of some bright angel stooping to reclaim a sinner. 11. O dear Miss Eva! dear Miss Eva!" said the child; "I will try I will try! I never did care nothin' about it before." St. Clare at this moment dropped the curtain. It puts me in mind of mother," he said to Miss Ophelia. 'It is true what she told me: if we want to give sight to the blind, we must be willing to do as Christ did-call them to us, and put our hands on them." e-van-gel-ist New Words in this Lesson. in-cre-du-li-ty pen-e-trāt-ed un-con-cern' Questions:-1. What complaint did Miss Ophelia make to St. Clare? 2. What did Topsy say was the cause of her bad conduct? 3. How did her old mistress try to make her good? 4. Where did Eva take Topsy? 5. What did St. Clare see through the glass door? 6. What did Topsy say about her relations? 7. What did she say she could only be, however good she was? 8. In whose love did she not believe? 9. What reply did Eva make? 10. What effect had these words on Topsy? 11. What did she say? Of what did all this put St. Clare in mind? 2 Fee-ly, Ophelia. 4 Spec-ta-tor, looker-on. 6 Telled, told. Notes and Meanings. 8 In-cre-du-li-ty, unbelief. Summary:-One day Miss Ophelia told St. Clare that in spite of all that she had done for Topsy-though she had both taught her and punished her-the child remained just as she was at first. Eva hearing the complaint made, took Topsy into a room near. There she spoke so kindly and so lovingly to her, that the poor negro was overcome, and with many tears promised Eva that she would try to be good. Exercises: 1. Parse and analyze : Eva took Topsy into a room. 2. Change into Nouns-behave, amuse, wicked, silent, black, careless. 3. Make Sentences containing-root, route; rose, rows; rote, wrote; rough, ruff; row, roe; rye, wry. 4. Write in your own words all you know about Topsy. A MOTHER'S LOVE. 1. A Mother's Love!-how sweet the name! What is a Mother's Love?— A noble, pure, and tender flame, Enkindled from above, To bless a heart of earthly mould- This is a Mother's Love. 2. To bring a helpless babe to light, And feel herself new-born; In its existence lose her own, This is a Mother's Love. |