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ot　the　victory！—the　Lord　Jesus　has　given　it　to　me！　Glory　be　to　His　name！”
George　was　awe…struck　at　the　force；　the　vehemence；　the　power；　with　which　these　broken　sentences　were　uttered。　He　sat　gazing　in　silence。
Tom　grasped　his　hand；　and　continued；—“Ye　mustn’t；　now；　tell　Chloe；　poor　soul！　how　ye　found　me；—’t　would　be　so　drefful　to　her。　Only　tell　her　ye　found　me　going　into　glory；　and　that　I　couldn’t　stay　for　no　one。　And　tell　her　the　Lord’s　stood　by　me　everywhere　and　al’ays；　and　made　everything　light　and　easy。　And　oh；　the　poor　chil’en；　and　the　baby；—my　old　heart’s　been　most　broke　for　’em；　time　and　agin！　Tell　’em　all　to　follow　me—follow　me！　Give　my　love　to　Mas’r；　and　dear　good　Missis；　and　everybody　in　the　place！　Ye　don’t　know！　’Pears　like　I　loves　’em　all！　I　loves　every　creature　everywhar！—it’s　nothing　but　love！　O；　Mas’r　George！　what　a　thing　’t　is　to　be　a　Christian！”
At　this　moment；　Legree　sauntered　up　to　the　door　of　the　shed；　looked　in；　with　a　dogged　air　of　affected　carelessness；　and　turned　away。
“The　old　satan！”　said　George；　in　his　indignation。　“It’s　a　comfort　to　think　the　devil　will　pay　him　for　this；　some　of　these　days！”
“O；　don’t！；—oh；　ye　mustn’t！”　said　Tom；　grasping　his　hand；　“he’s　a　poor　mis’able　critter！　it’s　awful　to　think　on　’t！　Oh；　if　he　only　could　repent；　the　Lord　would　forgive　him　now；　but　I’m　’feared　he　never　will！”
“I　hope　he　won’t！”　said　George；　“I　never　want　to　see　him　in　heaven！”
“Hush；　Mas’r　George！—it　worries　me！　Don’t　feel　so！　He　an’t　done　me　no　real　harm；—only　opened　the　gate　of　the　kingdom　for　me；　that’s　all！”
At　this　moment；　the　sudden　flush　of　strength　which　the　joy　of　meeting　his　young　master　had　infused　into　the　dying　man　gave　way。　A　sudden　sinking　fell　upon　him；　he　closed　his　eyes；　and　that　mysterious　and　sublime　change　passed　over　his　face；　that　told　the　approach　of　other　worlds。
He　began　to　draw　his　breath　with　long；　deep　inspirations；　and　his　broad　chest　rose　and　fell；　heavily。　The　expression　of　his　face　was　that　of　a　conqueror。
“Who；—who；—who　shall　separate　us　from　the　love　of　Christ？”　he　said；　in　a　voice　that　contended　with　mortal　weakness；　and；　with　a　smile；　he　fell　asleep。
George　sat　fixed　with　solemn　awe。　It　seemed　to　him　that　the　place　was　holy；　and；　as　he　closed　the　lifeless　eyes；　and　rose　up　from　the　dead；　only　one　thought　possessed　him；—that　expressed　by　his　simple　old　friend；—“What　a　thing　it　is　to　be　a　Christian！”
He　turned：　Legree　was　standing；　sullenly；　behind　him。
Something　in　that　dying　scene　had　checked　the　natural　fierceness　of　youthful　passion。　The　presence　of　the　man　was　simply　loathsome　to　George；　and　he　felt　only　an　impulse　to　get　away　from　him；　with　as　few　words　as　possible。
Fixing　his　keen　dark　eyes　on　Legree；　he　simply　said；　pointing　to　the　dead；　“You　have　got　all　you　ever　can　of　him。　What　shall　I　pay　you　for　the　body？　I　will　take　it　away；　and　bury　it　decently。”
“I　don’t　sell　dead　niggers；”　said　Legree；　doggedly。　“You　are　welcome　to　bury　him　where　and　when　you　like。”
“Boys；”　said　George；　in　an　authoritative　tone；　to　two　or　three　negroes；　who　were　looking　at　the　body；　“help　me　lift　him　up；　and　carry　him　to　my　wagon；　and　get　me　a　spade。”
One　of　them　ran　for　a　spade；　the　other　two　assisted　George　to　carry　the　body　to　the　wagon。
George　neither　spoke　to　nor　looked　at　Legree；　who　did　not　countermand　his　orders；　but　stood；　whistling；　with　an　air　of　forced　unconcern。　He　sulkily　followed　them　to　where　the　wagon　stood　at　the　door。
George　spread　his　cloak　in　the　wagon；　and　had　the　body　carefully　disposed　of　in　it；—moving　the　seat；　so　as　to　give　it　room。　Then　he　turned；　fixed　his　eyes　on　Legree；　and　said；　with　forced　composure；
“I　have　not；　as　yet；　said　to　you　what　I　think　of　this　most　atrocious　affair；—this　is　not　the　time　and　place。　But；　sir；　this　innocent　blood　shall　have　justice。　I　will　proclaim　this　murder。　I　will　go　to　the　very　first　magistrate；　and　expose　you。”
“Do！”　said　Legree；　snapping　his　fingers；　scornfully。　“I’d　like　to　see　you　doing　it。　Where　you　going　to　get　witnesses？—how　you　going　to　prove　it？—Come；　now！”
George　saw；　at　once；　the　force　of　this　defiance。　There　was　not　a　white　person　on　the　place；　and；　in　all　southern　courts；　the　testimony　of　colored　blood　is　nothing。　He　felt；　at　that　moment；　as　if　he　could　have　rent　the　heavens　with　his　heart’s　indignant　cry　for　justice；　but　in　vain。
“After　all；　what　a　fuss；　for　a　dead　nigger！”　said　Legree。
The　word　was　as　a　spark　to　a　powder　magazine。　Prudence　was　never　a　cardinal　virtue　of　the　Kentucky　boy。　George　turned；　and；　with　one　indignant　blow；　knocked　Legree　flat　upon　his　face；　and；　as　he　stood　over　him；　blazing　with　wrath　and　defiance；　he　would　have　formed　no　bad　personification　of　his　great　namesake　triumphing　over　the　dragon。
Some　men；　however；　are　decidedly　bettered　by　being　knocked　down。　If　a　man　lays　them　fairly　flat　in　the　dust；　they　seem　immediately　to　conceive　a　respect　for　him；　and　Legree　was　one　of　this　sort。　As　he　rose；　therefore；　and　brushed　the　dust　from　his　clothes；　he　eyed　the　slowly…retreating　wagon　with　some　evident　consideration；　nor　did　he　open　his　mouth　till　it　was　out　of　sight。
Beyond　the　boundaries　of　the　plantation；　George　had　noticed　a　dry；　sandy　knoll；　shaded　by　a　few　trees；　there　they　made　the　grave。
“Shall　we　take　off　the　cloak；　Mas’r？”　said　the　negroes；　when　the　grave　was　ready。
“No；　no；—bury　it　with　him！　It’s　all　I　can　give　you；　now；　poor　Tom；　and　you　shall　have　it。”
They　laid　him　in；　and　the　men　shovelled　away；　silently。　They　banked　it　up；　and　laid　green　turf　over　it。
“You　may　go；　boys；”　said　George；　slipping　a　quarter　into　the　hand　of　each。　They　lingered　about；　however。
“If　young　Mas’r　would　please　buy　us—”　said　one。
“We’d　serve　him　so　faithful！”　said　the　other。
“Hard　times　here；　Mas’r！”　said　the　first。　“Do；　Mas’r；　buy　us；　please！”
“I　can’t！—I　can’t！”　said　George；　with　difficulty；　motioning　them　off；　“it’s　impossible！”
The　poor　fellows　looked　dejected；　and　walked　off　in　silence。
“Witness；　eternal　God！”　said　George；　kneeling　on　the　grave　of　his　poor　friend；　“oh；　witness；　that；　from　this　hour；　I　will　do　what　one　man　can　to　drive　out　this　curse　of　slavery　from　my　land！”
There　is　no　monument　to　mark　the　last　resting…place　of　our　friend。　He　needs　none！　His　Lord　knows　where　he　lies；　and　will　raise　him　up；　immortal；　to　appear　with　him　when　he　shall　appear　in　his　glory。
Pity　him　not！　Such　a　life　and　death　is　not　for　pity！　Not　in　the　riches　of　omnipotence　is　the　chief　glory　of　God；　but　in　self…denying；　suffering　love！　And　blessed　are　the　men　whom　he　calls　to　fellowship　with　him；　bearing　their　cross　after　him　with　patience。　Of　such　it　is　written；　“Blessed　are　they　that　mourn；　for　they　shall　be　comforted。”
Chapter　42
An　Authentic　Ghost　Story
For　some　remarkable　reason；　ghostly　legends　were　uncommonly　rife；　about　this　time；　among　the　servants　on　Legree’s　place。
It　was　whisperingly　asserted　that　footsteps；　in　the　dead　of　night；　had　been　heard　descending　the　garret　stairs；　and　patrolling　the　house。　In　vain　the　doors　of　the　upper　entry　had　been　locked；　the　ghost　either　carried　a　duplicate　key　in　its　pocket；　or　availed　itself　of　a　ghost’s　immemorial　privilege　of　coming　through　the　keyhole；　and　promenaded　as　before；　with　a　freedom　that　was　alarming。
Authorities　were　somewhat　divided；　as　to　the　outward　form　of　the　spirit；　owing　to　a　custom　quite　prevalent　among　negroes；—and；　for　aught　we　know；　among　whites；　too；—of　invariably　shutting　the　eyes；　and　covering　up　heads　under　blankets；　petticoats；　or　whatever　else　might　come　in　use　for　a　shelter；　on　these　ocomasions。　Of　course；　as　everybody　knows；　when　the　bodily　eyes　are　thus　out　of　the　lists；　the　spiritual　eyes　are　uncommonly　vivacious　and　perspicuous；　and；　therefore；　there　were　abundance　of　full…length　portraits　of　the　ghost；　abundantly　sworn　and　testified　to；　which；　as　if　often　the　case　with　portraits；　agreed　with　each　other　in　no　particular；　except　the　common　family　peculiarity　of　the　ghost　tribe；—the　wearing　of　a　white　sheet。　The　poor　souls　were　not　versed　in　ancient　history；　and　did　not　know　that　Shakspeare　had　authenticated　this　costume；　by　telling　how
　　　　　　　　“The　sheeted　dead
Did　squeak　and　gibber