"I have been careful, and I have been patient, but it's growing worse
and worse; flesh and blood can't bear it any longer;--every chance he
can get to insult and torment me, he takes. I thought I could do my work
well, and keep on quiet, and have some time to read and learn out of
work hours; but the more he see I can do, the more he loads on. He says
that though I don't say anything, he sees I've got the devil in me, and
he means to bring it out; and one of these days it will come out in a
way that he won't like, or I'm mistaken!"

"O dear! what shall we do?" said Eliza, mournfully.

"It was only yesterday," said George, "as I was busy loading stones into
a cart, that young Mas'r Tom stood there, slashing his whip so near the
horse that the creature was frightened. I asked him to stop, as pleasant
as I could,--he just kept right on. I begged him again, and then he
turned on me, and began striking me. I held his hand, and then he
screamed and kicked and ran to his father, and told him that I was
fighting him. He came in a rage, and said he'd teach me who was my
master; and he tied me to a tree, and cut switches for young master, and
told him that he might whip me till he was tired;--and he did do it! If
I don't make him remember it, some time!" and the brow of the young man
grew dark, and his eyes burned with an expression that made his young
wife tremble. "Who made this man my master? That's what I want to know!"
he said.

"Well," said Eliza, mournfully, "I always thought that I must obey my
master and mistress, or I couldn't be a Christian."

"There is some sense in it, in your case; they have brought you up like