f you were good.'

Topsy laughed scornfully.

'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. There can't nobody love niggers, and niggers can't do
nothin'. I don't care,' and Topsy began whistling to show that she
didn't.

'Oh, Topsy! I love you,' said Eva, laying her little, thin hand on
Topsy's shoulder. 'I love you, because you haven't had any mother, or
father, or friends; because you have been a poor, ill-used child. I love
you, and I want you to be good. It makes me sorry to have you so
naughty. I wish you would try to be good for my sake, because I'm going
to die soon. I shan't be here very long.'

Topsy's round, bright eyes grew suddenly dim with tears. She did believe
at last that it was possible for some one to love her. She laid her head
down between her knees and wept and sobbed.

'Poor Topsy,' said Eva gently.

[Illustration]

'Oh, Miss Eva, dear Miss Eva,' cried the poor little black child, 'I
will try, I will try. I never did care nothin' about it before.'

CHAPTER XVI

EVA'S LAST GOOD-BYE

It soon became quite plain to everybody that Eva was very ill indeed.
She never ran about and played now, but spent most of the day lying on
the sofa in her own pretty room.

Every one loved her, and tried to do things for her. Even naughty little
Topsy used to bring her flowers, and try to be good for her sake.

Uncle Tom was a great deal in Eva's room. She used to get very restless,
and then she liked to be carried about. He was so big and strong that he
could do it very easily. He would walk about with her under the
orange-trees in the garden, or sitting down on some of their old seats,
would sing their favorite hymns.

He loved to do it, and could not bear to be long away from his little
mistress. He gave up sleeping in his bed, and lay all night on the mat
outside her door.

One day Eva made her aunt cut off a lot of her beautiful hair. Then she
called all the slaves together, said good-bye to them, and gave them
each a curl of her hair as a keepsake. They all cried very much, and
said they would never forget her, and would try to be good for her sake.

A few nights later Miss Ophelia came quickly to Tom, as he lay on the
mat outside Eva's door. 'Go, Tom,' she said, 'go as fast as you can for
the doctor.'

Tom ran. But in the morning little Eva lay on her bed, cold and white,
with closed eyes and folded hands.

S