Uncle Tom's Cabin

Haley returns to the tavern, berating himself. He believes it is providence that he runs into Tom Loker, a huge man whose entire body is “expressive of brutal and unhesitating violence” (122). He is accompanied by a smaller man, Marks, who is “short and slender, lithe and catlike” (122). Tom Locker introduces Marks to Haley; they are partners. Haley orders fixings for punch and cigars to celebrate their meeting.

Haley recounts the loss of Eliza and Harry to the two. Marks and Haley discuss the problems they have encountered selling children, mostly brought on by parting them from their mothers. Loker scoffs; he never has trouble with female slaves because he just threatens to beat their faces in.

Haley goes on about his humanitarian ways again. He claims to be a Christian and plans to tend to his soul. Tom accuses Haley of trying to cheat the Devil of his due. Marks calms them down and brings the conversation back to business.

Marks asks Haley about Eliza. He tells them she is “white and handsome—well brought up. I’d a gin Shelby eight hundred or a thousand, and then made well on her” (127). Haley wants Loker to catch Harry and balks at the $50 deposit they require. Marks calculates the profit they will make.

Loker insists that they cross the river tonight; Marks is reluctant. Loker goes to inquire about the boat. Marks and Haley agree not to use dogs: Eliza and Harry’s worth is largely based on their beauty, and dogs may attack them. Haley reluctantly gives Loker the deposit and the trio leaves.

Meanwhile, Sam and Andy make their way home in the highest of sprits. The Shelbys are anxious to hear what happened. Sam ascribes Eliza’s escape across the river to providence; otherwise, it should have been too difficult to cross the ice. Sam tells them how he stalled Haley throughout the day; Mr. Shelby reprimands him. Mrs. Shelby thanks God that Eliza is not dead; she views what they have done to Eliza and Harry as a sin.

Sam, who has “a native talent that might, undoubtedly have raised him to eminence in political life, —a talent of making capital out of everything that turned up, to be invested for his own especial praise and glory,” goes to the kitchen to relay the news (136). Sam delights in attending important meetings with his master and later relaying the news to his kindred. Though he has an ongoing feud with Aunt Chloe, he appeals to her in conciliatory tones, winning himself a large pan of food. Sam’s fellow slaves crowd in and listen as he recounts the day’s events, presiding over the congregation with great pomp and circumstance.

Senator Bird spends an evening at home and discusses senatorial proceedings with his wife. She asks about a law that prevents people in free states from helping runaway slaves. She thinks it is not Christian. The senator affirms that the law has passed; helping runaway slaves is aiding and abetting a crime. Mrs. Bird is an incredibly gentle and meek woman; however, “anything in the shape of cruelty would throw her into a passion, which the more alarming and inexplicable in proportion to the general softness of her nature” (143).

Mrs. Bird rounds on her husband when he says he voted for the law. She tells him that the Bible mandates that Christians feed and clothe the needy. Senator Bird is a humanitarian at heart; Mrs. Bird knows this and pushes this advantage. She asks if he could have the heart to turn away a runaway in peril. She tells him that if people do not want their slaves to run away, they should treat them better. John attests the law is for the public good.

In the midst of this conversation, their black servants Cudjoe and Aunt Dinah, call them to the kitchen. Eliza and Harry are there; Eliza is in a swoon. She awakens and begs Mrs. Bird to help her. Mrs. Bird gently calms her down; they provide a bed and Eliza and Harry are soon asleep. To Mrs. Bird’s satisfaction, her husband is immediately concerned. He wants to find Eliza proper clothing.

When Eliza awakens, they question her. She tells them she is a slave and has just run away from kind masters in Kentucky. When the senator asks why she ran away from kind masters, she notices Mrs. Bird is dressed in mourning clothes. She asks if she has ever lost a child; this has a profound effect on the Birds, who have just recently lost one. Eliza has lost two children, and now the Shelbys have sold Harry, her only surviving and most beloved son. She recounts the story of her escape. Eliza’s story moves her audience to tears.

Eliza goes to bed, and the Birds discuss what to do. Senator Bird says they must leave tonight; Haley will be after them. He makes a great deal of putting on his boots and deliberating. His old client, Van Trompe, who freed his slaves, has a property seven miles away. He is the only person skillful enough to drive a carriage across the terrain. Mrs. Bird is proud of her husband. Before the senator leaves, he awkwardly suggests giving some of their deceased son’s things to Eliza for Harry. Mrs. Bird gathers them, reverently and tearfully, then sets about altering some clothes for Eliza. Around midnight, the carriage is ready to go. Eliza and Mrs. Bird exchange an emotional farewell.

Senator Bird, once faced with an actual fugitive slave, finds it impossible but to help Eliza. The road is dark and incredibly muddy. After some delay when the carriage gets stuck, they make it to John Van Trompe.

John is an enormous man with “a great, honest, just heart” who “had been for some years witnessing with repressed uneasiness for the workings of a system equally bad for oppressor and oppressed” (159). John shows Eliza to a room, adamant that nobody will set foot in his house to harm her. He offers to show Senator Bird a better road to the stagecoach to Columbus. Bird gives John a ten-dollar bill to give to Eliza.

The morning of Tom’s departure arrives. Chloe is despondent; she has heard horrible stories of slaves who have been sold down south, which is “set before the negro from childhood as the last severity of punishment” (164). Tom is steadfast in his strength, but he remains strong for the sake of his loved ones. He still defends Shelby’s choice in selling him.

Chloe serves Tom his final breakfast at home. She packs Tom’s sparse clothing, reminding him to be careful with them. She begins to cry; their children follow suit; she tells them, “Ay, crow away, poor crittur! […] ye’ll have to come to it, too! ye’ll live to see yer husband sold, or mebbe be sold yerself” (166).

Mrs. Shelby enters, tries to speak to Tom, and begins weeping as well. For a moment, they all weep together, and “in those tears they all shed together, the high and the lowly, melted away all the heart-burnings and anger of the oppressed” (167). She vows to Tom that she will buy him back.

Haley arrives to take Tom away. A crowd of servants gathers to see his departure; he is greatly looked up to. Haley does Tom the indignity of shackling him, despite Mrs. Shelby’s protests. Mr. Shelby is not even there to see Tom off. The shame of using Tom badly drove him “on a short business tour up the country, hoping that all would be over before he returned” (169).

Haley takes Tom away. They stop at a blacksmith’s shop so Haley can have a pair of handcuffs repaired. The blacksmith is surprised to see Tom sold: Tom’s loyalty and good nature are well known.

Young George Shelby rides up at this moment, despondent. He hugs Tom and threatens to fight Haley. He gives Tom a dollar coin on a string, which he hangs around Tom’s neck, though he protests.

Tom gives George advice, telling him to be a good son and a good Christian. George promises Tom, “O, you’ll have good times yet!” (173).

George tells Haley he should be ashamed for selling people; Haley replies that he is no worse than those who buy them. George and Tom exchange final goodbyes, and Haley and Tom ride away.

Haley tells Tom he intends to treat him fairly, and Tom promises not to run away.

At an inn in Kentucky, several patrons read and discuss a wanted poster describing George Harris. The poster warns that George will probably try to pass as a white man, but he has scars and a brand that indicate otherwise. One of the men, Mr. Wilson, owns the land where George previously worked. He vouches for George’s good character.

The men in the room discuss intelligent slaves. One says, “The Lord made ‘em men, and it’s a hard squeeze gettin ‘em down to beasts” (180). Another man contends that there is no advantage for a master to have a bright slave.

In the midst of this conversation, a man, “very tall, with a Spanish complexion,” enters with his black servant (180). He introduces himself as Henry Butler from Shelby County. He looks familiar to Mr. Wilson, but he cannot place where he met him. The newcomer invites Mr. Wilson to speak with him in another room.

Henry Butler is actually George. Mr. Wilson is astounded. He warns George, out of misguided concern, that he is breaking the law of his country by running away from his master. George retorts that he has no country. He plans to get away to Canada, or else die trying; either way, he will be free. He shows Mr. Wilson the pistols on his person.

Wilson is still concerned about George breaking the law. George tells Mr. Wilson of his tragic past, up until the separation with Eliza and Harry. Wilson was the first white man to treat him kindly. George’s story gets to Mr. Wilson. Wilson tries to give George money; George refuses at first but takes it on the condition that he will pay him back.

George’s black companion is a slave who escaped to Canada. He has come back to try to free his mother.

George and Wilson shake hands; Wilson leaves, but George calls him back. He gives him a pin to try to send to Eliza if he dies. He asks Mr. Wilson to beg her to go to Canada and never come back.

George questions God’s existence, or at least the existence of a God for the downtrodden black people of America. Wilson emotionally begs him to have faith. George thanks him, and Wilson leaves.