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e tangled； broke； and dirtied her thread； or； with a sly movement； would throw a spool away altogether。 Her motions were almost as quick as those of a practised conjurer； and her command of her face quite as great； and though Miss Ophelia could not help feeling that so many acomidents could not possibly happen in sucomession； yet she could not； without a watchfulness which would leave her no time for anything else； detect her。
Topsy was soon a noted character in the establishment。 Her talent for every species of drollery； grimace； and mimicry；—for dancing； tumbling； climbing； singing； whistling； imitating every sound that hit her fancy；—seemed inexhaustible。 In her play…hours； she invariably had every child in the establishment at her heels； open…mouthed with admiration and wonder；—not excepting Miss Eva； who appeared to be fascinated by her wild diablerie； as a dove is sometimes charmed by a glittering serpent。 Miss Ophelia was uneasy that Eva should fancy Topsy’s society so much； and implored St。 Clare to forbid it。
“Poh！ let the child alone；” said St。 Clare。 “Topsy will do her good。”
“But so depraved a child；—are you not afraid she will teach her some mischief？”
“She can’t teach her mischief； she might teach it to some children； but evil rolls off Eva’s mind like dew off a cabbage…leaf；—not a drop sinks in。”
“Don’t be too sure；” said Miss Ophelia。 “I know I’d never let a child of mine play with Topsy。”
“Well； your children needn’t；” said St。 Clare； “but mine may； if Eva could have been spoiled； it would have been done years ago。”
Topsy was at first despised and contemned by the upper servants。 They soon found reason to alter their opinion。 It was very soon discovered that whoever cast an indignity on Topsy was sure to meet with some inconvenient acomident shortly after；—either a pair of ear…rings or some cherished trinket would be missing； or an article of dress would be suddenly found utterly ruined； or the person would stumble acomidently into a pail of hot water； or a libation of dirty slop would unacomountably deluge them from above when in full gala dress；…and on all these ocomasions； when investigation was made； there was nobody found to stand sponsor for the indignity。 Topsy was cited； and had up before all the domestic judicatories； time and again； but always sustained her examinations with most edifying innocence and gravity of appearance。 Nobody in the world ever doubted who did the things； but not a scrap of any direct evidence could be found to establish the suppositions； and Miss Ophelia was too just to feel at liberty to proceed to any length without it。
The mischiefs done were always so nicely timed； also； as further to shelter the aggressor。 Thus； the times for revenge on Rosa and Jane； the two chamber maids； were always chosen in those seasons when （as not unfrequently happened） they were in disgrace with their mistress； when any complaint from them would of course meet with no sympathy。 In short； Topsy soon made the household understand the propriety of letting her alone； and she was let alone； acomordingly。
Topsy was smart and energetic in all manual operations； learning everything that was taught her with surprising quickness。 With a few lessons； she had learned to do the proprieties of Miss Ophelia’s chamber in a way with which even that particular lady could find no fault。 Mortal hands could not lay spread smoother； adjust pillows more acomurately； sweep and dust and arrange more perfectly； than Topsy； when she chose；—but she didn’t very often choose。 If Miss Ophelia； after three or four days of careful patient supervision； was so sanguine as to suppose that Topsy had at last fallen into her way； could do without over…looking； and so go off and busy herself about something else； Topsy would hold a perfect carnival of confusion； for some one or two hours。 Instead of making the bed； she would amuse herself with pulling off the pillowcases； butting her woolly head among the pillows； till it would sometimes be grotesquely ornamented with feathers sticking out in various directions； she would climb the posts； and hang head downward from the tops； flourish the sheets and spreads all over the apartment； dress the bolster up in Miss Ophelia’s night…clothes； and enact various performances with that；—singing and whistling； and making grimaces at herself in the looking…glass； in short； as Miss Ophelia phrased it； “raising Cain” generally。
On one ocomasion； Miss Ophelia found Topsy with her very best scarlet India Canton crape shawl wound round her head for a turban； going on with her rehearsals before the glass in great style；—Miss Ophelia having； with carelessness most unheard…of in her； left the key for once in her drawer。
“Topsy！” she would say； when at the end of all patience； “what does make you act so？”
“Dunno； Missis；—I spects cause I ’s so wicked！”
“I don’t know anything what I shall do with you； Topsy。”
“Law； Missis； you must whip me； my old Missis allers whipped me。 I an’t used to workin’ unless I gets whipped。”
“Why； Topsy； I don’t want to whip you。 You can do well； if you’ve a mind to； what is the reason you won’t？”
“Laws； Missis； I ’s used to whippin’； I spects it’s good for me。”
Miss Ophelia tried the recipe； and Topsy invariably made a terrible commotion； screaming； groaning and imploring； though half an hour afterwards； when roosted on some projection of the balcony； and surrounded by a flock of admiring “young uns；” she would express the utmost contempt of the whole affair。
“Law； Miss Feely whip！—wouldn’t kill a skeeter； her whippins。 Oughter see how old Mas’r made the flesh fly； old Mas’r know’d how！”
Topsy always made great capital of her own sins and enormities； evidently considering them as something peculiarly distinguishing。
“Law； you niggers；” she would say to some of her auditors； “does you know you ’s all sinners？ Well； you is—everybody is。 White folks is sinners too；—Miss Feely says so； but I spects niggers is the biggest ones； but lor！ ye an’t any on ye up to me。 I ’s so awful wicked there can’t nobody do nothin’ with me。 I used to keep old Missis a swarin’ at me half de time。 I spects I ’s the wickedest critter in the world；” and Topsy would cut a summerset； and come up brisk and shining on to a higher perch； and evidently plume herself on the distinction。
Miss Ophelia busied herself very earnestly on Sundays； teaching Topsy the catechism。 Topsy had an uncommon verbal memory； and committed with a fluency that greatly encouraged her instructress。
“What good do you expect it is going to do her？” said St。 Clare。
“Why； it always has done children good。 It’s what children always have to learn； you know；” said Miss Ophelia。
“Understand it or not；” said St。 Clare。
“O； children never understand it at the time； but； after they are grown up； it’ll come to them。”
“Mine hasn’t come to me yet；” said St。 Clare； “though I’ll bear testimony that you put it into me pretty thoroughly when I was a boy。”’
“Ah； you were always good at learning； Augustine。 I used to have great hopes of you；” said Miss Ophelia。
“Well； haven’t you now？” said St。 Clare。
“I wish you were as good as you were when you were a boy； Augustine。”
“So do I； that’s a fact； Cousin；” said St。 Clare。 “Well； go ahead and catechize Topsy； may be you’ll make out something yet。”
Topsy； who had stood like a black statue during this discussion； with hands decently folded； now； at a signal from Miss Ophelia； went on：
“Our first parents； being left to the freedom of their own will； fell from the state wherein they were created。”
Topsy’s eyes twinkled； and she looked inquiringly。
“What is it； Topsy？” said Miss Ophelia。
“Please； Missis； was dat ar state Kintuck？”
“What state； Topsy？”
“Dat state dey fell out of。 I used to hear Mas’r tell how we came down from Kintuck。”
St。 Clare laughed。
“You’ll have to give her a meaning； or she’ll make one；” said he。 “There seems to be a theory of emigration suggested there。”
“O！ Augustine； be still；” said Miss Ophelia； “how can I do anything； if you will be laughing？”
“Well； I won’t disturb the exercises again； on my honor；” and St。 Clare took h