Uncle Tom and Aunt Chloe lived together in a pretty little cottage built
of wood, quite close to Mr. Shelby's big house.

The little cottage was covered with climbing roses, and the garden was
full of beautiful bright flowers and lovely fruit trees.

Uncle Tom and Aunt Chloe lived happily for many years in their little
cottage, or cabin, as it was called. All day Uncle Tom used to work in
the fields, while Aunt Chloe was busy in the kitchen at Mr. Shelby's
house. When evening came they both went home to their cottage and their
children, and were merry together.

Mr. Shelby was a good man, and kind to his slaves, but he was not very
careful of his money. When he had spent all he had, he did not know what
to do to get more. At last he borrowed money from a man called Haley,
hoping to be able to pay it back again some day.

But that day never came. Haley grew impatient, and said, 'If you don't
pay what you owe me, I will take your house and lands, and sell them to
pay myself back all the money I have lent to you.'

So Mr. Shelby sold everything he could spare and gathered money together
in every way he could think of, but still there was not enough.

Then Haley said, 'Give me that slave of yours called Tom--he is worth a
lot of money.'

But Mr. Shelby knew that Haley was not a nice man. He knew he did not
want Tom for a servant, but only wanted to sell him again, to make more
money. So Mr. Shelby said, 'No, I can't do that. I never mean to sell