Night and the storm descended together--such a tempest! such a wild
outbreaking of the elements! rain and hail, and snow and wind, all
warring upon the earth together! The old house shook, the doors and
windows rattled, the timbers cracked, the shingles were torn off and
whirled aloft, the trees were swayed and snapped; and as the storm
increased in violence and roused to fury, the forest beat before its
might, and the waves rose and overflowed the low land.
Still old Jenny went in and out of the house to kitchen and kitchen to
house, carrying wood, water, meat, bread, sauce, sweetmeats, arranging
the table for supper, replenishing the fire, lighting the candles,
letting down the curtains--and trying to make everything cozy and
comfortable for the reassembling of the fireside circle. Poor old Jenny
had passed so much of her life in the family with "the white folks,"
that all her sympathies went with them--and on the state of their
spiritual atmosphere depended all her cheerfulness and comfort; and now
the cool, distant, sorrowful condition of the members of the little
family circle--"ebery single mudder's son and darter ob 'em,
superamblated off to derself like pris'ners in a jailhouse"--as she
said--depressed her spirits very much.
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