He died early--all my aunties' husbands died early--and is buried
in the vault out here behind the pound, where you can go in and see him
in his shroud, lying by Aunt Betty. Her next husband, John Gillis, left
her, and then she lived with William Russell, a negro-trader. Aunt Patty
governed all her sisters and the Johnson boys, too. Oh, how I fear her
when she looks at me sometimes with her bold, black eyes: I can't help
it."
Another voice, not a woman's, yet almost as gentle, now seemed to ask a
question; but the cat-bird, behaving like a detective and a tale-bearer,
made such a furious screaming at seeing a stranger drinking the milk,
that Phoebus could not hear it well. The pleasant female voice spoke
again:
"Yes, he was killed in the room under this, before I was born, Aunt
Patty says; and sometimes she likes to tell such dark and bloody tales,
and laughs with joy to see me frightened at them. Aunt Betty got in
debt, and this house and farm were sold under executions and bought by a
Maryland man, who stole an opportunity when the men were away, and set
his goods in the house and set Aunt Betty's goods outside upon the lawn.
It's only a mile, or a little more, from here to Ebenezer Johnson's, and
the news of the seizure was sent there."
Jimmy tore off a piece of chicken with his teeth, listening voraciously.
"Did you hear anything?" continued the voice; "I thought I did.
Pages:
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360