Their brandy, which they 'still themselves, sets people on
fire. I will set the table for you."
It was after the table had been set that Jimmy Phoebus slipped in and
devoured the milk and meat, overhearing the continuance of the
conversation just given; and when his awkward motions had disturbed
these new young friends, Hulda fainted on the stairs before the
apparition Levin did not see, and he snatched the kiss that was like
plucking a pale-red blossom from some dragon's garden.
That night two horses without saddles came to bring them both to
Johnson's Cross-roads, and Levin awoke at Patty Cannon's old residence
on the neighboring farm.
He looked out of the small window in the low roof Upon a little garden,
where a short, stout, powerfully made woman, barefooted, was taking up
some flowers from their beds to put them into boxes of earth.
"Yer, Huldy," exclaimed this woman, "sot 'em all under the glass kivers,
honey, so grandmother will have some flowers for her hat next winter.
They wouldn't know ole Patty down at Cannon's Ferry ef she didn't come
with flowers in her hat."
A mischievous blue-jay was in a large cherry-tree, apparently
domesticated there, and he occupied himself mimicking over the woman's
head the alternate cries of a little bird in terror and a hawk's scream
of victory.
"Shet up, you thief!" spoke the woman, looking up. "Them blue-jays, gal,
the niggers is afeard of, and kills 'em, as Ole Nick's eavesdroppers and
tale-carriers.
Pages:
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396