In time, however, finding all his attempts at
reconciliation with Sissy vain, he became uneasy, and almost as silent as
herself, then morose and irritable, and finally black and thunderous.
"He's that wore upon that nobody dassent to go anigh him," said Mrs.
Pinson, solemnly. "An' no wonder! Fer of all the conniptions that ever
struck the women o' Jim-Ned, _ez wives_, Sissy Cullum's conniptions air the
outbeatenes'."
But human endurance has its limits. Mr. Cullum's reached his at the
supper-table one night about three weeks after the beginning of his
discipline. He had been ploughing all day, and brooding, presumably, over
his tribulations, and there was a techy look in his dark eyes as he seated
himself at the foot of the well-spread table, presided over by Mrs. Cullum,
impassive and dumb as usual. The six girls were ranged on either side.
"Well, ma," began Tobe, with assumed gayety, turning up his plate, "what
for a day have you had?"
Sissy looked through and beyond him with fixed, unresponsive gaze, and said
never a word.
Then, as Mr. Cullum afterward said, "Ole Satan swep' an' garnish_eed_ him
an' tuk possession of him.
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