" He seized the heavy teacup in front of him and
hurled it at his unsuspecting spouse; she gasped, paling slightly, and
dodged. The missile, striking the brick chimney-jamb behind her, crashed
and fell shivering into fragments on the hearth. The saucer followed. Then,
Tobe's spirits rising, plate after plate hurtled across the table; the air
fairly bristled with flying crockery. Mrs. Cullum, after the first shock of
surprise, continued calmly to eat her supper, moving her head from right to
left or ducking to avoid an unusually well-aimed projectile.
Little Sis scrambled down from her high chair at the first hint of
hostilities, and dived, screaming, under the table; the others remained in
their places, half paralyzed with terror.
In less time than it takes to tell it, Mr. Cullum, reaching out his long
arms, had cleared half the board of its stone and glass ware. Finally he
laid a savage hand upon a small, old-fashioned blue pitcher left standing
alone in a wide waste of table-cloth.
At this Sissy surrendered unconditionally. "Oh, Tobe, fer Gawd's sake!" she
cried, throwing out her hands and quivering from head to foot.
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