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278 UNCLE TOM'S CABIN; OR |
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CHAPTER XIX.
miss Ophelia's experiences and opinions, continued.
" Tom, you need n't get me the horses. I don't want to go," she said.
"Why not, Miss Eva?"
"These things sink into my heart, Tom," said Eva,— " they sink into my heart," she repeated, earnestly. " I don't want to go; " and she turned from Tom, and went into the house.
A few days after, another woman came in old Prue's place, to bring the rusks; Miss Ophelia was in the kitchen.
" Lor ! " said Dinah, " what 's got Prue ?"
" Prue is n't coming any more," said the woman, mysteriously.
" Why not ? " said Dinah. " She an't dead, is she ? "
" We does n't exactly know. She ;s down cellar," said the woman, glancing at Miss Ophelia.
After Miss Ophelia had taken the rusks, Dinah followed the woman to the door.
" What has got Prue, anyhow ? " she said.
The woman seemed desirous, yet reluctant, to speak, and answered, in a low, mysterious tone, —
" Well, you must n?t tell nobody. Prue, she got drunk agin, — and they had her down cellar, — and thar they left her all day, — and I hearn 'em saying that the flies had got to her, — and she 's dead ! "
Dinah held up her hands, and, turning, saw close by her side the spirit-like form of Evangeline, her large, mystic eyes dilated with horror, and every drop of blood driven from her lips and cheeks. |
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