Tempest and Sunshine

"You ought to have seen her," said he, "that night when every thing was

t'other side up; folks a yellin' like they was crazy, and one man was

stark mad. Miss Julia lay on the floor, the blood pourin' out of her eyes

and mouth by pails full; Miss Florence, she fainted, and they had to throw

her out the window, glass and all, because there was so many low,

ill-mannered niggers crowded in the hall."

"I s'pose you's one of the niggers?" said Aunt Dilsey.

"Why, yes," returned Rondeau; "but then I was helpin' and was tryin' to

push them all back so I could get to marster, who was feelin' so bad that

they sent for me, because nobody else could comfort him."

Here Rondeau began to fumble in his pocket, as if in search of something.

Having found it, he continued, "Marster got hold of her hand and grabbed

off her wedding ring so quick that it broke her finger. Then he threw it

from him and I picked it up. Here 'tis," said he, holding up a ring.

"That's a likely story," interrupted Aunt Dilsey "If they wasn't married,

how came the ring on her finger?"

Rondeau saw he had stretched a trifle too much, but he answered, "Well,

anyhow, he throwed it away, and I'm goin' to keep it till--till, you know

when, Dilsey."

"Keep it till you're gray," said Aunt Dilsey. "Leffie ain't goin' to be

married with no such flummery."

Here Leffie, anxious to change the conversation, asked, "What of Miss

Fanny?"

"Why, yes," answered Rondeau, "that's what I'm going to tell. Right in the

middle of the fuss I heard something moving softly down the stairs, and I

saw a thing all as white as snow. Her hair, which was about the color of

Leffie's neck--real handsome--was hanging in long curls down her back. I

thought it was an angel, and kinder touched her as she passed, to see if

she had wings. But the niggers said, 'It's Miss Fanny,' and next I heard

'twas all as still in the room, and marster was huggin' and kissin' her

and cryin' over her. Then, when I tried to get nearer and see more, they

crowded me into such a little spot that I didn't breathe again for a

week."

"Why didn't you get out of the crowd then?" asked Dilsey.

"How could I?" answered Rondeau. "Lord, Dilsey, I'd like to have seen you

there; but then there wouldn't have been room for anybody else, for the

hall wouldn't more than hold you."