CHAPTER IX. THE DEATH.

erownaffairs,whenherearwascaughtbythewildandsingularnotesofoneofthosetunescommonlyusedamongtheslavesasdirges.Thewords"Sheardeadandgonetoheaven"seemedtocomefloatingdownuponherand,thoughthevoicewascrackedandstrained,therewasasortofwildnessandpathosinit,whichmadeasingularimpressionintheperfectstillnessofeverythingaroundher.Shesoonobservedasingular-lookingvehicleappearingintheavenue. Thiswagon,whichwasnootherthantheestablishmentofCripps,drewNina'sattention,andshewenttothehedgetolookatit.Tiff'swatchfuleyeimmediatelyfelluponher,and,drivinguptowhereshewasstanding,heclimbedoutupontheground,and,liftinghishat,madeheraprofoundobeisance,and"hopeddeyoungladywasberywell,dismorning." "Yes,quitewell,thankyou,Uncle,"saidNina,regardinghimcuriously. "We'sin'flictiontoourhouse!"saidTiff,solemnly."Dere'sbeenamidnightcrydere,andpoorMissSue(dat'smyyoungmissis),she'sdonegonehome." "Whoisyourmistress?" "Well,hernamewasSeymour'foreshemarried,andhermacomefromdeVirginnyPeytons,—greatfamily,demPeytons!Shewassomisfortunateastogetmarried,asgalswill,sometimes,"saidTiff,speakinginaconfidentialtone."Themanwan'tno'count,andshe'shadadreffulhardwaytotravel,poorthing!anddereshe'salyingatlaststretchedoutdead,andnotawomannornobodytododeleastthingandplease,missis,Tiffcomedfortoseeifdeyoungladywouldn'tsendawomanfortodoforher—gettingherreadyforafuneral." "Andwhoareyou,pray?" "Please,missis,I'sTiffPeyton,Iis.I'sraisedinVirginny,ondegreatPeytonplace,andI'sgintoMissSue'smotherandwhenMissSuemarrieddisyerman,deywasall'fended,andwouldn'tspeaktoherbutItuckupforher,'causewhat'sdeuseofmaki