CHAPTER II
ITS INFLUENCE
With the exception of aptitude which enabled Jeff to catch and fix
a tune in his mind with a fair degree of correctness, his mental
processes were slow. Moreover, whether he should ever have any
trouble with "spooks" or not, one thing was true of him, as of
many others in all stations of life, he was haunted by the ghost
of a conscience. This uneasy spirit suggested to him with annoying
iteration that his proceedings the night before had been of very
unusual and doubtful character. When at last fully awake, he
sought to appease the accusing voice by unwonted diligence in all
his tasks, until the fat cook, a devout Baptist, took more than
one occasion to say, "You'se in a promisin' frame, Jeff. Ef I'se
ony shoah dat yer hole out long anuff ter get 'mersed, I'd hab
hopes on yer, but, law! yer'll be a-fiddlin' de debil's tunes 'fo'
de week is out. I'se afeared dat dere must be an awful prov'dence,
like a battle or harricane, onst a week, ter keep yer ser'ous;"
and the old woman sniffed down at him with ill-concealed disdain
from her superior spiritual height.
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