' She sot down her candle, and I put the twine on
her hands, and then I begins to wind and wind away ever so slow, and
drops the ball every now and then, so as to keep her downstairs.
'Sam,' says she, 'I do believe you won't wind that 'ere twine off all
night, do give it to January; I won't stay no longer, I'm e'enamost
dead asleep.' 'The old feller's arm is so plaguy onsteady,' says I,
'it won't do; but hark, what's that, I'm sure I heerd something in
the ash saplin', didn't you Sall?' 'I heerd the geese there, that's
all,' says she, 'they always come under the windows at night;' but
she looked scared enough, and says she, 'I vow I'm tired a holdin'
out of my arms this way, and I won't do it no longer;' and down she
throw'd the hank on the floor. 'Well,' says I, 'stop one minute,
dear, till I send old January out to see if anybody is there;
perhaps some o' neighbour Dearborne's cattle have broke into the
sarce garden. January went out, though Sall say'd it was no use, for
she knew the noise of the geese, they always kept close to the house
at night, for fear of the varmin. Presently in runs old Snow, with
his hair standin' up an eend, and the whites of his eyes lookin'
as big as the rims of a soup plate. 'Oh! Gor A'mity,' said he, 'oh
massa, oh Miss Sally, oh!' 'What on airth is the matter with you?'
said Sally; 'how you do frighten me; I vow I believe you'r mad.
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