On this occasion they repeated it several times. Captain
Sartell and Bachelor Lot, who had been engaging in a game of checkers in
the little kitchen, left the board as the well-loved strains greeted
their ears, and came in to join the group.
Grandpa had been consigned to the kitchen stove, with a corn-popper. I do
not think that he regretted being removed, somewhat from the more
inspiring scenes which animated the Ark. I was amused to follow, with my
ear, the old gentleman's progress in the successive stages of his
corn-shelling and corn-popping operations with certain contingent
misfortunes, as when he went into the pantry to look for a pan, and
brought down a large quantity of tin-ware clanging about his ears, and
rolling in all directions over the floor, while I immediately inferred
from the tones of his voice that he was enjoying a little unembarrassed
colloquy with the powers of darkness. Once, in his shuffling
peregrinations, he tipped over the little bench which sustained the
water-pail. A deep sigh of horror and despair escaped his lips, and was
followed by a "What the Devil!" borne in upon the song-laden air with
unmistakable force and distinctness.
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