[She runs to the door and unlatches it.  Annie and rose Sims come in, shaking the snow from them and unbuttoning their cloaks, which Steve takes from them and hangs on the door.

Act II.—­Scene 2.

Annie. [As Steve takes off her cloak.] ’Tis going to be a dreadful night.  The snow’s coming down something cruel.

Rose.  There won’t be many to the dance if it keeps on like this, will there?

Steve.  Get you to the fire, both of you, and warm yourselves before we sets out again.

Dorry.  Miss Sims, Miss Sims—­Miss Rosie—­I’m going along with you to the dance, Dad says as I may.

Jane.  Bless the child!  However her has worked upon her father, and he so strict, I don’t know.

Annie.  Well, you be got up fine and grand, Dorry—­I shouldn’t hardly know ’twas you. [Turning to Vashti Reed.] Good evening, Mrs. Reed, my eyes was very near blinded when I first got in out of the dark, and I didn’t see as you was there.

Rose.  Good evening, Mrs. Reed, and how be you keeping this cold weather?

Vashti. [Peering into their faces as they stand near her.] What be you a-telling I of?

Annie.  We was saying, how be you in this sharp weather, Mrs. Reed?

Vashti.  How be I?

Rose.  Yes, Mrs. Reed, how be you a-keeping now ’tis come over such nasty weather?

Vashti.  And how should an old woman be, and her one child out in the rain and all the wind, and driv’ there too by them as was laid like snakes in the grass about the feet of she, ready for to overthrow she when her should have gotten to a time of weakness.

Jane.  Take no account of what she do say, girls, but sit you down in the warm and bide till I gets the time to take and look on the clothes which you have upon you. [Moving about and putting tea things on the table.] I be but just a-going to make a cup of tea for th’ old woman, with a drop of summat strong to it as will keep her from using of her tongue so free till morning time.

Annie. [Sitting down.] Poor old woman, ’tis a sad thing when folks do come to such a pass as she.

Rose.  And han’t got their proper sense to them, nor nothing.  But she’s better off nor a poor creature what we saw crouching below the hedge as we was coming across the meadow.  “Why,” I says to Annie, “it must be bad to have no home to bide in such a night as this!” Isn’t that so, Mrs. Browning?

Steve.  Ah, you’re right there, you’re right.

Rose.  I wouldn’t much care to be upon the road to-night, would you,
Steve?

Vashti.  And at that hour when th’ old year be passing out, and dark on all the land, the graves shall open and give up the dead which be in they.  And, standing in the churchyard you may read the face to each, as the corpses do go by.  There’s many a night as I have stood and have looked into they when them did draw near to I, but never the face I did seek.