Pete's wife! And where was she now? And _that_ was the secret of
the unvarying grave shadow that Pete's brow always wore. And
now that I had quitted Magnolia, no human friend for the
present remained to all that crowd of poor and ignorant and
needy humanity. Even their comfort of prayer forbidden;
except such comfort as each believer might take by himself
alone.
I did not know, I never did know till long after, how to many
at Magnolia that prohibition wrought no harm. I think Margaret
knew, and even then did not dare tell me. How the meetings for
prayer were not stopped. How watch was kept on certain nights,
till all stir had ceased in the little community; till lights
were out in the overseer's house (and at the great house,
while we were there); and how then, silently and softly from
their several cabins, the people stole away through the woods,
to a little hill beyond the cemetery, quite far out of hearing
or ken of anybody; and there prayed, and sang too, and
"praised God and shouted," as my informant told me; not
neglecting all the while to keep a picket watch about their
meeting place, to give the alarm in case anybody should come.
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