Mr.Bellmont and Aunt Abby, hearing the noise, rushed in, just in time to see the last of the performance.

Nig jumped up, and rushed from the house, out of sight.
Aunt Abby returned to her apartment, followed by John, who was muttering to himself.
"What were you saying ?" asked Aunt Abby.
"I said I hoped the child never would come into the house again." "What would become of her?
You cannot mean THAT," continued his sister.
"I do mean it.

The child does as much work as a woman ought to; and just see how she is kicked about!" "Why do you have it so, John ?" asked his sister.
"How am I to help it?
Women rule the earth, and all in it." "I think I should rule my own house, John,"-- "And live in hell meantime," added Mr.Bellmont.
John now sauntered out to the barn to await the quieting of the storm.
Aunt Abby had a glimpse of Nig as she passed out of the yard; but to arrest her, or shew her that SHE would shelter her, in Mrs.Bellmont's presence, would only bring reserved wrath on her defenceless head.

Her sister-inlaw had great prejudices against her.

One cause of the alienation was that she did not give her right in the homestead to John, and leave it forever; another was that she was a professor of religion, (so was Mrs.Bellmont;) but Nab, as she called her, did not live according to her profession; another, that she WOULD sometimes give Nig cake and pie, which she was never allowed to have at home.