It was killingly funny to Ralph and me.

And, to speak truly, the old mother's distress about it was merely a pretence.

She quite well understood that by the customs of slaveholding communities it was Steve's right to make love to that girl if he wanted to.

But the girl's distress was very real.

She had a refined nature, and she took all Steve's extravagant love-making in resentful earnest.
We got but little variety in the way of food at that kitchen table, and there wasn't enough of it anyway.