noon
The poverty of the home could best be seen in the display of its pitiful furniture . The two nieces looked on impassively , standing side by side . The men came to move the bureau and other heavy things and looked on , while the lighter things were being handed over by Mrs. Gray and the girls . At noon they sat down in the empty kitchen and ate a cold snack -- at least , the women took seats , the men stood around and lunched on hunks of boiled beef and slices of bread . There was an air of constraint upon the male portion of the party not shared by Mrs. Gray and the girls . `` Well , that settles things in the house , '' beamed the Deacon as he came out with the women trailing behind him ; `` an ' now in about two jerks of a dead lamb 's tail , we 'll git at the things out in the barn . '' `` Wal , we do n't know much about machines and things , but I guess we 'd better go out and keep you men from fightin ' , '' said Mrs. Gray , shaking with fun ; `` Ike did n't come because he did n't want to make any trouble , but I guess he might just as well ` a ' come as send two such critters as Jim 'n' Hank . ''