Part 2, The House Astride the Devil's Backbone, 1861 - Section 3 Summary

Chapter 6 - That summer, boats continue to bring supplies from the South, for both the town and for Delphine. In one of the shipments that comes to her from her mother, Delphine finds the hand mirror for which she has been longing. Tilly becomes fascinated with the mirror, seeing herself for the first time (see "Quotes," p. 62). In another shipment, there is a dress for Mama, offered by Delphine's mother in gratitude for her (Mama) giving Delphine a place to stay. Mama at first refuses it, seeing it as charity, but then changes her mind and tells Tilly to put it into the "death drawer," where all the shrouds and wrapping cloths for burial are kept. Tilly comments in narration that nothing in the death drawer was...