1021
"her brother
a bright plaid shirt.

1022
"The parents
were more sedately attired,

1023
"Mr. Clutter
in navy-blue flannel,
his wife in navy-blue crepe.

1024
"And it was this especially
that lent the scene
an awful aura,

1025
"the head of each
was completely encased
in cotton.

1026
"A swollen cocoon

1027
"twice the size of
an ordinary blown-up balloon.

1028
"And the cotton,

1029
"because it had been sprayed
with a glossy substance,

1030
"twinkled like
Christmas tree snow.

1031
"One Tuesday at dawn,
a carload of strangers,

1032
"ignorant
of the local disaster,

1033
"were startled
by what they saw
as they crossed the prairies

1034
"and passed through Holcomb.

1035
"Windows ablaze.

1036
"Almost every window
in almost every house,

1037
"and in
the brightly-lit rooms,
fully-clothed people,

1038
"even entire families,

1039
"who had sat
the whole night wide awake
watchful, listening.

1040
"Of what
were they frightened?