Her eyes were large, blue, but wild and unmeaning; her
countenance vacant; and her movements altogether mechanical.
A wooden bowl filled with hominy,--a preparation of Indian
corn,--was at her side; and from this she was now in
the act of feeding herself with a spoon of the same
material, but with a negligence and slovenliness that
betrayed her almost utter unconsciousness of the action.
At the further side of the tent there was another woman,
even more delicate in appearance than the one last
mentioned. She, too, was blue-eyed, and of surpassing
fairness of skin. Her attitude denoted a mind too powerfully
absorbed in grief to be heedful of appearances; for she
sat with her knees drawn up to her chin, and rocking her
body to and fro with an undulating motion that seemed to
have its origin in no effort of volition of her own.
Her long fair hair hung negligently over her shoulders;
and a blanket drawn over the top of her head like a veil,
and extending partly over the person, disclosed here and
there portions of an apparel which was strictly European,
although rent, and exhibiting in various places stains
of blood.
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