1021
"her brother
a bright plaid shirt.

1022
"The parents
were more sedately¹ attired²,

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 swollen³ cocoon⁴

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

1028
"And the cotton,

1029
"because it had been sprayed
with a glossy⁵ 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 ablaze⁶.

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?