In what paragraph? I guess you are missing some details. Please, double check your question, so we could try to answer it.
By using the words such as "cold", "shrill", and "howling", this gives the impression that the house is unhospitable and unwelcoming, as the words cold, shrill, and howling are not words commonly associated with pleaseant experiences. It also sets the tone of the "Story" (I have no idea where this came from), giving it a foreboding mood.
Answer:
The plot of the story is driven by the rivalry between Ichabod Crane, the protagonist of the story,