The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-05
Copyright lSeS BY Irving Bachellsr).

help me, relieving me altogether OF ali
those last offices-in this case much
sadder than usual.
An inquest was held, and told freely
all I knew, except about the blood
stains on my dress. hardly knew why
/ kept that back. had no feeling then
that / might have done the deed my
self, and I could not bear to convict
myself. IL was innocent.
Two Of the neighbors, Mrs. Holmes
and Mrs. Adams. remained with me all
that day. Toward evening, when there
into the parlor to put 1t in order for
the funeral, and I sat down alone In
the kitchen. AS I sat there by the
window l thought of my green silk
dress, and wondered II the stains were
out. I went to the closet and brought
the dress out to the light. The spots
and streaks had almost disappeared.
I took the dress out In the shed and
scraped of the flour paste, which was
quite dry; I swept up the paste. burned
it in the stove, took the dress upstairs
to my own closet. and hung 1t in its old
place, Neighbors remained with me all
night.
At 8 o'clock in the afternoon Of the
next day. which was Thursday. / went
over to Phoebe Dole's to see about
black dress to wear to the funeral.
The neighbors had urged me to have
my black silk dress altered little and
trimmed with Grape.
l found only Maria Woods at home.
When she saw me she gave little
scream and began to cry. She looked
as II she had already been weeping for
hours. Her blue eyes were bloodshot.
"Phoebe's gone over to-Mrs. WHIT
news to-try on her Dress" she sobbed.
'I want to get my black SILK dress
fixed q llttle," said I.
"She'll be home-pretty soon,' saiu
Maria.
laid my dress on the sofa and sat
down. Nobody ever consults MARIA
about q Dress She sews well, Dut
Phoebe does all the planning.
Maria Woods continued to sob like
Child, holding her little soaked hand
kerchlef over her face. Her shoulders
heaved. AS for me / felt like a stone;
I could not weep.
"Oh," she gasped out finally. II knew,
I knew! I told Phoebe--I knew just
how 1t would be; I-knew"
reused myself at that. What do
you mean" said I.
"When Phoebe came home Tuesday
night and said she heard your rather
and Rufus Bennett having words. l
;xnew how it would be-" she choked out.
II knew he had a dreadful temper"
Ibid Phoebe Dole know TUESDAY
night that father and Rufus Bennett
had words?" said I.
Yes" said Maria Woods.
How did she know?"
"She was going through your yard,
he short cut to Mrs. Ormsby's. to carry
,er brown alpaca dress home. She
,ame right home and told me; and she
|, overheard them"
Have you spoken of It to anybody
but me? said /.
Maria said she didn't know; she
might have done 50. Then she remem-
bered hearing Phoebe herself speak OF
It to Harriet Sargent when she came
in to try on her dress. 1t was easy to
see how people knew about 1t.
did not say any more, but thought
II was strange that Phoebe Dole had.
asked me II father had had words with
anybody when she knew 1t all the time.
Phoebe came in before long. I tried
on my dress, and she made her plan
about the alterations and the trimming.
I made no suggestions. I did not care
how It was done, but II had cared 1t
would have made no difference Phoebe
always does things her own way. All
the women in this village are In a man.
ner under Phoebe Dole's thumb Their
garments are visible proofs Of her force
Of will.
While she was taking up my black
silk on the shoulder seams, Phoepe
Dole said: LET me see-you had
green silk dress made at Digby three
summers ago. didn't you?"
eyes, I said"
"Well," said she, "why don't you
have 1t dyed black? Those thin silks
dye real nice. 1t would make you a
good dress"
scarcely replied, and then she Of
fered to dye 1t for me herself. She had
recipe which she had used with great
success. thought It very kind Of her.
but did not say whether would accept
her offer or not. / could not fix my
mind upon anything but the awful
trouble was in.
'Tn come over and get It tomorrow
morning" said Phoebe.
I thanked her. I thought Of the
stains, and then my mind seemed to
wander away again to the one object.
All the time Maria Woods sat weep
ing. Finally Phoebe turned to her with
impatience. III you can't keep calm.
er. you'd better 90 upstairs. Maria"
said she. you'll make Sarah sick.
Look at her! she doesn't give way-and
think Of the reason she's got.''
1--WE got reason, too" Maria broke