The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-08-05
about dress. She sews well, but Phoebe

about dress. She sews well, but Phoebe
does all the planning.
Maria Woods continued to sob like a
child. holding her little soaked hand
kerchief over her face. Her shoulders
could not weep.
"Oh," she gasped out finally, 81 knew
| knewl / told Phoebe---I knew just
how il would be; I---knewp
reused myself at that. "What do you
mean?" said j.
"When Phoebe ca me home Tuesday
night and said she heard your father and
Rufus Bennett having words, ! knew
how il would be, she choked out. 81
knew he had a dreadful temper.
"Did Phoebe Dole know Tuesday night
that father and Rufus Bennett had
words?" said L.
"Yes," said Maria Woods
Chow did she knowY'
"She was going through your yard,
the short cut to Mrs. Ormsby's, TO carry
her brown alpaca dress home. She came
right home anc told me; and she over
heard them. "
"Have you spoken OF it to anybody
but me?" said |.
Maria said she didn't know; she might
have done so. Then she remembered hear
ing Phoebe herself speak OF it to Harriet
Sargent when she came III TO try on her
dress. 1t was easy TO see how people knew
about il.
i did not say any more, but thought it
was strange that Phoebe Dole had asked
me il father had had words with any body
when she knew IL all the time
Phoebe. came in before long. tried on
my dress, and she made her plan abo ut
the alterations and the trimming. i
made no suggestions. i did not care how
1t was done, but IL / had cared 1t would
have made no difference. Phoebe always
does things her own way. All the women
in the village are in a manner under Phoe-
be Dole's thumb. Their garments are
visible proof of her force Of will.
While she was taking up my black silk
on the shoulder seams, Phoebe
Dole said: "Let me see-you had green
silk dress made at Digby three summers
ago, didn't youe"
eyes - | said.
"Well," said,she, "why don't you have
IL dyed black? Those thin silks dye real
nice. 1t would make yon a good dress. T"
/ scarcely replied, and then she offered to
dye ii for me herself. She had recipe
which she had used with great success
I thought it very kind OF her, but did
not say whether / would accept lher offer
or not. / could not fix my mind upon
anything but the awful trouble was in.
"Ill come over and get 1t tomorrow
morning." said Phoebe.
thanked her. Thought of the stains,
and then my mind seemed to wander
away again to the one object.
All the time Maria Woods sat weeping.
Finally Phoebe turned to her with i'm
patience. "If you can't keep calmer,
you'd better go 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"
"I've got reason, too, - Maria broke out; /;
then, with a piteous shrek, "Oh, I've
got-reason!'
"Maria Woods, go out OF the rooml'
said Phoebe. Her sharpness made me
Jump, half dazed as i was. Maria got
up without word and went out OF the
room, bending almost double with con-
vulsive sobs.
"She's been dreadful worked up over
your fatherns death" I" said Phoebe calmly,
going on with the fitting. "She's ter
ribly nervous Sometimes j have to be
real sharp with her, for her own good. T"
/ nodded. Maria Woods has always
been considered a sweet, weakly, depen-
dent woman, and Phoebe Dole is un-
doubtedly very fond of her. She has
seemed to shield her and take care of her
nearly all her life. The two have lived
together since they were young girls.
Phoebe Is tall and very pale and thin;
but she never has a day g illness. She
is plain, vet there Is a kind of severe
goodness and faithfulness about her
colorless face, with the smooth bands of
white hair over her ears
i went home as soon as my dress was
fitted. That evening Henry Ellis came
over TO see me. / do not need TO go into
details concerning that visit. 1t is enough