Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-05

She sews well, but Phoebe does all the
planning.
Maria Woods continued to sob like
child, holding her little soaked handker-
chief over her face. Her shoulders heaved.
AS for me, I felt like stone; I could not
weep.
oh" she gasped out finally. 81 knew.
knew! / told Phoebe-I knew just how
1t would be; I-knew!'
reused myself at that. what do you
mean?" said ].
when Phoebe came home Tuesday night
and said she heard your father and Rufus
Bennett having words. knew how it would
be" she choked out. Il knew he had
dreadful temper"
did Phoebe Dole know Tuesday night
that father ard Rufus Bennett had words?"
said I.
yes" said Maria Woods.
"How did she know
"She was going through your yard, the
short cut to Mrs Ormsby's, to carry her
brown alpaca dress home. She came right
home and told me, AND she overheard
them"
Maria said she didn't know; she might
have done So Then she remembered hear
ing Phoebe herself speak OF 1t 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
1t was strange that Phoebe Dole had asked
body when she knew it all the time.
Phoebe came in before long. l tried on
my dress, and she made her plan about
the alterations and the trimmings. 1 made
no suggestions. did not care how it was
dcre. but If I had cared 1t would have
made no difference. Phoebe always does
things her own way. All the women in
this village are in a manner under Phoebe
Doles thumb. Their garments are visible
proofs 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 a green silk dress
made at Digby three summers ago, didn't
your
yes" said.
it dyed black? Those thin silks dye real
nice. 1t would make you a good dress"
I scarcely replied and then she offered
to dye it for me herself. She had recipe
I thought 1t very kind of her, but did not
say whether I would accept her offer or
not. l could not fix my mind upon any
thing but the awful trouble I was in.
TN come over and get 1t tomorrow morn
irg." said Phoebe.
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 weeping.
Finally Phoebe turned to her with impa-
thence. IF you can't keep calmer, you'd
better go upstairs. Maria said she.
you'll make Sarah sick. Look at her! She
she's got
1--WE got reason too" Maria broke out.
Then. with piteous shrek. "Oh. I've got
-reasonp '.-.,
Maria Woods. go out of the room"
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 convulsive sobs.
"She's been dreadful worked up over
your fathers DEATH" said Phoebe calmly.
going on with the fitting "She's terribly
nervous. Sometimes I have to be real
sharp with her, for her own good"
nodded. Maria Woods has always been
considered a sweet, weakly, dependent
woman, and Phoebe Dole is undoubtedly
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 days illness. She is
plain, yet there is kind Of severe good
ness and faithfulness about her eolorless
face, with the smooth bands OF white
hair over her ears.
1 went home as soon as my dress was
fitted. That evening Henry Ellis came
over to see me. I do not need to go into
details concerning that visit. 1t is enough