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Page 55
THE LOST GHOST
Mrs. John Emerson, sitting with her needlework beside the window,
looked out and saw Mrs. Rhoda Meserve coming down the street, and
knew at once by the trend of her steps and the cant of her head
that she meditated turning in at her gate. She also knew by a
certain something about her general carriage--a thrusting forward
of the neck, a bustling hitch of the shoulders--that she had
important news. Rhoda Meserve always had the news as soon as the
news was in being, and generally Mrs. John Emerson was the first to
whom she imparted it. The two women had been friends ever since
Mrs. Meserve had married Simon Meserve and come to the village to
live.
Mrs. Meserve was a pretty woman, moving with graceful flirts of
ruffling skirts; her clear-cut, nervous face, as delicately tinted
as a shell, looked brightly from the plumy brim of a black hat at
Mrs. Emerson in the window. Mrs. Emerson was glad to see her
coming. She returned the greeting with enthusiasm, then rose
hurriedly, ran into the cold parlour and brought out one of the
best rocking-chairs. She was just in time, after drawing it up
beside the opposite window, to greet her friend at the door.
"Good-afternoon," said she. "I declare, I'm real glad to see you.
I've been alone all day. John went to the city this morning. I
thought of coming over to your house this afternoon, but I couldn't
bring my sewing very well. I am putting the ruffles on my new
black dress skirt."
"Well, I didn't have a thing on hand except my crochet work,"
responded Mrs. Meserve, "and I thought I'd just run over a few
minutes."
"I'm real glad you did," repeated Mrs. Emerson. "Take your things
right off. Here, I'll put them on my bed in the bedroom. Take the
rocking-chair."
Mrs. Meserve settled herself in the parlour rocking-chair, while
Mrs. Emerson carried her shawl and hat into the little adjoining
bedroom. When she returned Mrs. Meserve was rocking peacefully and
was already at work hooking blue wool in and out.
"That's real pretty," said Mrs. Emerson.
"Yes, I think it's pretty," replied Mrs. Meserve.
"I suppose it's for the church fair?"
"Yes. I don't suppose it'll bring enough to pay for the worsted,
let alone the work, but I suppose I've got to make something."
"How much did that one you made for the fair last year bring?"
"Twenty-five cents."
"It's wicked, ain't it?"
"I rather guess it is. It takes me a week every minute I can get
to make one. I wish those that bought such things for twenty-five
cents had to make them. Guess they'd sing another song. Well, I
suppose I oughtn't to complain as long as it is for the Lord, but
sometimes it does seem as if the Lord didn't get much out of it."
"Well, it's pretty work," said Mrs. Emerson, sitting down at the
opposite window and taking up her dress skirt.
"Yes, it is real pretty work. I just LOVE to crochet."
The two women rocked and sewed and crocheted in silence for two or
three minutes. They were both waiting. Mrs. Meserve waited for
the other's curiosity to develop in order that her news might have,
as it were, a befitting stage entrance. Mrs. Emerson waited for
the news. Finally she could wait no longer.
"Well, what's the news?" said she.
"Well, I don't know as there's anything very particular," hedged
the other woman, prolonging the situation.
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