In their rapt attention there
was no tinge of envy, for such things were too far above their reach
to be once thought of in connection with themselves. It was upon the
fit of Desire's dresses, however, that Miss Mercy, with the instinct
of the artist, grew most impassioned.
"'Tain't no credit to me a fittin her," she would sometimes protest.
"Thar's some figgers you can't fetch cloth tew, nohow. But, deary me,
lands sakes alive, the cloth seems tew love her, it clings to her so
nateral. An tain't no wonder ef it doos. I never see sech a figger.
Why her----." But Miss Mercy's audiences at such times were
exclusively composed of ladies. She had no inflamable masculine
imaginations to consider.
It was a very noticeable circumstance on the present Sunday, that all
the persons in the meeting-house who looked at Desire as she walked up
the aisle, proceeded immediately afterwards to screw around their
necks and stare at Perez, thereby betraying that the sight of the one
had immediately suggested the other to their minds.
The Edwards seat was the second in dignity in the meeting-house, being
the one on the left of the pulpit, and ranking with that of the
Sedgwicks, although as between the several leading pews the
distinction was not considered so decided as to be odious.
Pages:
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222