This etext was produced by Julie A. Irizarry.
email at jairizarry(at)adelphia.net
Miss Gibbie Gault
by Kate Langley Bosher
Author of "Mary Cary," etc.
With Frontispiece
By Harriet Roosevelt Richards
To My Husband
Contents
Chap.
I. The Guild of Gossips
II. The Views of Miss Gibbie
III. Apple-Blossom Land
IV. The Council Chamber
V. In Which Mary Cary Speaks
VI. Midnight
VII. Peggy
VIII. Peggy's Party
IX. John Maxwell and Mary Cary
X. The Forgotten Engagement
XI. A Day of Entertainment
XII. The Bargain
XIII. A Grateful Convalescent
XIV. A Morning Talk
XV. Buzzie
XVI. Men and Husbands
XVII. In Which Mary Cary is Puzzled
XVIII. Pictures in the Fire
XIX. The Testimony Party
XX. A Sudden Change
XXI. The Release
XXII. The News
XXIII. The Guild Again
XXIV. The Piece of Paper
XXV. The Conclusion of a Matter
XXVI. The Surrender
XXVII. A Tie That Binds
The Needlework Guild, which met every Thursday at eleven o'clock, onthis particular Thursday was meeting with Mrs. Tate. It was the lastmeeting before adjournment for the summer, and though Mrs. Pryor, thepresident, had personally requested a large attendance, the attendancewas small. In consequence, Mrs. Pryor was displeased.
"Mercy, but it's warm in here," said Mrs. Tate, going to a window andopening wide its shutters. "I had no idea it would be as hot as thisto-day, though you can nearly always look for heat in May." Sheslapped her hands together in an attempt to kill a fly that was followingher, then stood a moment at the window looking up and down the street.
"Wish to goodness I could have one of those electric fans like MissGibbie Gault's got," she went on, coming back to her seat and wipingher face with Mrs. Webb's handkerchief, which happened to be closestto her; "but wishing and getting are not on speaking terms in ourhouse. Have any of you seen Miss Gibbie's new hat?"
"I have." Mrs. Moon took up the large braidbound palm-leaf fan lyingon the chair next to her and began to use it in leisurely, rhythmicstrokes. "She has five others exactly like it. She says she would haveordered ten, but when a person has passed the sixty-fifth birthday thechances are against ten being used, and six years ahead are sufficientprovision for hats. Five of them are put away in camphor."
"Imagine ordering hats for years ahead just to save trouble! I'mthankful to have one for immediate use." Mrs. Corbin put down thework on which she had not been sewing and folded her arms. "MissGibbie may be queer, but there's a lot of sense in deciding on acertain style and sticking to it. Fashions come and fashions go, butnever is she bothered. Just think of the peace of mind sacrificed toclothes!"
"Who but Miss Gibbie would wear the same kind year after year, yearafter year?" said Mrs. Pryor, who alone was industriously sewing."But that's Gibbie Gault. From the time she was born she has snappedher fingers at other people, and, if it's possible to do a thingdifferently from the way others do it, she will do it that