"After what?" asked the widow.
"Nothing," replied Eliza Lippincott in an embarrassed fashion.
"I trust Miss Lippincott has too good sense and too great faith to
believe in anything of that sort," said the minister.
"I trust so, too," replied Eliza hurriedly.
"You did see or hear something--now what was it, I want to know?"
said the widow that evening when they were alone in the parlour.
The minister had gone to make a call.
Eliza hesitated.
"What was it?" insisted the widow.
"Well," said Eliza hesitatingly, "if you'll promise not to tell."
"Yes, I promise; what was it?"
"Well, one day last week, just before the school-teacher came, I
went in that room to see if there were any clouds. I wanted to
wear my gray dress, and I was afraid it was going to rain, so I
wanted to look at the sky at all points, so I went in there, and--"
"And what?"
"Well, you know that chintz over the bed, and the valance, and the
easy chair; what pattern should you say it was?"
"Why, peacocks on a blue ground. Good land, I shouldn't think any
one who had ever seen that would forget it."
"Peacocks on a blue ground, you are sure?"
"Of course I am.
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