Mamise was full of the story of the disaster to the Clara. She drew Abbie into the living-room away from the children, who were playing in the kitchen because it was full of the savor of the forthcoming supper.
“Abbie dear, have you heard the news?”
Abbie gasped, “Oh God, is anything happened to Jake––killed or arrested or anything?”
“No, no––but Clara––the Clara––”
“Clara who?”
“The ship, the first ship we built, she’s destroyed.”
“For the land’s sake! I want to know! Well, what you know about that!”
Abbie could not rise to very lofty heights of emotion or language over anything impersonal. She made hardly so much noise over this tragedy as a hen does over the delivery of an egg.
Mamise was distressed by her stolidity. She understood with regret why Jake did not find Abbie an ideal inspirational companion. She hated to think well of Jake or ill of her sister, but one cannot help receiving impressions.