Dell and Nancy brought Phoebe home from church to have lunch. They knew that she had a date with Brian in the afternoon. As soon as they got clear of the village, Phoebe asked Dell how he made out with the pouch.
“Phoebe, it was a gold mine. There was nearly six hundred dollars in it. But, Phoebe, you put me in a bandbox. They all wanted to know where the money came from.”
“I sure hope you didn’t tell them.”
Dell said, “Phoebe, don’t crucify me. All I said was if they want any more information about the pouch they would have to ask Phoebe Croiner.”
“Do you know, Dell Sindon, what we should do to you. Nancy and I should take you down to the crick and baptize you. I know that it must’ve put you out, but I thought that maybe somehow that you might’ve got me off the hook. If they ask me how the money got there, I will tell them that I sat at Queen and Yonge Streets with a tin cup. And every time it got full, I dumped it into a five gallon drum I had behind my back.”
Dell said, “Phoebe, I think that there is a little bit of the devil in you. There was a lot of guessing amongst the committee as to where the pouch came from.”
On Tuesday, Phoebe had a call from Ina, Rev. Liddle’s wife, asking Phoebe if she could come Wednesday afternoon and have tea with her and the Reverend. Phoebe was very familiar with both of them. Phoebe told Ina that it was okay with her.
At tea, the Rev. Little told Phoebe that he had a call from Rev. Clarendon of Ashcroft Church. He said that he could not express himself highly enough of how you were received at the church. He said that you were a magnificent addition to the anniversary choir. He said that the wardens of the church and choir members were all agog after you left. He said that what musical authority that was there told Mr. Gilson that you should be in Hollywood.
“Another thing, Phoebe, I had a call from my sister-in-law. She said that she was at a certain club meeting in Toronto. That there was a magnificent soprano singer there. All I could get out of it was that she said that she was only a country girl and that it was her first time to be in Toronto. She didn’t have to tell us that she was a country girl. It showed up in her personality every move she made. I never heard such a beautiful soprano in my life. Just couldn’t get up the nerve to ask her where she was from. I kept thinking of you, Ina. She was tall dark and handsome. She had the figure of a model and she could handle herself in her down east drawl. I told her that it was you. She had no end of praise for you.”
Rev. Little came to discuss the question that he wanted to ask Phoebe.
“Phoebe, the renovation committee tells me that you are so modest that you are not too anxious to give them much information as to the original of this marvelous purse that you presented them with. Phoebe, it was really a godsend as the old saying goes, pennies from heaven. It is going to be very difficult for me to explain the origin of such a generous contribution to the church”
“Well, Mr. Liddle, I don’t want to be an object of gossip, small talk or double talk or maybe obscene jokes by some hare brain. I will tell you, Mr. Liddle, that it is a long long story. Too long to tell you both here and now. I really bear with you than it has to be explained one way or another. Well, you are a well educated person, Mr.liddle. You can say that I brought it home but involve me as briefly as possible.”
“No, Phoebe, you hamstring me. All the congregation are so happy about this donation we got to be so thankful. I’ll bet you, Phoebe, that there are some underground whispers from some committee men’s wives.”
Phoebe turned to Ina. “Ina, I had a vision. I know how we can solve the situation and nobody needs to feel guilty. Say we took last month’s collection and bought twenty Irish Sweepstake tickets and got lucky.”
Phoebe laughed her head off.
Ina said, “You devil!” And hit her with the pamphlet.
Rev. Liddle said, “Phoebe, you haven’t heard it all yet. I got three letters in the mail today. Do you wish that I should read them to you?”
“Well, Mr. Liddle, what have I done now?”
“Well, here is one from a Mrs. Irene Gordon for a record that you cut for her invalid father, a war veteran. There is a check in it for one hundred dollars. She says that this is but a small token of appreciation. She goes on and on about your kind personality. Then there is one from a Randolph Scott Junior with a fifty dollar check for singing for his parents in diamond wedding anniversary. ‘My parents were elated to hear such a marvelous voice.’ And that is only part of the appreciation. Now, Phoebe, this one crowns them all. It came in the name of a large legal company. I think that I’m right when I say they were a large company of lawyers. It is signed, George Sawyer, president.”
“Oh, I must tell you about this one, Ina. This gentleman had a few drinks but not much. He was trying to make his way to the stage to shake my hand. They kept telling him, ‘George, it is against the rules to interrupt the entertainers.’ Discipline there was very strict. I heard him say, ‘All I want to do is shake her hand.’ I heard his plea so when I finish my song, I stepped down from the platform and tapped the big fellow on the shoulder. He was no bully. He was very polite. George took my hand and did he hold it. He said, ‘Come over to our table.’ His wife was a smart looking cookie. She had the Oxford accent. Ina, if you seen the dress and jewelry they were wearing! His wife said. ‘Isn’t your name Phoebe?’ I said yes. ‘Well, we just couldn’t hold Georgie back. You see, George lost a favorite niece in a plane accident five years ago. When he sees you up there singing, when he heard that your name was Phoebe, that brought back memories to him. He said, ‘There is my Phoebe. I must go and shake her hand.’ We were so pleased that you caught his attention. I think, Ina, that the man fell in love with me. He held my hand most of the time. ‘My, I just love to hear you speak in your eastern drawl. You are the spitting image of my Phoebe.’ His eyes moistened. His wife handed him a handkerchief and said, ‘Oh, come on George.’ I shook his hand and said goodbye. George, gave me a little peck on the cheek and was off. I really felt sorry for him.”
Rev. Liddle said, “Are you two women finished? Well, Phoebe, this letter on the company letterhead, signed George Sawyer, president, inside was a check for five hundred dollars. Now, Phoebe, so far you are a diamond in the rough. Because of you, we have about fourteen hundred dollars to add to our building fund which guarantees that our church will be open and ready for the Christmas season and let’s give thanks to God that it is clear of debt. Now, Phoebe, come Saturday night, with concert receipts added to the gross fund, Dell will be announcing some interesting figures before the program is over. During that interval, I will have to present Dell with these cheques as six hundred and fifty dollars more to the fund. I will have to tell the audience the origin of this money. Got any suggestions, Phoebe?”
Phoebe thought for a few seconds and said, “When you come to that part, I can make a beeline for the washroom. Well, Mr. Liddle, if you must explain, I will stand by you come what may.”
“Phoebe, that Hall will be packed from wall-to-wall.”
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