Mamie in New Song

[Citizen]

Is there some connection between Mamie and someone else in the series? Did she remind him of someone, or was she related to someone? Why was Fr. Tim so interested in where she was educated?

[Kathleen Pratt]

Mamie, if memory serves me correct, was Morris Love's housekeeper and his nanny when he was young--from what she had said, one of his few friends. She spoke as an educated woman, rather than with the island accent and I think Father Tim was curious as to where she'd been educated, as there weren't too private schools in the Deep South for "young women of color," as she so aptly described it. Does that help some? Peace, Kat smile.gif

[Citizen]

Hmmm. Take these couple of lines, for example: "Feeling strangely moved and oddly blessed...", and then the next section talked about the wash on the line being such a welcome sight, a sort of "confirmation". The very next section Fr. Tim looks for Mamie but doesn't see her, and as he turns at the wall "the answer came. It was as if he'd found someone who'd been lost to him for many years".
That's the kind of language I'm talking about that seems to indicate something "between the lines".

[mitfordfan2]

I felt the same way...was it that she reminded him of someone or was it a "kindred spirit" kind of recognition.

[lilymac]

Don't know if this is what was meant, but I think it reminded him of his childhood. We always hung the wash on the line before the age of dryers. It's one of my childhood memories, sheets dried in the sun and the pleasant, fresh smell of them when you went to bed. It is a wonderful memory.

[foggidawn]

I had wondered, after reading later books in the series, if she reminded him of Peggy, from his childhood (although Peggy doesn't speak like an "educated" woman), or possibly his own mother? Just a guess I thought I'd throw out there.

[lilymac]

Think this is an excellent guess.