The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-09-30

ejaculation having the effect OF 40 Oblurga.
tory attack on the dame herself
" Ay, ay," she cried, " thunp them and
drive them into the shed, Giles, that they
may be ready for the rouPO' our pleuishing
and stocking. The auctioneer's hammer
will knock them down wi mair pith than
that rung ye are using. wi a the spite o
an angry disappointed man. wha couldna
max sale O. bis ain kye."
Her cutting words had still no effect up
on the good nstured farmer, Who continued
bis operations till he got the SIX steers
safely lodged in their she'd. He then came
into the mouse quietly, and, with ''heieh-
no. that jobs weel owre," nat him down
by the side Of the fire, opposite to his wife
and daughter For some minutes there
was silence in the house Of Kelpiehaugh /;
the reason whereof was that Mafty's auth
GRITTY was for once apparently disregarded,
or set at nsugAt, BY the apparent absence
Of all tokens of fear and eontrition on the
part OF her mate. She had already indi-
Gated sufficiently her sense Of bis stupidity,
and. given him ptremptory notice Of what
he might expect for the next half year to
come yet there was be, against all custom.
and all the hws Of martial subordination,
sitting as easy and comfortable a. II he
merited her praise and deserved her blessing.
She could only look da2gers at him, with
occasionally an expression OF staring wonder
at a nonchalance that disproved twenty
years Of authority.
SIS there naething in Kelpiehaugh for
its master to eat or drinkf' said be, at last,
ina calm, soft voice. " A bard days wark
Ees mmethiaa a cen"
Il be adding WI 'Hance to bis folly?"
thought the dame, as sbeyat doggedly "
lent and immoveabIe.
"COme. Mary" added he; since Mat
ty will gle us naething, rise, lsssie, and gle
your father the best that's in the house, and,
by way O. bribe, here's new gown to ye-
the bonniest and brswest could find at
St. Boswell's."
The girl started up and laid bold Of the
dress The bright hues glared on her
eyes. The dame cast q side eye on the
gaudy article.
"Waur and waur, Giles she ejacalat-
ed. Are ye mad, man? What, in the
name o a that's guild or i'll, possessed yef
viii that gown pay our remit p
Maybe it may" rejoined Giles.
I" Mary's the bonniest lass on this side O.
the Tweed, and beauty's nae waur o. be-
ing weel buskit It may bring her hus-
band wha'lI pay our rent and, If it doesna,
there's nae skaith, seeing we may yet be
able to do it oursels-"
"Tbe mans as mad as q March hare.
or gled-stung quey," cried Matty.
/" But am / to get nae supper, Matty p
rejoined be, with the same calmness.
" The dell bit" calculated the dame.
" Maybe this may bribe ye," said be
as be pulled out of another pocket q gown
piece, as bright as the other, for bis beloved
spouse
The charm had no power, save that Of
increasing the wonder OF the dame; and
the statement w6f0ss issasdiatoiy 6ssloneA
that there was a stranger to be entertained
at kelPiehaugh that night, reused her still
farther. 1t was not till she began to look
more narrowly into the face of ber husband,
that she observed dry hunor about him.
that might be anything but the result Of
an unsuccessful attempt to dispose Of his
bestial, and, going up to him, she shook him
heartily by the shoulders.
"Come, come, Giles" she said, there's
a secret at the bottom o q this, and maybe
this may explain it.
And, seizing bis pocket book, she open
ed it, and pulled forth the bunch Of notes.
They we're counted on the instant. and the
eyes of the dame Frightened up at eve, y
addition to the calculation. The farmer
explained all, and, in the course Of bis mar
ration, Matty's wonder waxed great again.
She was not altogether satisfied. She look
ed al the mites, to see that they were not
forged glanced at Giles; fell into a brown
study; looked at Mary hemmed and hey
ed and began to make preparations for
the stranger. In about an hour afterwards,
the old customer arrived, was ushered in to
the fire, and took bis seat, while Giles went
to look to the putting up Of bis horse,
which, be observed, was as clever and clean
imbed a creature as that which carried the
fair ladye" snd ''true Thomas" over the
Eildon Hills. The supper was, in the mean.
time, in the act Of being served up. The
old man coughed and told stories, Mary
listened. and Matty eyed her guest with
peculiar expression, which made him rub
bis beard, cough more and more, and retire
farther into the recess which be had taken
possession Of. Nor wonld the supper draw
bin forth for be said be had supped before
be came, yet bad be no objection to drink
the ale which Matty handed him, and was
as merry as an old man might be, who had
seen so many summers as bis beard betok-
ened. Many thing they talked Of, but
they all concerned the farmer, and bis wife
and daughter for the never a word would
be say Of himself, either as to what be was,
or where be lived-the dry skeleton Of a
name, Mr. Farquharson, being ali he graf
fled them with, while, 10 return, be asked
90 much Of the condition and doiDgs Of bis
host and family, that one might have thought
be intended either to pay their arrears of
rent, or marry the daughter, at the very
least. The supper, Of which be partook
not, being done, be said be wished not to
put them about in their arrangements, and
would be very well pleased to lie in the
small bed behind him, unless that were sat
apart for some other Of the family.
That ye may weel hae, SIR said
Matty on the instant, IF ye hae fancy to
it. A sma' reward for the guild price ye gae
for the cattle Mary can sleep for a Digtt
in the kitchen-for Jenny is at St. Bos-
wells, and Wilma be hame before the
morn"
You will have only one nights trouble
of me" replied the old man but you
may have more Of the cattle-eight at least
and think l will better pay you before
hand, Mr.. Ramsay, that there may be no
mistake when the men com to take them
away"
And be put into the farmers hand three
times the sum be would have demanded for
the kerDipR of the etaera. Tha farmer