San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-05-15
CHAPTER w.

The original part of the village consists
of two rows of buildings forming a narrow
street. The buildings have two flats: the
upper one is approached by a staircase with
thick wooden railing outside the wall ;and
the landings of these Outside stairs" form
the rOStrums of the fish-wivcs from which
they harangue their gOsSipS. Poles iut out
from windows carrying ropes TO form q
triangle, and on these hang men and wO-
mems clothes to dry. On the stairs are
brOad-haunched women g05Sping to others
below, on either side, or across the way
Beneath the stairs are others preparing bait,
mending nets or clothes and also gOSSiping.
At the foot of one Of these stairs is Dick
Baxter. To him approaches big lumpish
man, jauntily. He is dressed in the latest
fashion Of tai,Ordcm. has large signet ring
on the third finger Of his left hand and car
ries slim umbrella in his right, which
makes his own figure the more conspicuous.
He is evidently conscious that such Il dandy
is out of his element in this place. He is
rendered still more conscious of it by the
SalutiOn Of Dick Baxter.
"Weel, JeemS you are grand sight, but
you might haze come sooner, for your mithers
in a great way about YOU"
THANK you, Mister Baxter"
That's as mucEle as TO say that ought
to call you Mister CargiIl," said Dick. pity
ingly. Ma, ma, laddie, Gamma do that. l
hae kent We since you were a BARN running
barefoot here in the Row, and you maun
Just thole me saying Jeems to the end"
Before Dick had finished his observation,
the gentleman had assembled the staircase
and entered the dwelling at the top. There
he was saluted by an eldritch cry
I'VE hae come at last, We deevl's buckle.
What's kept ye? Wait or get up and I'll
learn ye manners. Did / not say that We
was TO be here at twa o'clock and moo it's
four?'
This came from an old woman who was
seated in an old-fashioned armchair. She
wore high white 'mutch," which rendered
her shrivelled features and shrunken eyes
the more marked; and the passion on the
face at this moment made it appear more
haggard than it naturally was.
The lumpish dandy was not at all disturb
ed. His mother, Bell Cargill, had been
paralyzed in her lower limbs for ten years
past; and although she was always expect
ing to recover and making her arrangements
for that event, 1t had not yet come to pass.
She was constantly telling her neighbOrs
what she would do when she got up" and
they kindly humOred her hope, and the hope
sustained her. She had been one Of the
briskeSt and strongest of the fiSh-wives, and
by a singular business tact. had been sue
cessful to degree almost beyond precedent
Although living in this poor dwelling, sur
rounded by her creels and fishng-tackle-it
was her humOr TO have all the relics of her
trade about her-she possessed consider
able fortune, the result of her own energy
and industry. Bawbees had grown to shil-
lings in her hands, and shillings TO pounds.
Then, whilst she still carried her creel, she
had started a small fishshop in the High
Street. Edinburgh, and out of that had
grown two large fishmongery establish
ments, one at the West End, and the other
in the main thoroughfare leading to New
ington. She had been careful in the selec-
ton Of her managers, and she had prosper
ed.
She had once said-but she never repeat
ed it-that the only mistake she ever made
was in getting married; and the only good
her man had ever done her was in "deeing
sune." But he had left her with a son as
useless as himself.
Notwithstanding all her prosperity, she
chung to the abode in which she had been
brought up, and out Of which she had reap
ed everything. Her son, however, had diff
ferent ideas.
you see, mother, was detained by"
'Can ye not speak your native tongue,
you idiot? What's the use O. putin on
your fine airs wi me%' cried Bell irately.
81 really thought that was speaking my
native tongue as far as knew 1t, mother;
but If there is any other form which will
please you better shall be happy TO adopt
it," he answered, taking chair and seating
himself on 1t carefully, as If I've feared that
1t might break under him.