The record-union., 1895-12-07

=
'thou'rt allus sp'ilin' everythingl Out
wi thee to kitchen, an set taters on to
boil
He shambled out and the two women
continued to discuss the projected alli-
ance, Margaret finally consenting to
become, in due time, the second Mrs.
Atty.
It'll be wonderful coomfort to my
mind, Margaret observed the present
possessor of that title II know yore
jest sich q wan for scrubbin' an clean
ing as myself. 'Yo'Il keep steel bar on
my fender bright, an wash the chany
careful; an theer's a two-three silver
spoons i tn cupboard, but l never use
them, yo' known"
Margaret nodded.
81 reckon I'll have a look round afore
1 CO. she said. Con / do anything for
yo', Betty?"
Nay, thank yo; have a drink here.
Barleywater and milk, yo' see. [ dun
not care for mich else. But stop an
have a bit o. dinner yourself Theer's
a nice bit o. cowd pork an taters 'ull
be ready afore aught's long"
well, l could do wi bit," replied
Margaret
great snuffiing and scratching at
the bedroom door interrupted her, and
she laughed
why, here's poor Laddiel Eh,
weren't it clever O. tn craitur to follow
me here? It's wonderful, the sense
he hast
She opened the door as she spoke, and
the collie rushed in, bouncing up
against Betty's bed with his forepaws,
and making muddy tracks on her
sheets She pushed him feebly away,
with little scream, at once angry
and terrified.
my word. Margaret, whatever are yo'
hi in on NJ do q I
him, lettin' the brute in here! TIL mon
hasn't a bit o. sensei Eh, Margaret,
turn it out, dot"
He'll moan hurt yo'," said Miss Hep
tonstall; ''he' the goodnaturedest beast
alive, an that KNOWN yo'd think he'd
talk sometimes. I'm fond of all wick
things, but he's my favorite. Ah when
him and mes sat aside o tn fire, I'd ak
no better company. An he sleeps under
my bed o. meets, as quiet as a Christian
Under tn bed" exclaimed Betty,
deeply scandalized-"under tn bed
Did onybody ever hear O sich a tale?
My word, Marg'r ret, yoll ha' to give over
that max o wark if yo' reckon to COON
here! I'll moan ha' dogs an Sich like
&c omin' into my 'ouse messin' about wi
their muddy paws and knockin' over
thing wi their great tails! l never did
how'd wi EN-, an I'm moan goin to
have 'em about when I'm gone"
Margaret was either too goodtem-
pered or too obtuse to make the obvious
retort that when she was installed as
Toms missus, Betty would no longer be
in a position to object to any novelty
she might wish to introduce. She
shifted little instead of replying, and
stalked into the kitchen, leaving the
door ajar.
Betty lay back painting; the recent
discussion had exhausted her, and her
a r1C, al Inn
than she could bear. With dilated nos
t-ils and parted lips she listened to the
movements and conversation of the pair
in the kitchen.
Dun yo' allus ha' taters boiled i
their jackets?" she heard Margaret say.
II like 'em better peeled an steamed
myself"
full, rejoined Tom
Not bit, if it's done careful An
they re a deal tastier. Boiled an steamed
yo' know, an then Drowned a bit l. tn
oo'n, eh, they're wonderful good"
Very like they are agreed Tom, and
Betty felt unreasonably angry.
Here the pork" went on Margaret
II m! time to eat it; it's gettin' moldy"
Twas nobbut cooked day afore yes
terday," cried Betty, but so feebly that
no one heard her.
Margaret clattered about, peering into
dishes and opening drawers. Betty
writhed asshe pictured the cold eyes pry-
ing into her treasures, the calculating
fingers touching them.
Hoo might ha' waited till I were
dead she said to herself
Here's good few apples" Margaret
| observed presently They'll COON in
| nice fur sauce WI that dry bit O. pork
I'll make it in minute. seei,,'
Nay, they apples is fur turnovers at
! Ioa
Atty when beef's done, an we're put
to fur bit, it makes a change wi
mouthful or two o cheese. We never ha'
sauce wi'out at Michaelmas and Christ
| mas when wen a goose
We'll ] think coWd porks poor mate
fur onybody. I'll max yo' bit O sauce
| in a two-three minutes; yo'l fancy
your dinner deal more"
| Tom made no further protest. I'm
| principled Tom, was this the way he re-
paid Betty for all her long anxious
years OF thrift and saving?
As for Margaret, she was an extrav-
agant hussy, a good-fur- -nought, wi
her wasteful wheedlin ways Ger
| tainly if Betty had known what she
was she would never have selected her
as mate for her CATER. But, indeed,
! the CATER was just as bad. If he had
| had the spirit of a mouse, he'd have
| stood up for Betty. and maintained that
! her ways were the best: and instead of
that he would gobble up his sauce, for
sure, and show that he enjoyed it,
Betty felt more and more wrathful
against Tom; oddly enough, even more
than against Margaret.
| well, alls ready now observed
Margaret, after a short interval
Pull up then returned her host.
! Help yo'rself, Miss Heptonstall."
"Ah, they were getting on very nicely,
10, nd 1cybf tn 10 6XiT1
woman in the next roomi Well, well,
she'd soon be out o. their road now, but
she did think Tom would have shown
more feelin.''
"Yo'r table-cloth's pretty well worn
out" observed the visitor presently;
.'theer's more darns than stuff. Is this
yo'r Bettys mendin'?"
"Ah,' said Tom.
81 allus use finer thread myself, but
| I've a beautiful lot O new table-clothS.
Wan on 'em 'ud be nice fur the funeral"
NAY" put in Betty from the inner
room, I'll not ha' nought but my own
stuff"
''Wasto callin', ovid wench?Y asked
Tom mildly, but Betty had pulled the
sheet over her face and did not respond.
| She sobbed little while she hid her
! face thus.
1t was some time before she made up
her mind to emerge and when she did
so, strange sounds met her ear The
| couple in the next room were having
words, and Toms voice was uplifted
| Indignantly.
Its our missuss cheer, I tell yo'. I'll
moan ha' the dog set in our missuss
cheer.
Goodness gracious Wan cheers no
! better than another. Laddie allus sets
| i tn armchair at our place. He'll moan
hurt it, an thy missus'll never need it
no more"
| "Well, if hoo doesn't set in it, nobry
else shall set int" shouted Tom.