The record-union., 1897-11-21

| Ills Liz ptaSC VI HOIUF. lO UtdkC uA'
for which disparity, it appeared that
Mrs Midgetts (who was discovered at
tea when in literary sense the curtain
rose upon herr was engaged with a
bloater which might have been a con-
nection by marriage of the two for
which Mrs. Wicks and Emily had just
made themselves personally response
| BILE.
III you'll promise TO go on with your
tea, same as though I wasn't ere the
visitor stipulated, ''else I'll so, an come
| back bit later
You won't do no sich thing" per-
emptorily. Sit down now, do, and take
cup a-longer me. I'm sorry there
amt another bloater-'
Don't you mention it, now, Mrs.
Midgetts. don't. Men Em'lys but this
minnit finished; what's more. we 'ad a
bloater same as you're doin'''
Well was the reply, II must say
| enj'ys a little somethink with my
tea. Dinner 1 don't get much time
for, 'cept it's Sundays. And 'ow's you
an Emily bin gettin' on this while?"
Only middling. Emily, she can't
abide Barkers buildings, an she's been
an set 'erself agen the Flinderses next
door. an what with one thing an moth
er, she's always a-grumbling. F'ack is,
If 1T weren't for me an the mangle,
she'd like to go out to service. she
always was genteel from a child, was
Emily, an 'er minds set on them long
tailed caps what they're a-wearing
now.
Well said Mrs. Midgetts, as she
Wrestled with a broken spouted tea
pot for It's last dregs, we're most on
us set on something, come TO that
You'n me, We've got our fads an fan
cies, l shouldn't wonder, only we keeps
| 'em to ourselves more"
'Ah, you're right there. Mrs Mid
gets; you're right there 1 dunno 'ow
/ tbs with you, but if there is one thing
as I'm set on, it's the country. There
amt nothink / wouldn't give, if Ia
got it, to be able to go back to them
parts l come from, as I 'aven't set eyes
ON for nigh eight-an'- twenty year, an
I'll tell you why. There's my brother
Jim's wife-he was a good bit young
er n me, was Jim-down at .Whittle-
bridge, she writes me a letter to say
as old Mrs. Jenner's going to give up
business, going to live a-longer 'er son
NIN't NCfi ~ w. dlI uOil IKE 10 ave
it said as is mother gets er living by
the Wash-tub While he drives is own
greengrocers cart, quite the gentleman.
And a nice little business it is, too,
goodwill and fixters an the lease o.
the cottage all going for twenty pound.
Twenty pound! 1t might S we'll be a
'undred, only there tbs, an more'n one
night I've lay awake thinking on it.
Once / dremp I'd got the money some
'ow, an bought the business, an was
doing wonderful. | don't say nothink
to Emily cos she amt one for the coun-
try-not being born an bred there
and wouldn't understand But there,
you wouldn't believe 'ow the thought
o that nice little business, an the cot
tage, an the goodwill an fixters seems
to reg'l Ter aunt me-
Mrs. Midgetts clicked her tongue in
sympathy.
"Ain't that always the way? If you'd
got the money ready 10 yer and like
may be you wouldn't jest be knowing
what to do with it, an because you
amt 'ere's somethink as would suit
you every way. 1t do seem ard. but
this 'eres a ard world. Bless you, I
know what it's to look forrard to a
thing, an never git it after ALL I've
told you bout Aunt Martha, 'er what
promised to leave me a bit O. money!
Mrs. Wicks nodded, and leaned back
in her chair in a manner that invited
the other to tell the story once again.
Twenty pound it We're, Jest the very
hidentical sum you was speaking of,
an | made that sure of it, got looking
on 1t same as thugh it was my own"
And she never left you nothink af-
ter all?"
"Nothink but the Bible there" point
ing to bulky volume which, together
with tea tray, two wine glasses, and
china poodle composed a trophy that
was much admired by her intimates
Not as I'm one for running down
the Bible, specially one with sich large
print, only-wen, must say I've never
thought the same of Aunt Martha
since"
sAs I'm not surprised at" remarked
Mrs. Wicks, AN that reminds me as
that was the very thing l come about
You said you'd be pleased to lend it
me any time, an as to-morrer's the dis
trick visitors day. 1 thought it'd be
nice for 'er to read a chapter outer.
For you may say what you like, bu,
it's a Bible to do any one credit, I
don't keer who they are
Take it an welcome, Mrs. Wicks. I
don't need to tell you to be careful of
1t, for | know what you are; and as
for that cottage an fixters what's wor-
rying you, [ wouldn't think of it more'n
l could 'eIp"
I WON'T said Mrs. Wicks, rising
and taking the Bible carefully in her
arms like a baby "Any'ow, I'm glad
| found you in. It's wunnerful 'ow a
little chat livens one up"
We'll, look in agen soon,' said Mrs.
Midgetts Hospitality; land as for the
Bible, you can keep it jest as long as
ever you've a mind"
"Well, I'm sure it's uncommon kind
OF you. l spose, now, you made a
p int o looking in it to make sure as
there wasn't nothink i'd away. as I've
card of folks tucking bank books
atween the leaves?''
Mrs. Midgetts shook her head de-
spondently.
No sich luck. Not but what I did
thlnk O that myself, opened it in ever
s'many places, and turned over the
leaves an 'eld it up an shook it till 1
most shook the inside out"
Well, It's ard said Mrs. Wicks. Il
can't say no less
She was more than ordinarily careful
IN descending the stairs, which were
frequently dangerous by reason of stray
shreds of potato pairing or half-gnawed
crusts of bread dropped upon them by
careless fingers. In spite of which she
nearly slipped up on an empty pea-pod
Which lurLpd hD,,t r,,;dx.vav