The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-04
OLIVER BEVIS' LINEAGE.
A West Country Sketch.

tonst; ties close on 9 O'Clock, an tidden
nara mo'sel O. good setten up no longer
vor vather.''
! 1t was Dinah Bevis who spoke,
careworn woman, whose patient eyes
| told of trouble bravely borne. she
| looked towards the tall clock in the cor
| ner of the cottage room with a sigh,
| for she was too weary of waiting for
her husband, who had recently been
| elected Parish Counselor, and had gone
to the village meeting that night.
do zee let i bide a bit longer. moth
err" pleaded the boy, who was sleeplly
streached out on the big settle IN
the chimney corner Il mum tel he asi
I've found the nest where thik void
speckle hen ov ourn a laid in ocha d
herge, Wi vive eggs, look ZEE, an maybe
as he'll gle 1 a zilver dreppence."
! "Hark to en-, the. greedy lad! What
cocd'ee do Wi all 'thik money avore
Feair-time be coined agen?" asked the
| elder sister, with a merry, good-tern-
pered laugh Ties more like as he'll
gle thee a clout over ear vor biden up
20 late, when thee mum be off to thy
| bird-minden avore vive i the mornen.
| Tell zee What, Zimon eff thee'H goo to
bed drecllly minnit, TN gle thee my
| figgy cake vor upper am meake ee
yum more come Ze,teTCiay."
| The bride was Itoo attractive to be
resisted, for his imagination of GOOD
things could not go beyond those sweet
dough cakes, with a few raisins, cooked
on a griddle over the open hearth.
''Tlhee wont vorget, Lyddy?" said
the boy as he got up, laZily stretching
/ himself, and slowly made his way to-
wards the steep stairs which opened
straight out of the kitchen.
An 1 knows thee'n be up to Vlve
O'clock, too, lass, a-getten breakup st
v0r he" said the mother with look
of tender pride at the bright-eyed girl,
with her rosy cheeks and glossy brown
hair, who looked SO fresh and pretty
in her pink cotton frock. Hidden fair
O. vather vor to keep we all up 20 late,
an l CANT abide thik there meetens,
no. l caan't; ties all a pack o voolery,
vor they mid talk an talk theysells
hoarse an mar bit o good do come
ont, zimmen to IT,
"Leastways, it doant do vather no
good" remarked Lyddy He do wor11t
an plauge hesell bout no end o things
as idden no odds to We; and look-y-
zee! there be the teaties a'spiliin' n
the crock"
AS she spoke she bent down over the
great black iron pot which hung by a
chain over the fire on the open hearth,
and carefully lifting the cover she put
a fork into one of the mealy potatoes,
which broke apart like a ball of flour
There be a main sight O. wark vor ne
to get done avore Zaterday," continued
the older woman, as she looked up from
her knitting toward a pile of old boots
and tools and bits of leather in the far
corner of the room, only partly hidden
by a screen pasted over with picture
papers.
Her husband, Oliver Bevis, was a
cobbler by trade, and, to judge from
appearances he must either nave
good business or heavy arrears of work.
There be Robin Crane have sent to
ak eff 20 be his boots idden mended; an
Patty Foyle, her zays her CANT wait
moo longer vor they new uns, as vather
have a tookt the span vor to make
She
She was interrupted in her catalogue
of working orders by the sound of
footsteps outside, but before they
| lcdeICd biC NOOi A~S NY 49, 1NAo>-S
to open it.
"why, Tom Yates! who'd thought
to zee thee?" she exclaimed with a
smile and a sudden blush, which belied
her words.
| DO zee come in, lad, an Zit zee down
a bit an have some nice hot teaties'
said kindly Dinah Bevis with her ready
hospitality. us be a-waiten vor Oil
|
nit"
The young man obeyed readily, but
in a somewhat shy awkward manner
shading his eyes with his hand as he
came out of the darkness into the
cheerful freight.
| Il be only jist come back from Chill
lerton," he explained; 'us had to bide
laate vor to make an end ov a bit O.
| Wark-'twur they new benches as
Farmer Collins do want avore t. harves
hoam An I iced t light i the case
ment as l wur a gwine up street, 20
looked in, vor I've a found zommat to
show your good man"
He was speaking to the mother, but
he could not help looking all the time
at the daughter, who only laughed at
his labored speech
| 10 there idden mar another cause
vor zee to come anigh We? La bless
ee, no!' she cried mischievously.
"For sheame, Lyddy!" said Mrs. Be-
Wis. Doant zee tease thik there sweet
heart o yourn. He be alters welcome
| be Tom, an he do know that. Do zee
take care. lass, or maybe as he'll pay
thee out when We be wed this falI,'
But there was no threatening of fu-
ture scores to be wiped off in the glance
of confident affection which passed be-
tween the two young lovers, and their
very silence was more eloquent than
| words. AT this moment the door was
abruptly pushed open and Oliver Re-
vas came IN. He was short snare
man, with piercing black eyes and a
crop or shaggy black hair tinged with
gray, Whlch was tossed back from his
somewhat narrow forehead There was
an eager, hungry look about his face
as OF one who went about the world
seeking grievance, to meet if half
way
La. vather- dearl I do be GLAD to
zee thee to hoam agent" exclaimed his
wife in tones of eager welcome. as she
shook up the cushion of the high
backed chair in the chimney corner.
'Zupper be all ready, an I've a yet zee
a mug o hot ale by the vier vor thee
nun be nigh wore out an hoarse wi
| talken."
Ties true word Dinah. 20 tes an
you be jist about right" he replied as
he sat down with sigh of relief: then.
as he looked round the room. he gave
his future son-in-law a friendly nod
| a hoy