Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-09-27
CHAPTER II.
In THE WOOD.

by old timber building was occupied
by "p. Houston, Joiner and Glazicr,"
and entered the workshop. 1t was a
sultry afternoon toward the end of
August, and within there was neither
movement nor sound save among the
files that lowered and buzzed against
the dirty small paned windows.
"Shope" cried Mrs. Wallace, picking
up hammer from the nearest bench
and humping violently.
Old Angus rose slowly from the bags
Of sawdust whereon he had been doz-
ing, blackened clay pipe between his
teeth, and came leisurely across the
floor, peering drowsily at the visitor.
cav, it's yerser," he muttered atlast,
recognizing Mrs. Wallace.
AYE, it's maser. Ye're busy the
day, shairly~ she returned, with a sar-
castle smile
"Mphm! l was that busy l forgot
to lock the door," he retorted good
humoredly.
Are We no. feart to gang to sleep wi
yer pipe in yer mooth amang a. thae
sticks an shavin's" she asked Sc
verely.
MA pipes toom, as We can see, mis-
tress If there was onythin in it, We
wadna catch me nappin'."
But whit wey dae We keep an empty
pipe in yer mooth, man?'
"For comp'ny-jist for comp'ny. But
It's no. vera entertainin' comp'ny, an
whites forget 1t. Was We wantin'
onythin' the day, mistress?"
II wis wantin yer MASTER"
Hes no in the noo."
II can see that fur masel'."
"Weel, We can believe ma word a the
better"
Mrs. Wallace gave an impatient sniff.
"When II he be in?"
HE didna say"
'Wull he be i'll the day."
"He MIGHT. an he MIGHT no.. Was
We wantin' him parteeclar-lille?"
aye"
"That's great peety."
'Tits, man! When wis he in last?
"Afore dinner"
"An' whaur did he gang then?"
"Hame to his dinner. / dinna ken
what he was to get to his dinner,
though"
II wsno spierin'."
Il thocht wud save We the trouble"
Mrs. Wallace shifted again. we're
gettin' vera polite in yer aud age, An
gus" she remarked acidly.
AYE, aye" lie returned, blinking
cheerfully. "a mans never over aud
to learn. It's maybe different WI a
wumman," lie added refectively, with
an absentminded pull at his cold pipe
Mrs. Wallace was too well accustom-
ed to such sparring matches with old
Angus to be deeply offended by his last
observation. Man, it's u peety We
never got mairrit," she remarked teas
1ngly.
"Ye're mo- the first to say that,
MISTRESS" lie returned, with an irritat-
ing grin.
well, Pm likely to be the lastr snap
per Mrs. Wallace. AN I'll bid ye guild
day, We impiddent auld mani! And she
turned to the door, her beaded mantle,
which she Wore out of doors, summer
and winter, shaking, half with wrath
and half with amusement.
"Oh, We better bide vice." he said
more genially. whats yer hulry?'
II dinna want to keep ye aft yer
work." she retorted, facing round and
glancing meaningly at the bags of saw
dust. "Wull David Houston be in the
slope the morns mornin':"
81 wudna saw he'll no."
but wull he no be in the shope fur
certain?" the old woman demanded
impatiently.
AYE, dadr say he'll be here"
"Are We mo- shair:"
aye, Pm shair."
Mercy mel" she cried "NNhit wey
did We no say that at the beginnin',
MANI"
"Och, didna ken We was in hurry.
Haze we n job for himi"
"'Decd, aye. Ma coal collar doors
a-wantin' new lock. I'm shair tcll't
Jess to tell him about it mair nor a
month syne."
AYE. l mind him speakin' ABBOTT it.
1t was on the sclate, but maybe it got
rubbit DOT. Alphm" muttered Angus.
taking down IL cracked school slate
from the wall. 1T maun haze got rub
bit DOT when he was writin' doom itler
orders. Ye can see fur yersel' it's no
there"
Mrs. Wallace examined the slate,
upon which there were several jottings
"Weel, We can pit 1t doom noo,' she
said curbinr hpr tpmner
"I'll dae that, mistress" he returned
pleasantly. He drew the wristband Of
his flannel shirt over his fist. and in n
twinkling the slate was clean.
my! we've done it moo" she ex-
claimed.
Whats ado!"
we've rubbit DOT a the orders that
wis on the sclate!'
Angus stared ruefully at his handi-
work. "Sirs, the day! l maun be get
tin audi" he s;rid dismally at last.
~ hope the maister IL mind what wis
on the sclatc.''
Mrs. Wallace refrained from making
an unliind remark. After all, she
argued to herself. David ought to at
tend to his business personally, and he
was the one to blame
What did We say We wantit, mis-
tress," asked Angus in II Lumblcd
voice-"a door for yer coal cclIar:"
ma, ma. list IL lock fur the door o.
the cellar"
"Jist that. Maybe We wud write it
doom ycrscl', mistress" lie said, hand
ing her the Slate and pencil, us lie al
ways did to customers utter Offering to
take down their order.
Mrs. Wallace took the pencil and
flung back the right wing Of her mantle
"Whit'll l pit DOOM" she asked, laying
the slate on the bench and bending
oyer 1t.
Jaw, jist write Lock Wallace He'll
ken what that means"
Man, l WINNER at We keepn' sic IL
bad pencil" she remarked as She
scrawled SlaDoriously TO the accomplni-
ment Of n hideous screechng. Its
near as bad as playin' the fiddle. Wccl,
see an no rub this DOT. Angus" She