Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-11-29
81 think you should stop being q
Joiner and be a gardener, Davie."
BE stared at her. speechless

BE stared at her, speechless.
Don't You think SO too?" she COLI
tinued. You could give up the shop,
and them
"Oh, ma dear!'' he sighed, rising in
alarm. II was shair ye wasna weel.
Wull ye no gang to yer bed, an I-I'll
max we nice warm drink? Come,
dearie, ye'rc just worn cot Ye've
been worlsin' over hard, an sudna
haze let We. Come"
Mrs. Houston very nearly broke
down in her little part and narrowly
escaped flinging her arms about her
husbands neck and relapsing into in
coherency. But with strong effort
she recovered and restrained herself.
''I'm all right, and I'm quite serious
about the garden. Sit down again,
Davie, sit down and tell me exactly
what you think"
Unwillingly he resumed his seat, do
ing so after rejecting that 1t might
be wise to humor her.
what do you think?" she asked.
"Aweel, ma dear, wud be pleased
to dae onythin' We want, but We maun
keep mind that wudna get muckle
pey for workin' in the garden" he
said, speaking gently and as pleasantly
as possible. "Ye maun keep mind o.
that. An doot''--with a feeble smile
-"yersel' an the wee yin wudna get
fat on fioo'ers, wud YEP"
"But you could sell your flowers, and
you could grow and sell plenty of other
things as we'll"
1.-The wee garden wudna grow
enough to keep We in saut an sugar"
You could get a bigger garden" she
returned in Il steady voice. "You
could take over Mr.. Davidson's nurs.
cry"
AYE, dearie," he said, smiling to con-
ceal his anguish, 81 could TAX over
the nursery tine-if l had the siller.
But I'll haze to bide wee for that"
Some one else IL get the nursery"
Aye; nae doot somebody wull. But
We'll no. heed ABBOTT that, Jess. Wen
jist gang OH as we are the moo, an
I'll try to gle the garden tidy I'D
some day shin an max it as Draw as
l can for the simmer. Moo, ma dear,
yell gang to yer bed, an ZIP
"Sit still, Davie," said his wife, but
now her voice was beginning to trem-
bic. I'll not move from here till you
promise to be gardener-till you
promise to sell the shop and buy the
nursery. Do You hear that?" There
was no mistaking her earnestness.
"Oh, Jess" he muttered helplessly.
To think that the old temptation of his
secret heart should be set before him
by his wife!
81 believe the Wilkes would buy the
shop If you would give them easy terms
for payment-are you listening, Davie?
and don't think Mr.. Davidson would
be hard to deal WITH" said Jess, her
heart beating violently, her body auiv-
| ering.
Hoo dae We ken a that, JESSE"
IL made inquiries
David drew long breath. So 1t was
really her desire that lie should make
the change.
care you veXed with me for interior
ing?' she inquired nervously.
ma, ma, ma dear. / can aye trust We.
But oh, Jess, we've been thinkin' o. me
afore yersel'. Dye mo- ken the risk
man rims changin' his trade? There's
awhile afore he gets properly settled
in the new trade, an doot wud haze
to pey Davidson mair nor ever l wud
get flae the Wilkes. see what we've
been tryin' to dae for me, ma dear, an
I'll never furget 1t, but the thing Gamma
belt Gamma be-
"Oh, yes. Davie," she said family,
as she slipped her hand within her
blouse. I've been thinking of myself
and Katie as well as you. I've found
out that the nursery would soon bring
us more than we've got; and you've
made your business worth buying, and
with little more money you would be
quite safe to change"
AYE, lass" said David, wrestling
with his self, aye, lass, think MIGHT
maxi somethin' DOT O. the nursery, but
it was you made ma business worth
buyin'. But it Gamma belt Gamma be
yet, onywey. If we had fifty pound
laid by / wudna be sac feart, but
Give me your hand, Davie," she
whispered.
AYE, Jess. Are We for yer bed noo?-
Eth? WHAT'S this?' Something craze
ilcd ever so softly.
Look" hewhispered. "Countthem!"
"Oh, wife! Whaur did this come
frae? Five ten fifteen = twinty :
twinty-fve- a hummer pound!
He sprang to his feet, trembling.
"Whaur did it come frae, JESSE
you made it; you made it! Forgive
me not telling you, Dayie. IL want
ed 10 help little without letting you
know. Don't be angry, lad" She
broke down then, broke down utterly.
81 made it?" stammered David, half
stunned by surprise. 81 made a. this
money!
NEARLY all of it, Davie; nearly all Of
it," she sobbed, as though to excuse
herself. II made IA little of it-just
little. Don't be angry at me for not
telling you"
angry? Ma dear" He dropped OH
Aio hhNSS ~ Viz oltte VI llcI anu
sought to wipe away her tears. "Oh,
Jess, l aye said We was great wum-
man"
"And you're not vexed with me?"
she murmured presently.
"I'm jist NeSed wi masep, JESS" he
said, little sadly, kissing her. MA
wife's that guild to me, l dinna ken
what to say. oh. but I'm gled I'm no
an aud man!'
"I'm glad you're not, Davie," she re-
turned, with tender smile. But
don't be veXed, lad, for you've nothing
to be veXed about You've succeeded,
and l. Oh, / was never $3.50 proud
and happy in all my life! My dear,
good man," she added, as he protested
his selfishness in the past "haud yer
tongue an dinna haver like sweetie-
wife,
Her little speech in the vcrnacular
was meant to make him smile, but
somehow it touched him almost to
tears. and lie bowed his face on her
breast, bereft of uttcrance.