The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-08-14

"Yes. But Why
Then the grocer drew himself up
with a smile Of 4tisfaetion. "Thenk
ye, ma'am, for tellin me. It's jist as J
suspected Yer cook, puir buddy.
wasna used 20 ma eggs The fresh
ness wud be strange to her. There's
great difference atween an egg laid at
a distance an an egg laid locally. as Il
were. Wul no jist send ye hauf q
dlzzen, ma'amT
Not today. thank YOU" Miss Perk
returned. by the way" she contin-
ued, coming 10 her point at last. -
was calling at Hazel Cottage on my
way here"
"Was yer"
II understand you are friend Of the
Houstons," she went on cautiously.
I'm proud TO say / am. He's fine
! chap, is David Houston. an as for his
guild wife, it's a peety there's no moir
like her on the shore-an' on earth. for
that MATTER. Deed, ma'am, every
time she comes into ma shop l wish
was her fayther. She's that bonny an
blithe an klndl An she's clever fur
bye! 1t was jist the ither day l got
fankled wi some O. ma accoonts-
was thinkin' O takin' stoke, an l had
na tried It for seeven year--an' | was
groanin', hauf dementlt. over dizzen
an eleven tins o. lobster, finest quail
ity. at seevenpence three fardens the
tin, less 8 per cent
Put
'An' jist Their" proceeded the grocer,
too interested IN his own recital TO no.
tice the interruption 'jist then she
cam into the shop as brisk's a bee an
spiert what was distressin' me. "A
dizzen an eleven tins o. lobster, says
l. An she LAUGHED an LAUGHED till I
cudna help lauchin' masel, though /
didna perceive the pint o. the joke, as
It were till wee while efter Yc see,
ma am, she let on she thocht ] had EFT
the dizzen an eleven tins o. lobster
That was the pint o the joke But at
the time I didna perceive It, an l jist
said to her that takin' stoke was an in
ventlon Of the devil yin, an -
Every business man ought to take
stock at least once year." put in Miss
! Perk
That's true maam, that's true. But
| it's sair job when Providence has
made sc 4 grocer. When Mistress
Houston cam into the shop I was get.
| tin daZed, an ] seemed to behold nae
| thin but Holsters an vulgar fractions
daucin' afore me But in aboot twa
meenits she had workit DOT the calcu-
/ lation for me, an | was masel' again
An she cam back the next day an
workit oot a lot mair sums that wud
! haze turh2d the schulemaister peery
heidit. Aye, did she! Aw, she's a clever
( lass, an David Houston's the lucky
lad TO get her! Are ye no for ony
smoked ham the day, ma'am? I've
some supremely fine
"Not today thank you. l was going
TO ask you If you knew whether David
! Houstons business was being affected
by the young men who came to Kinlo-
chan recently" said Miss Perk, add
ing, "Of course your know l take a
great interest I'm the young couple, and
put the same question to Mrs. Hous-
ton today, but must say l found her
rather reticent."
The grocer scratched his ear before
he replied.
"Weel, ma'am," he said cautiously,
"seein' that I've never pit the question
maser, I'm no in the poseetion for to
answer IT, But for ma part | dinna
think the twa young men n pit David
Houston's business up nor doom
They've jist got the yin job, We ken
the new hooses."
"But it must have been a blow e
David Houston not getting that large
piece Of work"
"He's got plenty wiO0t that"
Indeed, I understand he had 10 dis
miss his man Binnie some time ago"
AYE, but Binnie N be comm ba@
an anither maA wi him next week,
checking an eXultapt chuckle with q
violent cough. "Ye see, ma'am, Davk
Houston has got the contrac' for th'
new store at the pier held, an there's
twa-three ither nice jobs thatl come
his wey afore the years oot. Aw,
wudna disturb masel aboot the Hous
tons If was you, ma'am."
I'm very glad TO learn the prospect
are so good, Mr.. Ogilgy. l had hearC
that the new store at the pier was 4
go 10 the newcomers when they ha'
finished with Mr.. Dobhle's houses. II
fact, Mr. Dobbie told me so himself"
''Ye ken Maister Dobbie. ma'am 2
quietly asked Mr.. Ogilvy.
Il happened 10 meet him one da!
when / was having glance at hi
new houses. very nice little fats tine
are, quite superior TO the present tene
ments in Kinlochan. I'm sure the pee
pie in the village will want TO remov
as soon as possible. or course / don
know Mr. Dobbie personally. but frou
what he said ! should imagine b
would make good landlord" j"
ooh. I've nae doot he'll get his fiat
filled I'm time, ma'am. ! heard the ithe
! day that Tousie Tam was thinkin' 4
takin' yin o. them" Tousie Tam wa
a disheyelod but cheerful, half witte
fellow, who occasionally made his be
5 I'm Kinlochan outhouses
Miss Perk was about TO repriman
: the grocer for unbecomlng ievity, bu
before she could speak he continued:
r In fac / believe Tam met Maiste
DObbie on the road an spiert the rem
Tam maun haze his joke, puir char
T but / understaun Master Dobbio 20
an awfu' rid face, for there was 10
O. folk listenin'"