Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-11-01

y L
wudna like 10 see the shop wantin'
him. Weel. we'll gang noo.'
But sail Jess when they had
,tartcd on the way home. chow would
1t 10 to put him TO work in the gar
den:" She half smiled, unable to keep
from thinking that the suggestion was
! Il brilliant one
Ma, mar came the decided reply.
'.The gairden's been neglectit enough
this while back wioot pittin' man on
to it that wud Spite it-ruin lathe
sitler. suppose We was jist jokin',
JESSE"
well. perhaps was" she replied,
trying not to look disappointed.
II thocht that For if Angus had
been ony guild at the gairdenin' wud
haze had him at it lang syne. It's
perfec' hertbreak to think o. the state
the place has been in since the spring"
''Never mind, Davie. You had hard
Eight, and you got the best of it, and
everybody's proud Of you," said his
wife warmly. II know how hard it
has been for you"
Tits! 1t wasna MS bad as a. that
An I'm shair wud never haze been
whaur am if 1t hadna been for yer
sell, ma dear. It's peety ABBOTT the
| garden, but I'd simmer see it like a
hidden, plantit wi aud tin cans an
broken gless, nor let Angus try his
haun at it, Guild sake, Jess, the puir
(. body disna ken the difference atween
Il dahlia an dandelion, an' doot if
lie would ken crocus bulb frae
Spanish ingin! Ye see, he never had
ony fancy for gairdenin'
1--WE heard him talking about your
howers," Jess remarked.
"Oh, aye, he'll talk ABBOTT onythin' he
thinks IL please We, lass. But maybe
he was wrang when he thOcht talkin'
nboot ma fiooers wud please ye," said
David, with n sly glance ut his wife.
"Davie! she cried reproachfully.
"D'ye ken, whites think We like the
garden better the wey it is moo nor the
wcy it was twal'month syne. Eth,
JESSE"
Now you're havering"
But We like me better in the shop or
1t Il job nor in the garden" he per-
sisted.
Il like you anywhere, lad" she re-
piled sweeuy, but evasively.
Hoo dye mean?"
"Oh, I'm not going to explain-if you
can't understand. See! There's Mr..
Ogilvy waving to. you"
They returned the salute of the gro
GER, who stood in his door. my, but
they're the twa happy yins" he sighed
as he watched them along the road.
Poor Mr.. Ogilyy!" murmured Mrs.
Houston gently.
Whats wrang wi him?" asked her
husband.
Il doubt he's very bad, Davie," she
answered, smiling family. HE wants
to marry Aunt Wallace"
HAS he no. gotten over that yet? l
thocht her tongue had cured him lang
syne."
I'm afraid it hasn't-but you're not
to speak about aunt like that
''Ocl, we a ken she's got gey
sharp tongue, Jess. I'm no sayin' ony-
thin ABBOTT her bert, mindw he added
seriously. Then he laughed and in
Il y
MARRY yer aunt, ma dear:"
Hes in love with her, of course"
'That's sma' bit o. the reason. He
wants to MARRY her to get bein' yer
uncle! Aye, that's it!' AT which state
ment David looked pleased with him
self.
Don't be stupidm retorted Mrs.
Houston, with affected sternness.
Its fac, though. He's got an
awfu' high opeenion o. yersel. Dive
ken what lie said to me the ither day?"
NO, and don't want to know"
"He said"-
"Be qulet!
"Aweel, I'll tell We anither time when
ye're no. eXpectin' it," said David, slnil-
ing teasingly. But hoo dye think he's
gettin' on VII his coortin'?"
Jess shook her head. He doesn't
seem extra happy just now"
Maybe he's worrit ABBOTT trade"
He doesn't complain about trade
now SO much as he used to-"
THAT'S a bad Sign" observed David
thoughtfully.
AT least he complains more about
his customers"
"AIQhm! He'll be turnin his thochts
fne~ business Toto The joiner
stuck for want Of word to express
himself. But it's bad sign ony-
wey," lie continued. 81 mind when l
used to turn frae me work on accoont
o yersel. Jess"
do you blame it all on me?' she
asked, with the least trace of irony in
her tone.
Ma" he replied soberly. 81 blame
1t on masel'. If l had peyed mair at
tcntion to ma work ye wud haze been
better aft the day."
"W'hisht, lad" she said in soft sur
prise.
AN maybe the gairdenin' has been
to blame tae," lie went on. II thocht
that wliiles lately. But We ken, JESS
It's Il great temptation to me-"
But. Davie, you've hardly touched
the garden since the spring-since the
fire." she said gently.
David sighed. Maybe it's list as
weel Ma trades the jinerin', an l
maun stick to it. An it's no a bad
trade, am things are gaun weel, an
Pm no complainin'," lie added more
chcerfully.
but you'll get time for your garden
ing soon again. Davie" she said.
We'll see, We'll see"
ooh, but, Davie"- she began and
stopped. lest she should say too much
Suddenly lie turned toward her
"1e're the best wife u man ever had
an envy naebody," he exclaimed.
"The fire was maybe guild thing. 1t
was guild thing because o. yersel', MA
dear"
But, Davie," she said, breaking u
long silence, "supposing the shop hadn't
been insured"-
II wud haze been dune for. Fine
ken that"
But wait minute. Surprising the
shop hadn't been insured and suppos-
ing you hadn't been married, what
would You have done:"