Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-11-29
"1cll M's. Wallace not to let yo,.r quitc
qDdnt anntlltna."
bed Ye wasna there last nicht, sup

ps'o- 4e Wasnu tnefe last nlclt, sup
pose"
cav, it's no. the flesh that; waarit,
Mistress Wallace" lie returned sadly.
Maybe it's the Dlnes," Sc rctorted
cruelty, but the next moment she said
in an altered voice: II ken fine ye'rc
veXed ABBOTT mony things, Master
Ogilvy, an I'm veXed masep. But we
mauna despair In n wee while we'll
haze Jess an David thegither again
I'm shair we wull-an thatll MAX up
fur lot. Wull it no'?"
His face cleared somewhat. ut wull
that" he said heartily. "An' maybe
Jess ii get a she wants yet, an David II
forget a his troubles. though they're
mony an black the noo."
| THAT'S the wey to talk" she cried,
with an attempt at Il laugh. II wis
needin' to hear somethin' like that, fur
| I'm gaun back to David noo."
"An' we've made me feel better, Mis-
tress Wallace. Ye've dispelled ma SUI
perabundant gloom as it were. In fac,
I'm gaun to hope for the bcst-the ver,
best!'
can I'll dae the same" said Mrs.
Wallace, holding out her hand.
"Guid NIGHT to ye, Mistress Wallace.
We-we'll hope thegither."
After her departure Mr.. Ogilvy had
several costumers, and, having served
the last of them. he put UP the shutters,
locked the door, put out the lamps and
retired to the back room, where lie
brewed himself a cup of tea.
"She wis ritflt," he said to himself;
I'm a tired man, but I'm no done for
yet" And he drank his tea slowly and
thought much. His last thought before
going to bed was of old Angus, who the
previous night had handed him small
tin box containing number of greasy
one pound notes, several half sovereigns
and a small handful of silver, together
with piece of paper laboriously in
scribed with the following:
1 leav to Mrs. Houston, wife of David
Houston. Joiner. iinlochan. Is ponds
With thanks, ANGUS FRASER
Fifteen pound" sighed the grocer
as he closed his eyes. "Puir Angus!
He did his best. He'll rest happy. His
bit siller III mo- be refused"
He sighed again and was on the
verge Of falling asleep when Il mouse
began to gnaw in the far corner of the
room. The sound was nothing new to
him, but on this occasion he found 1t
peculiarly irritating, and after fling
ing both his shoes into the corner and
emitting several expressions of which
lie was ashamed, all in vain, lie real
lied that he was wide awake and be-
came almost as restless as the mouse.
Miserable, he sat up in bed and felt
for his pipe and matches. But lie never
drew them from the pocket of Ills
jacket, for at the moment of contact
between his fingers and his pipe
wonderful idea struck him-not that 1t
came from the pipe; indeed, to this
day, he tells himself that 1t came from
the mouse, though, as matter of
fact, were he to discuss the matter
which he would not-witll the greatest
Of mental philosophers, the greatest of
mental philosophers would probably
refer him to the greatest of mental
physicians. But perhaps Mr.. Ogilvy
thinks of the mouse that assisted the
entangled lion.
At any rate what happened was this:
The grocer sat motionless for nigh Il
minute. Then he drew that which was
perhaps the longest breath of his life.
Then he raised his right hand above
his head and brought it down with
sounding thwhack upon his leg, and in
a jubilant burst addressed himself in
these words:
Samuel Ogilvy, ye're geniusw
fro BE Continued