The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-08-12

uoMn H.
She laid sheet Of note paper and
pen before him, placed the ink bottle iu
position and said:
Dear lad, will you do me great
favorT'
What's that, JessT
Something that'n do neither OF us
any harm. Say you'll do II"
He picked up the pen, dipped It and
looked down at the paper Then he
looked up AT his wife.
"Ye're great wumman, Jess he
said in tene OF affectienate amuse-
ment AN what am ! to say to that
dacent man, Donald Binnlef
Just the truth" she replied, with
sudden relief, the truth that we-that
you can't afford to keep him on"
"NIphm! That's the truth, as ye say,
Jess, an mair's the peety If we had
got the jiner work o thae new hooses
O. Dobbie's l wudna haze needit to-
"Yes, yes said his wife hurnedly,
turning to the window and gazing. at
the loch. But that wasn't your fault,
Davle."
Il wisht l was shair O. that. lass
I've heard talk O. Master Dobbie haze
in spite at me, an l Gamma unncr-
staun' It, for / never did onythin' to
him excep' maybe TAX bit extra red
it moo an then. It was hisser closed
the accoont, ye mind But
"Write your letter Davie, like a good
lad" she interposod, without turning
her head Il want TO get at the books
again, and | suppose you want 70 get
back to the garden before it's dark
Pm proud of your pansies, Davie
But you-yOu won't let Mr. Dobbie or
any one else beat you, will your
mae fearsw cried David right cheer
fully Haze ye anither bit paper? I've
made a muckle bot on this bit an I'm
no wantin' TO add insult TO injury
when I'm dsmissin' dacent man"
Mrs. Houston placed a fresh sheet of
note paper before her husband, who.
having made up his mind to the dis
agreeable but necessary piece Of CORE.
spondence, applied his hard hand and
soft heart 10 the same without delay.
jess" he exclaimed, when he had
closed and addressed il.
"Well, Davie"
ITS no a vera nice like letter for
lad TO fin waitin' on him when he
comes hame frae seein his lass. Is it,
Jess looked sympathetic NO, IT
isn't, Davie. But what can we do?
You're paying old Angus for doing
nothing, and you can't afford to pay
Donald too. Besides, Donald's a clever
lad, and he'll soon get another place.
If | thought old Angus would get an
! other place" she added with a kindly
little laugh, 81 would advise you to
part with him"
"Puir auld Angus! ken ye wudna
part wi him yersep, Jessv'
"Well, perhaps not But sometimes
I can't help feeling cross with him. lie
talks as If you couldn't do without
him-as IL the business was kept going
by him, And he never does a thing
except when Aunt Wallace or / come
into Ehe shop, and then he pretends he's
working hard"
"An' whiles does the wrang thing
remarked David, laughing. But he
did nis WORK in his time, an therell be
a place for hlm in the shop as lang the
shops mine But he's changed lot
since the fire"
Hes got much older looking is that
what you mean"
AYE. But he's changed mair nor
that. He's aye pretendin he's hard
up"
"wel. he's not too well of, is he
( DavieT
Hes gettin' the same wage as he
used 10 yet, an he hasna his puir sister
TO keep moo. An yet he's aye jist
| gaspin for his siller on Saturdays, an
| Ogilvy was tellin me the ither day
that he Wilma TAX meat even ON the
Sawbath an that he's waur nor ever
at his trick o. gettin' smoke for nae
| thin. Ogilyy thinks he's becomin' a
miser IN his auld age
"A miser? Surely notr'
"Weel, I'm jist telliu' ye lass. But
miser or nae miser, Angus n draw his
wage as lang as l can pey f. That's
10 say If ma PARTNER has nae objec-
tions," he added, smiling at her.
Your partner DayieY
otherwise yerser3'
"Am ! your partner, DayieY sue
asked half seriously.
Fine We ken it Dye agree to An
| gus gettin his wager
"Of course! DO you think / ever
grudged il, DavieF
"Na, ma! III II hadna been for ye
Angus micht haze been hard up wrOot
ony pretendin, for, TO tell ye the honest
truth, wife, l grudged him his wage
for a guild while efter the fire But
said TO masel'. II Jess can forgi'e him
! maun try 20 dae the same An we're
no muckle the waur o. The fire after a.
thenks to yersel. ma deaf"
Jess flushed, as she always did at
any suggestion of a compliment upon
her business abilities, and smiled rath-
er TREMENDOUSLY al her husband. There
We're many other matters Of which she
was fain 70 speak 10 him, but II was
not easy. His cheerfuiness, his care
less optimism, his open admiration for
herself, his good comradeship an
these made II very hard for her TO dis
cuss the sOrdid matters next but not
In her heart.
"Is there onythin' else ye wantit TO
speak ABBOTT JessY' inquired David.
after glance through the window at
the setting sun.
mo; asthing just now, Davie. Itn
keep till you get through with the pan
sizes" she replied after a short heslta-
ton.