Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-11-22
CHAPTER X.


gazed about her rs if trying to recol-
lect something she had omitted.
"Naethin' else the day, ma'am?" in
quired Mr.. Ogilvy politely, and mois-
tened the point of his pencil. "rhae
flnnan haddies is new in, an so is the
sausages. The sausages is vera fine
vera fine indeed. In fac, the meenis-
ter's Teddy was in gettin' bunch the
day, an she said the last yins she had
was jist perfection, an the Teddy that's
bidin' WI her the moo, n bonny young
Teddy an that nice an free, said they
was simply de-vine."
IA word that should never be en-
ployed in referring to mere article of
food" remarked Miss Perk coldly
"Weel, weel, the young leddy's Ian
guage was maybe wee thing eXtrava-
CANT, rs it were," the grocer admitted
mildly, "but It's no. for me to objec' to
complimentary observation on ony O.
ma proveesions. AS lang as language
is no. profane in a sweerin' sense can
let it pass. But mind bein' rale horri-
fed yinst when l was in the toon an
gaed into the station baur, or, to be ex-
ac', the railway restevSant, for gless
O wh-leemonade, an l wasna RIGHT
inside the door afore heard young
man, dacent, respectable lulsin'
young man, cryin' DOT to the waiter
for decvil's kidneys, an'"-
"AIr. Ogilvy!''
II beg your paurdon, ma'am, for
usin' the word afore We, but was try
in to illustrate to We the Are We no
for ony eggs the day, maiam?" he
asked, realizing suddenly that his con-
versation was not being appreciated.
"Not today, thank you. Pm sorry to
say the last eggs had from you were
not up to the mark Mr.. Ogilvy," said
Miss Perk, continuing to gaze about
her
mo up to the merk?' he exclaimed.
"I'm shair Gamma conceive sic thing.
Are We certain, mas am, that the eggs
cam frae here?"
'.My cook told me So"
''What WAS Tie taste like, if We
pleasc, mnam" he inquired in tone
respectful vet disiiiied.
81 cannot tell You that, as personally
never eat eggs" said Miss Perk.
''Weel," said Mr.. Ogilvy after short
pause, eggs is things that nae human
bein' can guarantee, an I'm no gaun
to perjure masel' wi sayin' that new
err had the misfortune to sell dootfu'
yin, but wud jist like to ask We if yer
cook is new to Kinlochan, ma'am."
Eyes. She has only been with me
fortnight" the lady replied, ccasing to
gaze about her and fixing look of in
quiry on the grocer.
"An' she cam frae the toon, 1 pre-
shume."
YES But Why
Then the grocer drew himself up
with smile of satisfaction. "Thcnk
we, ma am, for tellin' me. It's jist as l
suspected. Yer cook, puir buddy,
wasna used to ma eggs. The fresh
ness wud be strange to her. There's a
great difference atween an egg laid at
distance an an egg laid locally, as it
We're. Wull no jist send We hauf a
dizzen, ma'am?"
Not today, thank you," Miss Perk
returned. by the way" she contin-
ued, coming to her point at last, 81
was calling Mt Hazel Cottage on my
way here"
"Was ye?"
II understand you are a friend of the
Houstons," she went on cautiously.
"I'm proud to say ] am. He's a fine
chap, is David Houston, an as for his
guild wife, it's peety there's no mair
like her on the shore-an' on earth, for
that matter. Deed, ma'am, every
time she comes into ma shop wish
was her fayther. She's that bonny an
blithc an kind! An she's clever fur
bye! 1t was jist the ither day got
fankled wi some O. ma accoonts-I
was thinllin' O taiin' stoke, an l had
M tried it for seeven year-an' was
groanin', hauf dementit, over Il dizZcn
nm eleven tins O lobster, finest quail
ity, at seevenpence three fardens the
tin, less 5 per cent
"But"-
"An' jist then" proceeded the grocer,
loo interested in his own recital to no
tice the interruption-"iis then she
cam into the shop as brisli's a bee an
dizzen an eleven tins o. lobster says
1. An she LAUGHED am LAUGHED till l
cudna help lauchn' masGl', though |
didna perceive the pint O. the joke, rs
1t were, till a wee while efter. Ye see
na'am, she let ON she thoclt had EFT
the dizZen an eleven tins O. lobster.
That was the pint o the joke. But at
the time l didna perceive it, an jist
said to her that takin' stoke was an in,
vention of the devil yin, an -
Every business man ought to take
stock at least once year." put in Miss
Perk.
'"Ihats true. ma'am, that's true. But
it's sair job when Providence has
made We Il grocer. When Mistress
Houston cam into the shop was get
tin dazed, am 1 seemed to behold nae.
thin but Holsters an vulgar fractions
dancin' afore me. But in ABBOTT twa
meenits she had worlit DOT the calcu
lation for me, an was masel' again
An she cam back the next day an
workit DOT Il lot mair sums that wud
haze turned the schulemaister peery
heidit. Aye, did she! Aw, she's clever
lass, an David Houston's the lucky
lad to get her! Are We no for ony
smoked ham the day, ma'am? I've
some supremely fine
mot today, thank you. was going
to ask you if you knew whether David
Houston's business was being affected
by the young men who came to Kinlo
chan recently" said Miss Pcrll, add
ing, "Of course you know | take &
great interest in the young couple, anf
put the same question to Mrs. Hous
ton today, but must say l found hel
rather reticent."
The grocer scratched his ear before
lie replied.
"Weel, ma'am," he said cautiously
''seein' that I've never pit the question
masel, I'm no in the poseetion for tc
answer it. But for ma part dinna
think the twa young men II pit Davit
Hp,yctpn'c hucfnncr IN NOV Ipnp