Evening star., 1926-05-16
The Courtin' of Sally Ann
By Lorna Moon


Macintosh even contrived to have "a
sinkin' aboot her heart" every time
there were any social doings. SO that
Sally Ann had to stay at home and
tend her. She even kept her from
going to serve the customers in the
front parlor. except on those rare oc-
| caSionS when the water on her knee
made her a cripple, And she believed
that Sally Ann was content, and
would never give marrying thought
unless some man came troubling her
with his haverings.
IT was a Monday morning when
Sally Ann made the .treacle candy.
| She always pulled it on a big hook in
the front parlor, and because custom
ers might come in, she wore her sky
blue print gown fresh from the
| ironing.
Here's Skilly's Gype ridin' doom the
| brae, the dirt flynn DER his head as if
auld Nick were at his heels" COM
| mented Mistress Macintosh. Hell
be after his gloves, an them barely
| cast on yet. Ta' the candy ben the
| hoose, Sally Ann; ven no be wantin'
t hae speech wi the like o. him."
Il Gamma, mither," Sally Ann pro-
tested. Il hae t pull it when it's
at this heat, or I'll hae t heat it DER
again.
"Weel. then, turn yer back on him,
and dinna let on We ken he's here"
Hell think I'm deaf" said Sally
Ann with flustered giggle. Her
heart was capering queerly at the
earring clatter. Of hoofs
Better think ye deaf. than think
ye wanton," warned her mother.
He was filing the parlor to the
ceiling before Sally Ann had time to
catch up with her heart. Everything
about him, from his checked yellow
waistcoat to his shrinking red hair.
bespoke achievement and the poise
and pride that comes of it,
They had called him daft like. and
niclnamed him "Skilly's Gype." be-
cause he had come back from Aber
deem University with newfangled no
tions about farming. But the de-
rision had died out when his oats and
Jerseys robbed them of the best coun-
ty prizes; and though they called him
''the Gyne" still. and cracked their
jokes about his Waistcoats, there was
not one of them above stepping up
to Skilly Farm on a dark evening to
ask him for little advice. And now
that Aud Skilly" was dead. and the
Gype owned the farm the lassies were
fairly on tiptoe at his approach and
angling to catch him with every vile.
as much for the fine figure of man
he was, as for the grand farmhouse
and byre full of Jerseys.
But he had high handed way with
them. and never went so far forward
that he couldn't step back. for he was
not minded to be married for his
Jersey cows. and indeed, he was not
minded to be married at all.
He included Sally Ann in his hearty
"Guid day t ye.' but minding her
mothers warning, she didn't turn
round. Indeed. she couldn't have
turned round. in such furry was
she. The sound of his horses hoofs
had made her heart float out of her,
and for the moment he was strangely
mixed up with the lover of her dreams.
Yer gloves are no. but just cast on
yet" Mistress Macintosh was saying
discouragingly.
But the Gype was leaning far over
the counter to attract Sally Ann.
How long will / hae t. wait t get
some O. the candy yeer pulln," Miss
Macintosh"
Her mother made answer. cutting
off his view of Sally Ann. We hae
lots O. treacle candy all ready in the
winda. How much wad ye be
wantin'?"
But I'm minded t hae some O.
the fresh he answered, stepping
round the short counter to Sally
AIMS side. Seeing him, she missed
the hook, and the candy would have
fallen had he not deftly grabbed it
and tossed 1t upon the hook again.
Sally Ann smiled shyly up at him.
ITS the vera color O. yer hair"
he said, contemplating her. only
it's no. so bonnie as Yer hair"
Yer horse is scarin' at something"
said Mistress Macintosh with a clink-
ing chill in her voice. Better tend
t yer ain business and let the lassie
tend t. hers. She wants none o.
yer haverin', keep that for Brans-