Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-30

prove by reaulnS the newly
painted sign over his door,
which told Drumorty in vel
low and black that he was: "A high
rlass tailor: pressing and mending also
done"
But Jean MacFarlane had nick
named him the ''Tattie-Doolie'
fscarecrowl on the very first Sunday
But this was not until after the serV
ice. not until after he had outsung
her, outsung her in time and outsune
her in volume. Even in the final
hymn, when she had held the last
note until her ears buzzed and her
face was like a harvest moon, he had
held it just a second longer.
Jean had always been proud of her
breath 1t lasted longer than any
breath In the parish of Drumorty.
She was proud too, that no voice in
the parish could be heard above her
own. Many had tried it, both man
and woman,
Skilly's "Gype" (smart Aleck) called
that because he was daftlike and wore
fancy WaiStcoatS on week days, had q
roaring fine voice and Mary Macrim-
mon, who had a wooden leg, could
make Draw noise when she put her
mind to it." But even they had lost
heart at last and had left Jean to lead
The singing. The Gype stayed away
from the service altogether. But Mary
Macrimmon made up for her loss by
coming late every Sunday, and the
ring of brass ferrule on her wooden
leg announced her passage up the
tagged aisle to her seat in the front
pew Each entrance was dramatic
triumph, for she changed the trim
ming on her hat every week. SO that
the congregation 'Wouldna crane their
x1sA INr.,, To-,
was we'll content to let her have this
triumph; there should be compensa,
ions for a wooden leg.
In four years none had Ventured to
dispute jeans right to sing the last
note of each line as a solo. The mem
berS of the congregation accepted it
with the same placidity that they ac-
cepted the fact that the Varnish had
never really hardened on the pews;
and if you sat too long or too solidly
on one place you left the nap of your
suit embedded on the seat.
In time they came to be proud of
Jean, and they waited for her to fin
ish with their mouths agape, as much
out of admiration as out of a desire
to be ready to start the next line when
her breath finally gave out
The organist, who was blind, knew
better. and longed for the courage to
terminate jeans stentorian solos. But
she dared not, for the congregation
believed she couldn't be so good as an
organist that could see, and this made
her timid so she would humbly hold
the last note until Jeans final gasp
Signaled that she could start a new
measure. But in return for this Jean
defended her when some young snip
would suggest that she wasn't much
NIT. She's no a great musician, but
shes gran accompanist, an that's
what's needed in a kirk like ours
Until that first Sunday, Jean held
no grudge against James MacDon-
aid MacGregor. although it would
nave been natural, and even dutiful.
for her to have shifted little in
affected disdain when she heard his
name mentioned, for his arrival was
source of much distress to her
father, Penney MacFarlane, who had
been the only tailor in Drumorty for
% years, as had been his father be-
fore him. Indeed, old Penney had
given Jean the rough side of his
tongue for her undaughterly lack of
resentment over the new tailor. But
Jean. while realizing that his adj
vent would end her fathers sartorial
monarchy. was none the less con-
scious of a pleased flutter when
Mistress MacKenty stepped in by to
say: 1.-THE puir mans single doot-
less, for / haze seen neither hide nor
hair O. a wife, nor her belongings -
That's a consideration" Jean had
answered; and, giving her father an
accusing look, added: Ito them that
never sees a man frae one days end
to the other"
Jean was a little rritatedWwith her
father on this score, and blamed him
that she hadn't been married long
since. For, although his trade should
have supplied her with more suitors
than any other lass in Drumorty, ii
was a fact that, while the grocer S
daughter by making Sinking pre-
tense of helping, could meet young
men on Saturday evenings In her
fathers shop; and even the druggist s
boarding school daughter could hap
pen" to come in to kiss her father
goodnight when prosperous young
farmer was in, Jean could never meet
ii man that way, because Penney in.
sisted that il wasn't seemly for a
single woman TO come In when a
man might be having his trousers
fitted. To Jeans protest: Father
We Gamma always be fittin' the trou-
sers, he merely answered, II might
be-
nN the way to kirk that first Sun.
day Jean was in a twitter. She
had even gone the length of putting
Jockey Club on the front of her bodice
as well as on her handkerchief. This
made her feel akin to Jezebel and
for a moment she liked the feeling
Then, appalled, at her own wicked
ness, she decided that she would
never use scent again1 But the nexi
moment she was glad that she ha6
used it, and sorry that she hadn'i
used more, as the new tailor passed
her on the road and remarked to his
neighbor something about "a fine
smell.
he was grand beyond Jeans ex
pectations. He wore a frock coat anc
a tile" (high hiatt and she gaspec
in admiration of his 'venturesome
ness" in wearing them when there
was neither a marriage nor a funera
in the neighborhood TO justify sucI
splendor.
For in Drumorty the laird is tn,
only man entitled by common opinion
to wear such grandeur on ordinary
Sundays. Many a tattie-doolie in tn
fields around Drumorty tapped il
solitary dignity with the scarcel.
deceased farmer, who had been to-
modest to wear them.
Jean had even been pleased whel
he came boldly up TO the choir anC
took a seat in the front row of tn
mems pew directly facing her.
was a bit forward of him TO sit il
the choir without a public invitation
from the minister, but Jean thrilled
ITS all of piece wi his wearir
tile; he's a man that kens his min'
and does it," She was glad also tina
he was where he could see her, an
know at once who il was that sam