A Window in Thrums | Page 4

sunk on a fine day in June, early in the
century, when Hendry and Jess, newly married, he in a rich moleskin
waistcoat, she in a white net cap, walked to the house on the brae that
was to be their home. So Jess has told me. Here again has been just
such a day, and somewhere in Thrums there may be just such a couple,
setting out for their home behind a horse with white ears instead of
walking, but with the same hopes and fears, and the same love light in
their eyes. The world does not age. The hearse passes over the brae and
up the straight burying-ground road, but still there is a cry for the
christening robe.
Jess's window was a beacon by night to travellers in the dark, and it
will be so in the future when there are none to remember Jess. There
are many such windows still, with loving faces behind them. From
them we watch for the friends and relatives who are coming back, and
some, alas! watch in vain. Not every one returns who takes the elbow
of the brae bravely, or waves his handkerchief to those who watch from
the window with wet eyes, and some return too late. To Jess, at her
window always when she was not in bed, things happy and mournful
and terrible came into view. At this window she sat for twenty years or
more looking at the world as through a telescope; and here an awful
ordeal was gone through after her sweet untarnished soul had been
given back to God.
CHAPTER II
ON THE TRACK OF THE MINISTER
On the afternoon of the Saturday that carted me and my two boxes to
Thrums, I was ben in the room playing Hendry at the dambrod. I had
one of the room chairs, but Leeby brought a chair from the kitchen for

her father. Our door stood open, and as Hendry often pondered for two
minutes with his hand on a "man," I could have joined in the gossip that
was going on but the house.
"Ay, weel, then, Leeby," said Jess, suddenly, "I'll warrant the minister
'll no be preachin' the morn."
This took Leeby to the window.
"Yea, yea," she said (and I knew she was nodding her head
sagaciously); I looked out at the room window, but all I could see was a
man wheeling an empty barrow down the brae.
"That's Robbie Tosh," continued Leeby; "an' there's nae doot 'at he's
makkin for the minister's, for he has on his black coat. He'll be to row
the minister's luggage to the post-cart. Ay, an' that's Davit Lunnan's
barrow. I ken it by the shaft's bein' spliced wi' yarn. Davit broke the
shaft at the saw-mill."
"He'll be gaen awa for a curran (number of) days," said Jess, "or he
would juist hae taen his bag. Ay, he'll be awa to Edinbory, to see the
lass."
"I wonder wha'll be to preach the morn--tod, it'll likely be Mr. Skinner,
frae Dundee; him an' the minister's chief, ye ken."
"Ye micht' gang up to the attic, Leeby, an' see if the spare bedroom
vent (chimney) at the manse is gaen. We're sure, if it's Mr. Skinner,
he'll come wi' the post frae Tilliedrum the nicht, an' sleep at the
manse."
"Weel, I assure ye," said Leeby, descending from the attic, "it'll no be
Mr. Skinner, for no only is the spare bedroom vent no gaen, but the
blind's drawn doon frae tap to fut, so they're no even airin' the room. Na,
it canna be him; an' what's mair, it'll be naebody 'at's to bide a' nicht at
the manse."
"I wouldna say that; na, na. It may only be a student; an' Marget

Dundas" (the minister's mother and housekeeper) "michtna think it
necessary to put on a fire for him."
"Tod, I'll tell ye wha it'll be. I wonder I didna think o' 'im sooner. It'll be
the lad Wilkie; him 'at's mither mairit on Sam'l Duthie's wife's brither.
They bide in Cupar, an' I mind 'at when the son was here twa or three
year syne he was juist gaen to begin the diveenity classes in Glesca."
"If that's so, Leeby, he would be sure to bide wi' Sam'l. Hendry, hae ye
heard 'at Sam'l Duthie's expeckin' a stranger the nicht?"
"Haud yer tongue," replied Hendry, who was having the worst of the
game.
"Ay, but I ken he is," said Leeby triumphantly to her mother, "for ye
mind when I was in at Johnny Watt's (the draper's) Chirsty (Sam'l's
wife) was buyin' twa yards o' chintz, an' I couldna think what she
would be wantin' 't for!"
"I thocht Johnny said to ye 'at it was for a present to Chirsty's