A Window in Thrums | Page 6

course. Sal, she'll be in a michty
tantrum aboot this. I wouldna wonder though she gets Sam'l to gang
ower to the U. P's."
Leeby went once more to the attic.
"Ye're wrang, mother," she cried out. "Whaever's to preach the morn is
to bide at the manse, for the minister's servant's been at Baker Duft's
buyin' short-bread--half a lippy, nae doot."
"Are ye sure o' that, Leeby?"
"Oh, am certain. The servant gaed in to Duffs the noo, an', as ye ken
fine, the manse fowk doesna deal wi' him, except they're wantin'
short-bread. He's Auld Kirk."
Leeby returned to the kitchen, and Jess sat for a time ruminating.
"The lad Wilkie," she said at last, triumphantly, "'ll be to bide at
Lawyer Ogilvy's; but he'll be gaen to the manse the morn for a
tea-dinner."
"But what," asked Leeby, "aboot the milk an' the cream for the
lawyer's?"
"Ou, they'll be hae'n a puddin' for the supper the nicht. That's a michty
genteel thing, I've heard."
It turned out that Jess was right in every particular.
CHAPTER III
PREPARING TO RECEIVE COMPANY
Leeby was at the fire brandering a quarter of steak on the tongs, when
the house was flung into consternation by Hendry's casual remark that
he had seen Tibbie Mealmaker in the town with her man.
"The Lord preserv's!" cried Leeby.

Jess looked quickly at the clock.
"Half fower!" she said, excitedly.
"Then it canna be dune," said Leeby, falling despairingly into a chair,
"for they may be here ony meenute."
"It's most michty," said Jess, turning on her husband, "'at ye should tak
a pleasure in bringin' this hoose to disgrace. Hoo did ye no tell's
suner?"
"I fair forgot," Hendry answered, "but what's a' yer steer?"
Jess looked at me (she often did this) in a way that meant, "What a man
is this I'm tied to!"
"Steer!" she exclaimed. "Is't no time we was makkin' a steer? They'll be
in for their tea ony meenute, an' the room no sae muckle as sweepit. Ay,
an' me lookin' like a sweep; an' Tibbie Mealmaker 'at's sae partikler
genteel seein' you sic a sicht as ye are?"
Jess shook Hendry out of his chair, while Leeby began to sweep with
the one hand, and agitatedly to unbutton her wrapper with the other.
"She didna see me," said Hendry, sitting down forlornly on the table.
"Get aff that table!" cried Jess. "See haud o' the besom," she said to
Leeby.
"For mercy's sake, mother," said Leeby, "gie yer face a dicht, an' put on
a clean mutch."
"I'll open the door if they come afore you're ready," said Hendry, as
Leeby pushed him against the dresser.
"Ye daur to speak aboot openin'the door, an' you sic a mess!" cried Jess,
with pins in her mouth.
"Havers!" retorted Hendry. "A man canna be aye washin' at 'imsel."

Seeing that Hendry was as much in the way as myself, I invited him
upstairs to the attic, whence we heard Jess and Leeby upbraiding each
other shrilly. I was aware that the room was speckless; but for all that,
Leeby was turning it upside down.
"She's aye ta'en like that," Hendry said to me, referring to his wife,
"when she's expectin' company. Ay, it's a peety she canna tak things
cannier."
"Tibbie Mealmaker must be some one of importance?" I asked.
"Ou, she's naething by the ord'nar'; but ye see she was mairit to a
Tilliedrum man no lang syne, an' they're said to hae a michty grand
establishment. Ay, they've a wardrobe spleet new; an' what think ye
Tibbie wears ilka day?"
I shook my head.
"It was Chirsty Miller 'at put it through the toon," Henry continued.
"Chirsty was in Tilliedrum last Teisday or Wednesday, an' Tibbie gae
her a cup o' tea. Ay, weel, Tibbie telt Chirsty 'at she wears hose ilka
day."
"Wears hose?"
"Ay. It's some michty grand kind o' stockin'. I never heard o't in this
toon. Na, there's naebody in Thrums 'at wears hose."
"And who did Tibbie get?" I asked; for in Thrums they say, "Wha did
she get?" and "Wha did he tak?"
"His name's Davit Curly. Ou, a crittur fu' o' maggots, an' nae great
match, for he's juist the Tilliedrum bill-sticker."
At this moment Jess shouted from her chair (she was burnishing the
society teapot as she spoke), "Mind, Hendry McQumpha, 'at upon nae
condition are you to mention the bill-stickin' afore Tibbie!"
"Tibbie," Hendry explained to me, "is a terrible vain tid, an' doesna

think the bill-stickin' genteel. Ay, they say 'at if she meets Davit in the
street wi' his paste-pot an' the brush in his hands she pretends no to ken
'im."
Every time Jess paused to think she cried up orders, such as--
"Dinna call her Tibbie,