J. J. Bell

“ For an instant Jess felt she wanted to slap his face. Then she burst out laughing.
"I'm gled ye're no' angry wi' me ony mair," he said, and kissed her.
"Did you get the sweet-peas planted?" she inquired, as she drew him into the parlor.
He shook his head. "Ye see, I didna gang oot to the gairden efter a'. I jist sat in the kitchen waitin' for her to gang. I hadna the hert to plant onythin' when ye was angry wi' me, Jess."
"You're just a laddie, Davie," she said, not chaffingly, but with a world of affection in her voice. "And now I'm going to have an hour at the books," she added, quickly. ”

“ Houston, making a note in a small book.
"I gi'ed auld Angus five shullin's yesterday. He wantit it for his sister. She's vera badly the noo, puir buddy."
"I'll go and see her to-morrow, Davie. But you would have been better to have told me first, for Angus always buys the wrong things for his sister. She's far too old and frail for tinned salmon and cream cheeses."
"But she likes them better nor onythin' else, Angus tell't me. She likes tasty things, ye ken.... But I'm aye daein' the wrang thing, Jess," he muttered, sadly. ”

“ Houston held her tongue.
"Perhaps you don't notice things as we do," Miss Perk went on. "But I, and many of my friends, can assure you that the improvement is there, and we sincerely trust it may be permanent. I'm sure you will do all in your power to make it so. You know it is a young wife's duty to use all her influence in—in—"
"What are you going to lecture on on Wednesday week, Miss Perk?" Jess asked, with strained politeness. ”

“ Of coorse I can." And David Houston rose and followed his wife into the cottage. "I'm vexed for keepin' ye waitin', Jess," he said, as he joined her in the kitchen. "I doot I whiles forget things."
"Oh, never mind. It doesn't matter," she said, coldly.
"Are ye angry wi' me, Jess?" he asked, anxiously.
"Angry? Why should I be angry?"
"I—I thocht ye wasna pleased at—at somethin'," he answered, lamely. "Ye see, I forget the time when I'm at ma gairden, an'—"
"You've been at the garden since seven o'clock this morning, David," she observed, as she filled his teacup. ”

“ They hastened from the parlor together, clinging to each other in the moment of mingled happiness and apprehension.
A small boy stood in the porch, his face perspiring, his breath gasping.
"The shop's on fire," he spluttered. ”

“ He's welcome to the five per cent. It 'll likely be the only thing he keeps that doesn't cost him anything!"
"Ye're rale smairt, Jess," her husband remarked, smiling. "I daur say if ye hadna been lukin' efter the books, the accoont wud ha'e been staunin' yet. I cud never ask thae gentry for money."
"It seems to be the only way of getting it from a lot of them," said Mrs. Houston, slowly turning over the pages of the ledger. "They're not all like Sir Archibald of Arden and Mr. Colman."
"That's true, lass. They're gentlemen though they're gentry."
"That's not bad, Davie!" ”