“I am not likely to forget all his kindness to you, Tony,” said she, feelingly. “If we could only receive him suitably, I 'd be happy and proud to do it; as it is, however, the man, being a gentleman, will put up all the better with our humble entertainment: so just tell him to come, Tony; but tell him, also, what he's coming to. His room will be pretty much like the bathroom, and the company he'll meet afterwards very unlike what he saw at the fine house.”
“He 'll take all in good part, or I 'm much mistaken in him. So here goes for the answer:—
“'Dear Skeff,—We live in a cottage with five rooms. We have
one maidservant, and we dine at two. If you have courage to
face all this, you'll have the heartiest of welcomes from my
mother and your sincere friend,
“'Tony Butler.
“'The mail will drop you at Coleraine, and I 'll be on the
look-out for you every morning from this forward.'
“Won't that do, mother?” asked he.
“I think you might have done it better; but I suppose you young folk understand each other best in your own fashion, so let it be.”
CHAPTER XX. THE MINISTER'S VISIT
While Tony was absent that morning from home, Mrs. Butler had a visit from Dr. Stewart; he came over, he said, to see Tony, and ask the news of what he had done in England. “I hope, ma'am,” said he,—and there was something dry and reserved in his manner,—“I hope, ma'am, your son has brought you good tidings of his late journey. A big city is a big temptation, and we dinna want temptations in this world of ours.”
“I know it well, doctor,” said she, with a sigh; “and if it had been any other than Tony—Ah, doctor! why do you shake your head? you make me think you 've heard something or other. What is it, sir?”
“It's just nothing at all, Mrs. Butler, but your own fears, and very proper fears too they are, for a young lad that goes away from home for the first time in his life, and to such a place too. Ah me!” cried he, in a soil of apostrophe, “it 's not so easy to be in grace down about Charing Cross and the Hay market.”