CHAPTER XIX
THE VERDICT OF THRUMS
On a mild Saturday evening in the following May, Sandersy Riach, telegraph boy, emerged from the Thrums post-office, and, holding his head high, strutted off towards the Tenements. He had on his uniform, and several other boys flung gutters at it, to show that they were as good as he was.
'Wha's deid, Sandersy?' housewives flung open their windows to ask.
'It's no a death,' Sandersy replied. 'Na, na, far frae that. I daurna tell ye what it is, because it's agin' the regalations, but it'll cause a michty wy doin' in Thrums this nicht.'
'Juist whisper what it's aboot, Sandersy, my laddie.'
'It canna be done, Easie; na, na. But them 'at wants to hear the noos, follow me to Tammas Haggart's.'
Off Sandersy went, with some women and a dozen children at his heels, but he did not find Tammas in.
'I winna hae't lyin' aboot here,' Chirsty, the wife of Tammas, said, eyeing the telegram as something that might go off at any moment; 'ye'll better tak it on to 'imsel. He's takkin a dander through the buryin' ground wi' Snecky Hobart.'