XVI JINNET’S TEA-PARTY
Erchie’s goodwife came to him one day full of thrilling news from the dairy, where she had been for twopence worth of sticks.
“Oh, Erchie, dae ye ken the latest?” said she. “The big fat yin in the dairy’s gaun to mairry Duffy!”
“Lord peety Duffy! Somebody should tell the puir sowl she has her e’e on him. I’ll bate ye he disna’ ken onything aboot it,” said Erchie.
“Havers!” said Jinnet. “It’s him that’s wantin’ her, and I’m shair it’s a guid thing, for his hoose is a’ gaun to wreck and ruin since his last wife dee’d. Every time he comes hame to dry his claes on a wet day he’s doon in the dairy for anither bawbee’s worth o’ mulk. The man’s fair hoved up wi’ drinkin’ mulk he’s no’ needin’. I hae catched him there that aften that he’s kind o’ affronted to see me. ‘I’m here again, Mrs MacPherson,’ says he to me yesterday when I went doon and found him leanin’ ower the coonter wi’ a tumbler in his haund. He was that ta’en he nearly dropped the gless.”
“It wasna for the want o’ practice—I’ll wager ye that!” said Erchie. “He could haud a schooner a hale nicht and him haulf sleepin’.”
“‘I’m here again,’ says he, onywye; ‘the doctor tellt me yon time I had the illness I was to keep up my strength. There’s a lot o’ nourishment in mulk.’ And the big yin’s face was as red as her short-goon.
“‘It’s a blessin’ the health, Mr Duffy,’ says I; ‘we divna ken whit a mercy it is till we lose it,’ and I never said anither word, but took my bit sticks and cam’ awa’.”
“And is that a’ ye hae to gang on to be blamin’ the chap?” said Erchie. “Mony’s a man’ll tak’ a gless o’ mulk and no’ go ower faur wi’t. But I think mysel’ ye’re maybe richt aboot the big yin, for I see Duffy’s shaved aff his Paisley whiskers, and wears a tie on the Sundays.”