Thrums, but you have never seen no better, your man having neither the
siller nor the desire to take yon jaunts, and I'm thinking that is just
as well, for if you saw how the like of me lives it might disgust you
with your own bit house. I often laugh, Esther, to think that I was once
like you, and looked upon Thrums as a bonny place. How is the old hole?
My son makes grand sport of the onfortunate bairns as has to bide in
Thrums, and I see him doing it the now to his favorite companion, which
is a young gentleman of ladylike manners, as bides in our terrace. So no
more at present, for my man is sitting ganting for my society, and I
daresay yours is crying to you to darn his old socks. Mind and tell
Aaron Latta."

This letter was posted next day by Tommy, with the assistance of Shovel,
who seems to have been the young gentleman of ladylike manners referred
to in the text.




CHAPTER IV

THE END OF AN IDYLL


Tommy never saw Reddy again owing to a fright he got about this time,
for which she was really to blame, though a woman who lived in his house
was the instrument.

It is, perhaps, idle to attempt a summary of those who lived in that
house, as one at least will be off, and another in his place, while we