ce when her uncle died she got a telegram, which
Shovel proudly wheeled up and down the street in a barrow, other blokes
keeping guard at the side. To give a letter to a woman who had been
cruel to you struck Tommy as the height of nobility.

"She'll be uplifted when she gets it!" he cried.

"She'll be mad when she gets it," answered his mother, without looking
up.

This was the letter:--

"MY DEAR ESTHER,--I send you these few scrapes to let you see I have not
forgot you, though my way is now grand by yours. A spleet new black
silk, Esther, being the second in a twelvemonth, as I'm a living woman.
The other is no none tashed yet, but my gudeman fair insisted on buying
a new one, for says he 'Rich folk like as can afford to be mislaird, and
nothing's ower braw for my bonny Jean.' Tell Aaron Latta that. When I'm
sailing in my silks, Esther, I sometimes picture you turning your wincey
again, for I'se uphaud that's all the new frock you've ha'en the year. I
dinna want to give you a scunner of your man, Esther, more by token they
said if your mither had not took him in hand you would never have kent
the color of his nightcap, but when you are wraxing ower your kail-pot
in a plot of heat, just picture me ringing the bell for my servant, and
saying, with a wave of my hand, 'Servant, lay the dinner.' And ony bonny
afternoon when your man is cleaning out stables and you're at the tub in
a short gown, picture my man taking me and the children out a ride in a
carriage, and I sair doubt your bairns was never in nothing more genteel
than a coal cart. For bairns is yours, Esther, and children is mine, and
that's a burn without a brig till't.

"Deary me, Esther, what with one thing and another, namely buying a
sofa, thirty shillings as I'm a sinner, I have forgot to tell you about
my second, and it's a girl this time, my man saying he would like a
change. We have christened her Elspeth after my grandmamma, and if my
auld granny's aye living, you can tell her that's her. My man is
terrible windy of his two beautiful children, but he says he would have
been the happiest gentleman in London though he had just had me, and
really his fondness for me, it cows, Esther, sitting aside me on the
bed, two pounds without the blankets, about the time Elspeth was born,
and feeding me with the fat of the land, namely, tapiocas and sherry
wine. Tell Aaron Latta that.

"I pity you from the bottom of my heart, Esther, for having to bide in
Thru