THE DOMINIE AT DELVILLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2668, 3 May 1905, Page 82

THE DOMINIE AT DELVILLE.

By A, _M. Andrews.

(Foi the Witness.)

Any stranger alighting in the small rustic village of Delville would certainly declare it to be a very quaint locality. If the said stranger sojourned for a short time and conversed with the residents they would be pronpunced equally quaint and in keeping with the place. Yet, besides an hostelry and also a store, Delville could boast if a school. Over the latter Dominie M'Fadden had presided for more than a quarter of a century, and during all that time Dominie's chief pride lay centred in. the fact that he- was an Aberdonian. Great was- the joy in Delville when it unexpectedly came about that "dominie" had fallen, heir to a landed estate in Scotland ; whether the joy was occasioned by M'Fadden's good foi'tune or the prospect of his speedy departure- was a- debatable question. A new dominie was coming, and that fact was sufficient- to cause a flutter of excitement in several households. Dominie M'Faddem had been a crusty old bachelor, with a certain partiality for " pure Scotch " — when it was whisky. He had, therefore, made bis quarters at the hostelry, but his successor, a young jnsai on whom rumour had bestowed many distinguished qualities, expressed in . a letter to the School Committee lus preference - for - private lodgings " at any place convenient to the school."- Now, Gillj gen's place was mest convenient to the school^ and, further, ;tlie- arrangement- was eagerly accepted' by «the Gdlligen family. Martha had declared herself in its 'favour, and Martha's will had such a- peculiar , strength of its own that even wise, parental caution at times feeble before it. " First impressions count for so much," .said Martha, and remembering all the I advantages imputed to the expected dominie, Martha's, mind began to picture possibilities in a very rosy light. Though residing in the " back blocks," cooking had been her special hobby, and in this most useful art she had acquired •considerable skill.' Martha had. promptly decided that all domestic arrangements for the reception of the new dominie would be o? the 'mest perfect description. A ham and cold roast fowl, a pale blue blouse, a> marble cake, a seedl and Victoria, together with a- salad, nil visible at once, could not fail to impress him, or, indeed, to. impress any other masculine mortal. Why the pale blue blouse should appear sandwiched between the roast fowl and marble cake, in Martha's mental survey is not quite clear. It shows, however, the actiyity of her thoughts as she contemplated the full artillery that was to be set in motion for the capture of the new dominie, who was to arrive on Friday evening. . In order that all should be in readiness Martha and her mother made a special visit to the local store on Thursday, intending also to call on some of the neighbours with an invitation to come up to tea on Sunday evening and meet the dominie, Mr Carlton, whom Mrs Gilligen already spoke of with an air of proprietorship. The other members of the Gilligen household — viz., diad and Gilligen, jun. — being away for the afternoon Martha carefully locked up the house, back and front doors, and carried the key in her pocket. Here it may be said that Gilligen, jun., had earned such distinction by his mischievous propensities that he was locally spoken ~of as "'tiiat imp, Tommie."

It happened on this particular day that " dad," having tiansaeted his business with imusual promptitude, returned much earlier than was expected. He had just discovered that the doors were securely locked when his old neighbour, Pat O'Brien; came upon? the scene. Pat had at last decided upon a question which he and " dad " had repeatedy discussed for three weeks past ; it was a momentous question, and regarded tlie money value of certain cattle.

"I'll take the bullocks at yer price, Giiligen, the four o' them, and 1 cash down. Here you are — £25 in notes, four in gold, and one loose silver: seven pounds ten apiece; and now, as it's a square deal, I'll d'hrive the cattle back with me."

"Right yer are, Pat, and yer've got a bargain ; but here's the missus and Martha both away, and the doors locked". I can't break in to offer yer a glass of home-brew."

" I'm mighty dhry, too," said Pat, as he bianded Gilligen. the money. "It's a real thirsty day this." l

"Weil; tis up your horse," said Gilligen.; " we'll take a. stroll to the hotel yonder, and wet the bargain there."

While Pat, nothing loth, secured his steed it occurred to Gilligen that he hadi better leave the notes and gold safely behind and take only the silver to Murphy's in case of mishap.- " But bless my soul," he exclaimed, " the place is locked up. Ah, well, I'll put it in there; it will be safe enough," and dad thought of the brick oven in the outhouse. It had a stout iron door A and the money.

would be secure there. No stranger, certainly, could enter the outhouse, for Roger, the dog, was chained near the entrance.

With Gilligen and O'Brien the process of " toasting the bargain " occupied a considerable time. Bullocks of every possible weight and variety were discussed — and discussed with mci easing eloquence. As to dad's thinking and Pat's willing consent each variety seemed to demand a fresh toasting, it was three or four hours later when dad found himself at home, in a very happy frame of mind. Pat was equally happy, and if the bullocks had not been so fat — that steady motion suited them best — it is a rather doubtful point if Pat would have scored in the driving.

Meanwhile Martha and her mother had returned, and as the evening was long, Martha decided at once to commence baking. A quantity of- dry wood and fire was quickly thrust into the oven, and Martha, having assured herself that it was burning briskly, hurried away to prepare the various ingredients required for the cakes. With the assistance of her mother, who, acting meekly under Martha's instructions, beat up eggs, crushed sugar, and creamed butter, etc., the baking proceeded rapidly. By the time Gilligan, sen., entered the kitchen the table held an .assortment of cakes, large and small, that had just been removed from the oven.

As a result of .the repeated "toasting" down at Murphy's, dad's mood was most complacent. He sat in his chair contentedly smoking, at that moment perfectly satisfied with himself and everybody else. Mrs Gilligen was dlissfully ignorant of any bargain having been effected or of any money being received ; otherwise dad would have undergone the ordeal of a strict questioning as to the exact amount parted with at Murphy's.

"Oh, dear, I'm just tired out," she exclaimed, sitting down with a great sigh of relief ; " but I am glad sd much is done. Just look, dad, at those beautiful cakes, and Martha has another lot in the oven."

At the word_"oven" remembrance came to dad. The pipe suddenly fell from his mouth, and he started lip with the quickness of an electric shock, giving utterance to a "D" of such dimensions that Mrs G. looked dazed and dumb with surprise. Gilligen, however, had no time to explain. He rushed hurriedly out to Martha, who was standing near the oven.

"Martha !" he shouted excitedly. "Martha, girl, what have you done?"

"Only a little baking, dad."

"Did you — did you look into the oven?" he gasped in a tone that half terrified Martha, while his head shook so frantically that the limited number of hairs it possessed stood stiff with anxiety. "Of course I did. I raked and mopped it well before the cakes were put in," said Martha, wondering greatly at dad's excitementl

"Good Lord !" cried uad, rubbing his head in despair. " Drat the cakes. Before you put in the^ fire, girl, I mean, did yon take anything' out?" "No," returned Martha promptly ; "there is never anything but the kindling left there."

"Confound the cakes !" shouted dad wildly as he stamped round. "You've baked the dearest kind ever made in the country. You have " - "Why, dad," protested Martha, "I " "Yes, the dearest by a darned long chalk. What the mischief set you baking to-day?" "You know that the dominie is coming." | "Drat the dominie!" yelled Gilligen fiercely. "It's enough to " | "Gilligen, what's all this about?" de- ! manded his wife, hurrying out and forgetting to close the kitchen door. This was a xery simple omission, but it was at once noted by half a dozen pet fowls, that quickly stole in ; and, alas ' for the cakes on the table, soon formed a 'ruthless attacking force. "Gilligen, what does it all mean? Have you lost your senses, making out that a few simple cakes are the dearest in the country! Are you mad?" "Yes," loudly exclaimed Gilligen, waving his arms wildly about, "I am mad — and I'm getting madder. After losing his bullocks, woman, do yer expect a man to keep his senses?" "Losing the bullocks, William Gilligen! ! What do you mean?" "Mean ! I tell yer, rake the ashes, quick -*-here, where's a rake? Why the "Harry you started baking to-day I " "Now, Gilligen, do be calm j and you know the dominie — — "

"Hang the dominie ! Drat and confound the dominie !" cried Gilligen fiercely, feeling exasperated to the last degree. " Oh, mother," exclaimed Martha in a tone of real agony, " look, there is a gentleman at the kitchen door. It may be Mr Carlton himself!"

Whoever the stranger was, he must have heard Gilligen's imprecations on the luckless dominie, and, lest he should hear a continuation of them, Mrs Gilligen hurriedly called out, "Just step inside, sir. I'm coming now." Obeying the request, the stranger advanced, only to be met by the fluttering covey of fowls, scuttling and "flying from the table, as he entered. The damaged appearance of the cakes, all pecked, many half consumed by the feathered army, was pathetic — sufficiently so to awaken regret in the heart of any beholder.

Seeing the fowls making such a hurried exit, Martha could picture too well the damage they had created. Alas for first impressions — upon this scene of confusion th-j dominie had actually arrived. "Mother, go in and receive the gentleman," she implored ; "do — I will manage father."

As Mrs Gilligen went inside Martha turned to her father.

"Now, dad," she said firmly, "just say plainly what you have lost^ and where you lost it." " Twenty-nine pounds, solid cash," he repeated slowly, bu,t in, § tone. ,* •"*" ■""*- **"*> i'But where? "» -,

"In the oven there, where I put it when Q'Brien paid me. The house was locked up," he continued, " and Pat was dhry and wanting a drink, so we went down to Murphy's. 1 thought the money would be safe here till I got back." Martha paled with consternation. " Oh, father, never ! " "I tell you, yes," he said emphatically. " Twenty-five pounds in notes, the rest in gold. Now what do yer think of yer cakes?" he asked; "they are dear enough to ruin me. What do you think of them, girl, eh?" Martha paused before she replied, coolly : '" I think at your age, dad, a man ought to have more sense than to go performing round and upsetting things like- this. The loss is your own fault." Now that he had made known the nature and extent of his trouble. Gilligen felt a little relieved, also a little humbled at Martha's stt-rn rebuke, the justice of which he inwardly admitted, yet he could not refrain from reminding her " if it had net been for the dominie." " Not another word about the dominie," returned Martha, firmly. "Go for the garden rake, -dad ; we may find the sovereigns at least in the ashes. " Meantime, in the kitchen, the sight of the havoc wrought on the table had aroused Mrs Gilligen's displeasure. She therefore eyed the visitor very sternly. "Mrs Gilligen, I presume," said the stranger. "I suppose you — cr — expected me." '" If it's the dominie, we didn't expect you till to-morrow," she returned curtly. " Then you couldn't have received my wire? " "Indeed we didn't." " There is some mistake," he said. "At the telegraph office, where the coach stopped, I inquired, and they told me it had been given to Master Gilligen last night." " I'll ' Master Gilligen ' Tommy for this as soon as he t_omes home, see if I don't," exclaimed his mother wrathfully. " One trouble never comes ak»ne," she added in a deeply injured tone. "Here's Gilligen himself just gone off his head, and what for I don't know." "Is he= — cr — subject to such attacks?" " No, indeed. It's the first time in all me loife I've seen him mad. Come and speak to him, Mr — cr — Dominie." At Martha's suggestion Gilligen had gone off hurriedly for the rake. He was just as hurri'idly returning when intercepted by Mrs Gilligen and the stranger. "Gilligen! William! Here's Mr Carl-; ton, the dominie." • " Glad to meet you, sir," said the latter boldly, thouigh not without some nervousness as to what might happen next. " Here, take this rake, young man, and rake over them ashes, will you," exclaimed j Gilligen in a peremptory tone that ignored j all formality. "Darned if I'm not out of breath — but," he added quickly, "111 go .back for the sieve." - j Considering that a long -handled- rake was a dangerous thing in the hands of a lunatic, ; Dominie Carlton promptly took it, asking meekly, Where^ — cr — shall I rake, Mr Gilligen?" " Martha," shouted her father, " show this rake them ashes ; quick now." Poor Martha, thus appealed to, came forward with a deeply crimson tint of confusion, and Dominie Carlton, who, despite his studious tailing, had an eye for a pretty girl, there and then decided that Martha had a good claim to the designation. " Father is excited, Mr Carlton," sh© said quietly. "He has just discovered that seme money he placed in the oven, and vhich I did not see before lighting the fire, has, of course, been burnt." "Well, if it will conciliate him at all," replied the dominie with a courteous smile, " let us rake, the ashes." "Where is Tommy, mother?" asked Martha. "He ought to be home now; he could do it." * " Yes ; and I'll ' Tommy ' him as soon as he comes — the young scapegrace," said his mother angrily.

It was just at this moment that Master Gilligpn hove in sight. His boots and socks had oeen relieved from, duty on bis feet, and were suspended from his shoulders ; his sturdy legs were mud almost to- the knees, the sleeve of his coat was. widely torn, and the rim of his straw hat subdivided, sections of it hanging loosely over his neck. In one hand he carried a fishing rod, while his capture of three or four fish, tied together, swung proudly in the other.

As he first advanced, Tommy did not notice the stranger. " Look, Martha ! "he called' out proudly, holding up his prize of fish.

" Thomas, come here ! " said his mother in her most commanding tone.

Now the sound of Mrs Gilligen's " Thomas, come here ! " had only the effect of making Master Tom stand' firmly where he was. Besides, he had caught, sight of the stranger, and, in truth, Tommy's conscience whispered, "It might be someone to tell of a fellow."

"Do you hear me, Thomas?" repeated his mother sternly, but without producing the least movement on Tommy's part. " Come on, Tom, and show us your fish," said Martha, persuasively. " You are not afraid, are you?"

In response, to this request-, Tommy advanced, cautiously at first, then with confidence.

"What a big one, Tom," exclaimed Martha, as the urchin held up his capture, and for the moment- enjoyed a proud feeling of triumph.

But here Mrs Gillian suddenly caught and held Thomas fast by the shoulder.

"You young limb,"' she exclaimed. "Where's the letter you got last night ?" Tom wriggled and twisted vainly. "'Where is it, I say?" demanded his mother.

"It's — in me pocket, and — I forgot," wailed Tommy, thrusting his hand, ana discovering, to his dismay, that his pocket contained nothing but a number ot large iqles. __ ihig discovery filled Tommy wj£h. ajarm,

j and at last brought forth a loud and tear* ' ful "800.-hoo-hoo. I— ain't got me panta on," he cried. "What do you mean, sir? You just walk inside,'' exclaimed his mother, dragging him along, "If I don't strap you." "But I — ain't got — me pants — on," protested Tommy, tearfully. ''I ain't." "Wait a minute, mother,'" interposed Martha, as she surveyed the hopeful. "He really hasn't his pants on — he has the pants of some other boy/ nnd in spite of tlie perplexities around her, Martha was unable to suppress her laughter. "Yes," sobbed Tommy, "I got Jimmy; Baxter's and — lie's got mine. It's all Rovei's fault, 'cause he mixed up the cloth-es while we was having a swim, and then,'* continued Tommy, sobbing, "lie — he " "Well, what then?" asked Martha, merrily. "Me and Jimmy raced to see who'd be dressed first, and Jimmy's pants is the same size as mine and the same colour, and both tored behind — only Jim, he made a mistake, he took mine and left me his." "Is that the truth, Tommy?" inquired' his mother sternly, giving him a vigorous shake. "Yes it is," replied Tommy, " 'cause look here, my pockets were both good, and Jim's is all holey," hastily rubbing his eyes ; and, Tommy, to convince his hearers, displayed the broken pockets. "What did you have in your pockets, Tom?" asked Martha, gently. "I had a catapult and a Jew's harp, and two whistles and the letter, and a box or worms for fishing bait, and the money, and a ball and some marbles, too." "What money did you have, Tom?'' "The money I was going ter give ter dad ; I found it planted in the oven when I came back for the box of fishing bait I left there. Me and Jim wanted to go fishing. The place was locked up, and I took the money ter give dad — and now it's in me pocket. I know Jimmy didn't lose it, 'cause his mother spanked him off to bed." "Oh, Tommy dear," cried Martha joyfully, "you're a brick, and you won't get the strap for a month." While the conference with Tommy was proceeding, Gilligen had been looking for the sieve, hoping with its assistance to obtain at least a specimen of the lost sovereigns. In his hurry and agitation he had actually passed it by two or three times before he at last descried it. "Dad,", exclaimed Martha, as he returned, "we have found the money — notes •and all." Gilligen dropped his sieve,, and executed almost an acrobatic feat as he lushed to the ; 'dominie. "Shake hands, young fellow, shake hands. ' You've don^svonders already." "I have done Nothing but rake the ashes," exclaimed the dominie modestly. "The honours all belong to Tommy here." Mrs Gilligen, realising that, -whatever else was wrong, certain money was safe, and that for once Tommy had distinguished himself on. the credit side, readily agreed .to .forego' the promised strapping. "She turned>fcb^tbe dominie, and, with her most •amiable"" smile, declared "he must be tired with the travelling and the raking, so she would prepare tea." Martha took charge of Tommy, and by a generous use of soap and water and a. change of clothing made him presentable. After tea, when Martha set out for the Baxters' to explain the mistake made by the respective "imps" of both families, the dominie, feeling it would be interesting to see this unique incident to a close, offered to accompany her. Tommy admitted being tirad, but generously said "as long as they didn't lose the Jew's harp and the whistles, and the catapult, they could get the things from Jimmy without him." Though it was, of course, Tommy's omission in forgetting to deliver the telegiam that upset all Martha's original plans and destroyed her airy castles on that eventful day, it was also, in process of time, Tommy's agency that brought about the full realisation of her dreams. But that is another story.