COMMUTER'S WIFE 343 



and her step-aunt's brother was never rightly suited 

 till his fourth, and he over seventy. 



" I am lucky, as ye say, Mr. Evan, to get my 

 choice, early in life, as it were, which might pass 

 for the first, as Corkle, though fairish while he 

 lasted, wasn't o' my choosin', it b'ein' brought 

 about by the cattle-show and cousins, with me too 

 tender-hearted to say no." 



"When are you to marry Timothy?" I ven- 

 tured, with visions of domestic change. 



"Two weeks come Wednesday, if it's approved, 

 Mrs. Evan. I worked that all hout in my mind 

 before I spoke to Tim'thy. An' the doctor's agree- 

 able, we could take up house in the floor by the 

 stables for the time, the same bein' quite a cottage, 

 havin' as good a settin' room as needed, :: cleaned 

 well and freshened up a bit with a red rose paper. 

 I've told myself many a time these years that if I'd 

 ever a settin' room again, it's" red roses I'd choose. 



"There's a good bit o' unused meadow on the 

 north side where I could raise fowls and a goose 

 or two ; please Heaven, I'll have one fatted o' me 

 own next Michaelmas, and spread the linen to 

 bleach. There's no such pleasure as doin' laundry 

 when you've the time to coax it clean, so to 

 speak." 



