He'll not be
wantin' _another_ such scoldin'."
"Oh!" said Emily, "'twere too bad t' scold un. He must be havin' a
wonderful lot o' places t' go to an' he's not deservin' t' be scolded
now. He's sure doin' th' best he can--I _knows_ he's doin' th' best he
can."
"He were deservin' of un, an' more. He were passin' my maid _two_ year
runnin' an' I can't be havin' that," insisted the father as he hung up
his adikey and stooped to open the komatik box, from which he
extracted a small package which he handed to Emily saying, "Somethin'
Bessie were sendin'."
"Look! Look, mother!" Emily cried excitedly as she undid the package
and discovered a bit of red ribbon; "a hair ribbon an'--an' a paper
with some writin'!"
Mrs. Gray duly examined and admired the gift while Emily spelled out
the message.
[Illustration (handwriting): to dear emily Wishin mery Crismus from
Bessie]
"Oh, an' Bessie's fine t' be rememberin' me!" said she, adding
regretfully, "I'm wishin' I'd been sendin' she somethin' but I hasn't
a thing t' send."
"Aye, Bessie's a fine lass," said her father. "She sees me comin' an'
runs down t' meet me, an' asks how un be, an' if we're hearin' e'er a
word from Bob. An' I tells she Emily's fine an' we're not hearin' from
Bob, but are thinkin' un may be comin' home for th' New Year.
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