A Window in Thrums

by J. M. Barrie

Overview

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1892 edition. Excerpt: ...in this I cannot say, but not every weaver in Thrums could "louse" when his back grew sore. Nanny went to the loom in his place, filling as well as weaving, and he walked about, dressed better than the common, and with cheerful words for those who had time to listen. Nanny got no approval even for doing his work as well as her own, for they were understood to have money, and Sanders let us think her merely greedy. We drifted into his opinions. Had Jess been one of those who could go about, she would, I think, have read Nanny better than the rest of us, for her intellect was bright, and always led her straight to her neighbours' hearts. But Nanny visited no one, and so Jess only knew her by hearsay. Nanny's standoffishness, as it was called, was not a popular virtue, and she was blamed still more for trying to keep her husband out of other people's houses. He was so frank and full of gossip, and she was so reserved. He would go everywhere, and she nowhere. He had been known to ask neighbours to tea, and she had shown that she wanted them away, or even begged them not to come. We were not accustomed to go behind the face of a thing, and so we set down Nanny's inhospitality to churlishness or greed. Only after her death, when other women had to attend him, did we get to know what a tyrant Sanders was at his own hearth. The ambition of Nanny's life was that we should never know it, that we should continue extolling him, and say what we chose about herself. She knew that if we went much about the house and saw how he treated her, Sanders would cease to be a respected man in Thrums. So neat in his dress was Sanders, that he was seldom seen abroad in corduroys. His blue bonnet for everyday wear was such as even well-to-do farmers only wore at...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781484867846
Publisher:	CreateSpace Publishing
Publication date:	05/02/2013
Pages:	134
Product dimensions:	7.44(w) x 9.69(h) x 0.29(d)

About the Author

Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM ( 9 May 1860 - 19 June 1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered today as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland but moved to London, where he wrote a number of successful novels and plays. There he met the Llewelyn Davies boys, who inspired him to write about a baby boy who has magical adventures in Kensington Gardens (included in The Little White Bird), then to write Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, a "fairy play" about an ageless boy and an ordinary girl named Wendy who have adventures in the fantasy setting of Neverland.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER III. PREPARING TO RECEIVE COMPANY. Leeby was at the fire brandering a quarter of steak on the tongs, when the house was flung into consternation by Hendry's casual remark that he had seen Tibbie Mealmaker in the town with her man. " The Lord preserve's !" cried Leeby. Jess looked quickly at the clock. "Halffower!" she said excitedly. " Then it canna be dune," said Leeby, falling despairingly into a chair, " for they may be here ony meenute." " It's most michty," said Jess, turning on her husband, " 'at ye should tak a pleasure in bringin' this hoose to disgrace. Hoo did ye no tell's suner?" " I fair forgot," Hendry answered, " but what's a' yer steer ?" Jess looked at me (she often did this) in a way that meant, " What a man is this I'm tied to!" "Steer!" she exclaimed. " Is't no time we was makkin' a steer ? They'll be in for their tea ony meenute, an' the room no sae muckle as sweepit . Ay, an' me lookin' like a sweep ; an' Tibbie Mealmakcr 'at's sae partikler genteel seein' you sic a sicht as ye are!" Jess shook Hendry out of his chair, while Leeby began to sweep with the one hand, and agitatedly to unbutton her wrapper with the other. " She didna see me," said Hendry, sitting down forlornly on the table. Get aff that table!" cried Jess. " See haud o' the besom," she said to Leeby. " For mercy's sake, mother," said Leeby, " gie yer face a dicht, an' put on a clean mutch." " I'll open the door if they come afore you're ready," said Hendry, as Leeby pushed him against the dresser. " Ye daur to speak aboot openin' the door, an'you sic a mess!" cried Jess, with pins in her mouth. " Havers!" retorted Hendry. " A man canna be aye washin' at 'imsel." Seeing that Hendry was asmuch in the way as myself, I invited him upstai...