Part 29 (1/2)
Dauvit laughed, but the others seeument seriously
”Jake,” said Dauvit, ”does it no strike ye that to be buried in yer native place is a disgrace?”
”Hoo that, na?” said Jake
”Because the man that bides in the place he was born in is of nae ie, aye, and their native country Aye, lads, the best men and the worst women leave their native country”
”I sincerely trust that you are not insinuating that they leave together, Dauvit,” I put in hastily
”No, they dinna do that, dominie; but whether they meet in London I dinna ken,” and he srate
”I dinna see what the attraction o' London is,” he said with a touch of contempt
”It is rather difficult to describe,” I said ”For one thing you feel that you are in the centre of things You are in the midst of all the best plays and concerts and processionsand you never think of going to see the and Lloyd George and Bernard Shawbut you never see them anywhere Then there are the places of historic interest, the Tower, Westminster Abbey, St Paul'sand you don't knohere they are until your cousins come up for a week's trip, and then you ask a policeet to love London”
”There will be a fell puckle funerals I daresay,” said the undertaker
”To tell the truth,” I answered, ”I have never seen a funeral in London In the suburbs, yes, but never in the centre of the West End
I've often seen them at the crematorium in Golders Green”
The undertaker frowned
”That crematin' business shud be abolished by act o' Parliauid wood and coal They tell me it taks twa ton o' coal ilka time”
I was surprised to find that the broad- cre to do with it, and thereof creu cases was a pure rationalisation
I wondered why the topic of funerals kept coly put the matter to Dauvit
”Maybe it's because we're sad because ye're gaein' awa,” he said half-seriously ”We'll o
”Aweel, Dauvit, I'll be going,” I said
”Aweel, so long,” said Dauvit without looking up The others said ”Guidnicht” or ”So Long,” and I went out I was sorry to leave these good friends, and they were sorry to lose me; yet we parted, it may be, for years, just as if ere to see each other to-morrow We are a queer race
XI
When I arrived in London to-night I received a blow A letter awaitedover had decided to sell the property Thus all my dreams of a free school vanished in smoke There isn't a house to rent in London; thousands are for sale, but I have no money to buy If I had money I should hesitate to buy, for if a school is a success it expands, and the ideal thing to do is to take it out to the country where there is fresh air and space to grow
To-night I feel pessi-planned scheme suddenly falls to pieces