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ROAMIN' IN THE GLOAMIN' 61
tricts of Scotland and when Nance and I had been "walkin' out" for a few months we decided to get married as soon as we could find a house. Fortunately we met with no difficulty in this direction. The colliery proprietors I was working for at the time had a house vacant in the Weaver's Land, a colony of miners' residences owned and controlled by them. The rent was three and sixpence a week, which sum was kept off the weekly pay envelope. As I was working on "contract" and earning about three pounds a week the rent could not be considered excessive. Moreover, I had always been of a saving disposition, especially since falling in love, and had over twenty pounds in the bank, a sum more than ample to set us on our feet as a young married couple. The vacant but-and-ben having been repainted and papered, we started to furnish the humble nest right away.
The main article of furniture which engrossed our most earnest attention was the kitchen dresser. No working man's house in Scotland in those days was complete without a dresser. This is a highly polished wooden contraption with two swinging doors in front and a "back" rising above the level of the top boarding. Her dresser was — and still is so far as I know — the special joy and pride of the Scottish housewife. In its shelves below, and outside on top, she displays her crockery and ornaments and table equipment to the best advantage. As often as not a doyley is spread outside and on this ornamentation the clock, or a pair of vases, or a couple of toddy bowls are placed with an eye to effect. The whole thing is kept as shiny and spotless as possible. The first thing the visitor to the miner's home does is to examine the dresser with a most critical eye; it is the keynote to the taste, the cleanliness and the general housewifely qualities of the lady in command.
As I have said, Nance and I spent a lot of time and thought over the purchase of our dresser. But at last the die was cast — we selected one which cost us three pounds ten