"Ay, an' he talked rale kindly aboot my faither to Hardie, mither.
Smillie's a fine man, an' I like him," he said with simple enthusiasm.
"He is that, Rob. I've aye liked Bob for the way he has had to fecht.
Lod, I dinna ken hoo he has managed to come through it a'. He's been a
gran' frien' to the miners. What kin' o' a man is Hardie?"
"He's yin o' the finest men I ever met," he answered in quick
enthusiasm. "You would hae enjoyed hearin' him, mither. It's an awfu'
peety that the weemin dinna gang to the meetin's. I'm shair there's no'
a woman in the place but wad hae liket him. My! if you had jist heard
him, strong, sturdy, and independent. Efter hearin' him, it fair knocked
the stories on the heid aboot him bein' oot to smash the hame, an'
religion an' sic like. He's clean and staunch, an' a rale man. Nae sham
aboot him, but a rale human bein', an' after listenin' to him tellin'
what Socialism is, it mak's you feel ashamed that you ever believed
things that you did believe aboot it. It's that simple an' Tam Donaldson
is fair carried awa' wi' it the night."
"I'm glad you had a guid meetin'," she said, her interest kindled too.
"Tell me a' aboot it," and Robert told her, sketching the fine picture
which Hardie had given to his memory to carry, as long as life lasted
for him.
Pages:
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263