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But in this I am speaking of the change when it had come to a full head; for in verity it must be allowed that when the country gentry, with their families, began to intromit among us, we could not make enough of them. Indeed, we were deaved about the affability of old crabbit Bodle of Bodletonbrae, and his sister, Miss Jenny, when they favoured us with their company at the first inspection ball.
Na, na, quo' I, depend upon't the lard's been imposed upon wi that wily do-little deevil, Johnnie Howie. But Lord haud a care o' us, sirs, how can that be, quo' she again, when the laird's sae book-learned, there's no the like o' him in the country side, and Johnnie Howie has hardly sense eneugh to ca' the cows out o' his kale-yard? Aweel, aweel, quo' I, but ye'll hear he's circumvented him with some of his auld-warld stories, for ye ken, laird, yon other time about the bodle that ye thought was an auld coin"
This was uttered with the true mendicant whine, as, setting his pike-staff before him, he began to move in the direction of Monkbarns. "But did your honour," turning round, "ever get back the siller ye gae to the travelling packman for the bodle?" "Curse thee, go about thy business!" "Aweel, aweel, sir, God bless your honour! I hope ye'll ding Johnnie Howie yet, and that I'll live to see it."
'I believe he is ane o' King George's state officers; at least he's aye for ganging on to the south, and he has a hantle siller, and never grudges onything till a poor body, or in the way of a lawing. 'He wants a guide and a horse frae hence to Edinburgh? 'Ay, and ye maun find it him forthwith. 'Ahem! It will be chargeable. 'He cares na for that a bodle.
Macleuchar, aware that she had a defensive part to sustain in the encounter which was to follow, was in no hurry to hasten the discussion by returning a ready answer. "Mrs. Macleuchar!" "I am just serving a customer. Indeed, hinny, it will no be a bodle cheaper than I tell ye."
'I believe he is ane o' King George's state officers; at least he's aye for ganging on to the south, and he has a hantle siller, and never grudges onything till a poor body, or in the way of a lawing. 'He wants a guide and a horse frae hence to Edinburgh? 'Ay, and ye maun find it him forthwith. 'Ahem! It will be chargeable. 'He cares na for that a bodle.
"I howp noo, Sandy," I says, says I, "that you'll keep clear o' the eediotikal pliskies you played lest winter." "You can wadger your henmist bodle on that," says Sandy, as he took a rive ooten a penny lafe. "There's to be ither kind o' wark on this winter. Bandy an' me's been busy at the gomitry.
'I believe he is ane o' King George's state officers; at least he's aye for ganging on to the south, and he has a hantle siller, and never grudges onything till a poor body, or in the way of a lawing. 'He wants a guide and a horse frae hence to Edinburgh? 'Ay, and ye maun find it him forthwith. 'Ahem! It will be chargeable. 'He cares na for that a bodle.
I likened the parish to a widow woman with a small family, sitting in her cottage by the fireside, herself spinning with an eident wheel, ettling her best to get them a bit and a brat, and the poor weans all canty about the hearthstane the little ones at their playocks, and the elder at their tasks the callans working with hooks and lines to catch them a meal of fish in the morning and the lassies working stockings to sell at the next Marymas fair. -And then I likened war to a calamity coming among them the callans drowned at their fishing the lassies led to a misdoing and the feckless wee bairns laid on the bed of sickness, and their poor forlorn mother sitting by herself at the embers of a cauldrife fire; her tow done, and no a bodle to buy more; drooping a silent and salt tear for her babies, and thinking of days that war gone, and, like Rachel weeping for her children, she would not be comforted.
But it was aye an oonsaitisfactory kin' o' a thing, for the trustees they caredna a bodle aboot keepin' the place dacent, an' tuik sae sma' delicht in ony pleesurin' o' the auld lord,'at they jist allooed him me, an' no a man mair nor less to the gairden, that is. That's hoo the place comes to be in sic a disgracefu' condeetion.
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