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"For yer ain sake, I wadna to Mistress Mair, for naething wad gar her tak' it it wad only affront her; an' for Nancy Tacket's sake, I wadna to her, for as her name so's her natur': she wad not only tak it, but she wad lat ye play the same as aften 's ye likit for less siller. Ye'll ha'e mony a chance o' makin' 't up to them baith, ten times ower, afore you an' them pairt, sir."
I hae aften been sequestered as a witness, for the Sheriff is in the use whiles to cry me in to witness the declarations at precognitions, and so is Mr. Sharpitlaw; but I was ne'er like to be sequestered o' land and gudes but ance, and that was lang syne, afore I was married. But whisht, whisht! here's the Court coming."
"I aften sit an' think we micht hae been aye herdin' sheep on the Dumfries hills, wi' scarce eneuch to eat, wi' this man 'my Laird' an' yon man 'yir Grace' an' oor ain bairns little mair nor slaves. The duke we knelt doon afore in Scotland aften paid mair for a racin' filly nor we paid for a' this bonnie land we ca' oor ain the day.
"Sin's sic an awfu' thing," he began; when the door opened, and in walked James Dow. His entrance did not interrupt Thomas, however. "Sin's sic an awfu' thing! And I hae sinned sae aften and sae lang, that maybe He'll be forced efter a' to sen' me to the bottomless pit." "Hoot, hoot, Thamas! dinna speyk sic awfu' things," said Dow. "They're dreadfu' to hearken till.
"I dinna gang reg'lar; but I gang as aften as Mr Graham wants me to help him, an' I aye gether something." "So it's schoolmaster you are as well as fisherman? Two strings to your bow! Who pays you for teaching?" "Ow! naebody. Wha wad pay me for that?" "Why, the schoolmaster." "Na, but that wad be an affront, my lord!" "How can you afford the time for nothing?"
Suddenly the soutar started off at full speed in a strathspey, which was soon lost in the wail of a Highland psalm-tune, giving place in its turn to 'Sic a wife as Willie had! And on he went without pause, till Robert dared not stop any longer. The fiddle had bewitched the fiddler. 'Come as aften 's ye like, Robert, gin ye fess this leddy wi' ye, said the soutar.
Ony gait, it's a guid lesson in patience to ye, an' that ye haena had ower aften, I'm thinkin' Robert'll be here er lang." With these words she set down the teapot, and went out: it was time to milk her cow. In a little while Gibbie rose, tried to walk, but failed, and getting down on his hands and knees, crawled out after her.
Andrew took it from under his plaid, and laid it in her arms, saying, "I maun go now and look after the mither. I'll need to yoke the cart for her; she's past walking, and I'm sair feared she's past living; but you'll save the bit bairn, Mysie, nae doot; for God disna smite aften wi' baith hands." "Where is she, Andrew?"
"Hoo cam he by the bonnie nickname?" she asked at length. "Nickname!" retorted Mistress Croale fiercely; "I think I hear ye! His ain name an' teetle by law an' richt, as sure's ever there was a King Jeames 'at first pat his han' to the makin' o' baronets! as it's aften I hae h'ard Sir George, the father o' 'im, tell the same."
The tear was aften in her e'e when the bairns were at the school; but when they came home, her spirit was lighted up with gladness, although, poor woman, she had many a time very little to give them.
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