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Updated: September 12, 2025
"Be cautious, Leeby," Hendry was saying, when Jess shook her hand at him. "Wheesht," she whispered; "they're comin'." Hendry was hustled into his Sabbath coat, and then came a tap at the door, a very genteel tap. Jess nodded to Leeby, who softly shoved Hendry into the room. The tap was repeated, but Leeby pushed her father into a chair and thrust Barrow's Sermons open into his hand.
"Leeby," said Jamie, "dinna greet, an' I'll never do't again." He put his arms round her, and she kissed him passionately. "O, Jamie," she said, "hae ye prayed to God to forgie ye?" Jamie did not speak. "If ye was to die this nicht," cried Leeby, "an' you no made it up wi' God, ye wouldna gang to heaven. Jamie, I canna sleep till ye've made it up wi' God." But Jamie still hung back.
Jess spoke so mournfully that Hendry became enraged. "It's most michty," he said, "'at ye would gang an' set yer heart on sic a completely useless thing." "I hinna set my heart on't." "Dinna blether. Ye've been speakin' aboot thae eleven and a bits to Leeby, aff an' on, for twa month."
By the bank of the Quharity on a summer day I have seen a barefooted girl gaze at the running water until tears filled her eyes. That was the birth of romance. Whether this love be but a beautiful dream I cannot say, but this we see, that it comes to all, and colours the whole future life with gold. Leeby must have dreamt it, but I did not know her then.
'The other fowk, he said, 'will be sittin' in their seats wonderin' what my text's to be, but you'll ken, mother, an' you'll turn up to "Thou God seest me," afore I gie oot the chapter. Ay, but that day he was coffined, for all the minister prayed, I found it hard to say, 'Thou God seest me. It's the text I like best noo, though, an' when Hendry an' Leeby is at the kirk, I turn't up often, often in the Bible.
Until he went to Tilliedrum Jamie had been more a stay-at-home boy than most. The warmth of Jess's love had something to do with keeping his heart aglow, but more, I think, he owed to Leeby. Tilliedrum was his introduction to the world, and for a little it took his head. I was in the house the Sabbath day that he refused to go to church.
This talk took place while we were still awaiting Jamie's coming. He had only been with us one day when Jess made a terrible discovery. She was looking so mournful when I saw her, that I asked Leeby what was wrong. "She's brocht it on hersel," said Leeby. "Ye see she was up sune i' the mornin' to begin to the darnin' o' Jamie's stockins an' to warm his sark at the fire afore he put it on.
Na, they mak's think it's the Sabbath." Ten minutes afterwards I went downstairs to see how the preparations were progressing. Fresh muslin curtains had been put up in the room. The grand footstool, worked by Leeby, was so placed that Tibbie could not help seeing it; and a fine cambric handkerchief, of which Jess was very proud, was hanging out of a drawer as if by accident.
"Ay, ye often say that." "Do ye no believe my word?" "I believe fine ye mean what ye say, but ye forget yersel when the time comes." "Juist try me this time." "Weel, then, I do." "Do what?" asked the greedy Leeby. "What ye said." "I said love." "Well," said Jamie, "I do't." "What do ye do? Say the word." "Na," said Jamie, "I winna say the word. It's no a word to say, but I do't."
Ah, the Thrums women are good, I believe, but their wits are sadly in need of sharpening. I daresay it comes of living in so small a place." I overtook Leeby on the brae, aware, as I saw her alone, that it had been her father whom I passed talking to Tammas Haggart in the Square.
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