"News! The bravest news ye ever heard--the Lord Keeper's up yonder wi'
his fair daughter, just ready to fling her at my lord's head, if he
winna tak her out o' his arms; and I'se warrant he'll stitch our auld
lands of Ravenswood to her petticoat tail."
"Eh! sirs--ay!--and will hae her? and is she weel-favoured? and what's
the colour o' her hair? and does she wear a habit or a railly?" were the
questions which the females showered upon the butler.
"Hout tout! it wad tak a man a day to answer a' your questions, and I
hae hardly a minute. Where's the gudeman?"
"Awa' to fetch the minister," said Mrs. Girder, "precious Mr. Peter
Bide-the-Bent, frae the Mosshead; the honest man has the rheumatism wi'
lying in the hills in the persecution."
"Ay! Whig and a mountain-man, nae less!" said Caleb, with a peevishness
he could not suppress. "I hae seen the day, Luckie, when worthy Mr.
Cuffcushion and the service-book would hae served your turn (to the
elder dame), or ony honest woman in like circumstances."
"And that's true too," said Mrs. Lightbody, "but what can a body do?
Jean maun baith sing her psalms and busk her cockernony the gate the
gudeman likes, and nae ither gate; for he's maister and mair at hame, I
can tell ye, Mr.
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