Page:A Companion and Useful Guide to the Beauties of Scotland.djvu/285

Rh length she took a different direction, and bounded away through bog and heath, to a hut on a dismal looking swamp, at some distance. On the morrow, the rattle of the wheels again brought forth a swarm, and my skipping lass amongst them; I had not forgotten her; but all Maryburgh could not furnish me with six-penny worth of half-pence. The girl bounded before me smiling; and seemed to express, by her countenance, that to-morrow was come, and that she claimed my promise. On a steep rise she came close to the window of the chaise; she did not speak, but she looked in my face so expressively, that out came a silver six-pence from my purse, and I threw it before her. She stooped to pick it up, expecting, I suppose, a half-penny: but no sooner did her eye catch the white metal, but she jumped a full yard from the ground, uttering such a scream of joy and surprize as startled me, and might have been heard at a great distance. She then quickly turned to her companion beggars, shewed the six-pence to them, and, with a smile of delight, bounded away towards the huts with an incredible swiftness. I never gave a six-pence with so much pleasure in my life; nor do I suppose one ever was received with more ecstasy.