Page:Martha Spreull by Zachary Fleming.pdf/115

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on the carpet, as if I fain wud be ca’d by some ither name if I could get it.

“Eh, it’s a nice name,” quoth he, wi’ a sigh, and then stopped to think aboot it for the better pairt o’ a minute. “ I have been switherin’,” he resumed, “for sometime aboot takin’ a wife.”

“ The thing’s cornin’ noo,” thinks I, still I never lifted my e’e frae the rose-bud, but it took me a’ my time to keep my face straicht.

“ Till short syne I had never seen onyhody that my heart could lie to. Martha, I needna beat aboot the bush— that body is yersel’.”

I felt my face gettin’ red wi’ the effort to keep frae screaming, but I stuck to the rose-bud, and never said a word. “Ye needna blush,” says he, “ but just tell me oot plain, what I hae jaloused for sometime past—is my proposal no agreeable to ye ? ”

“This is far ower much kindness,” quoth, I, twirling my thooms, and shifting my een in search o’ a green leaf or something to rest them on for a change. “ You wha micht get a wife wi’ plenty o’ siller.”

“ That’s true,” says he, “ that’s true, but love gets the better o’ us whiles; hooever, I hae a guid trade, and there’s neither o’ us bare-handed, I hope.”

“ As for me,” quoth I, “ I canna reckon on mair than a thoosand pounds sae lang as my faither leeves, yet I’m sure there’s plenty o’ ladies .”

“ Martha,” says he, jumping to his feet, “ what are fine leddies or siller to me ? Love is better than warld’s gear; gie me a kiss and close the bargain.”

The man cam’ dangerously near me, so I got to my feet.

“Na, na,” quoth I, “ no’ a step farther till ye speir my faither’s leave.”