Page:Martha Spreull by Zachary Fleming.pdf/119

Rh First he keekit at Maggie M'Nab, but as tallow wis coming doon owing to the growing use o’ gas, his choice at last fell on Jeanie Nicolson, whereupon Mrs. M‘Nab took mortal offence at the minister’s red stockings. First, she stayed awa’ frae the prayer meetings ; she couldna sit there and see the red legs o’ the man danglin’ aboot durin’ the singin’ o’ the psalms. It betokened a lichtness o’ mind and heart that wisna to be brooked by a Presbyterian elder’s wife, wha wis bound to uphold the sober solemnity o’ public worship. The sicht presented, to her imagination, suggestions o’ prelacy and visions o’ the scarlet-wumman.

Her dochter got a glint o’ the red stockings too, and absented hersel’ frae the Sabbath schule. This, as ye may suppose, caused a heap o’ speculation. Mrs. M'Nab, hooever, wisna a wumman to hae a grievance and keep it to hersel’. Here were twa Christian wummen driven awa’ frae the means o’ grace, and wis it no richt and just to themselves that at least the ither elders’ wives should ken the cause?

The Bible-wumman wis invited to tea—Mrs. M'Nab wis ane o’ a committee o’ ladies that took upon themsel’s the special chairge o’ seeing that this wumman did her duty—and it wis sune made plain to her mind that red stockings were mair like the stage than the kirk, and in that licht were an offence in the eyes o’ earnest-minded, religious folk.

This body wisna lang in visiting the ither members o’ the ladies’ committee wha had dochters; and as it wis earnestly set forth that the minister wore the objectionable articles o’ dress not only in defiance o’ the solemn traditions o’ the kirk, but for the carnal purpose o’ pleasing the e’e o’ that lichtheaded quean, Jeanie Nicolson, the dissatisfaction sune took deep and dangerous root. For a time it wis confined to the women-folk, but it didna lang bide there. Tea meeting efter