Page:Martha Spreull by Zachary Fleming.pdf/44

32 time in these far-back Nairdays! The twa gudemen drank their toddy, and generally had hot words ower some poleetical or releegious point; my mither and Mysie had cracks o’ their ain; while I laid in to the currant buns and the shortbread atween ban’s. I canna say my faither wis very superstishous, but he had great faith in Peter as his first-fit. As I hae said, he aye planted himsel’ ahint the door to listen, and if ony o’ the neebours should win to the door before Peter the lamp gaed oot in a giffy and we were a’ sound asleep.

The body looket kin ’ly at me frae the ither side o’ the fire. “ Weel, Mistress Spreull,” says he, “ I’ll alloo I wis a lucky first-fit ance. I think ye werena mony oors auld when Mysie and me gaed ben that Nairday, and among the last words yer faither said to me wis that ye had been a great blessin’ to him; and I’m sure ye hae been an unco credit to us a’.”

“Hoot, toot,” quoth I, “ye maunna speak aboot that,” but the tears cam’ to my een sae fast, as I thocht o’ what had happened sin’ syne, that I had to turn awa’ my heed for fear they should bring back unhappy memories to himsel’. Ane o’ the objects o’ my visit wis to contrive without offence to gi’e him a set o’ new flannels: for the body’s bluid wis geyan thin, and I kent he couldna afford by his sma’ cooperin’ jobs to ware muckle siller on himsel’; but, to my great satisfaction, he took the thing real freen’ly when he heard they had been woven by my ain han’; and efter brewin’ him anither gless o’ toddy, the which he wud mak’ me taste mysel’, I wished him a “ Happy New-Year,” and left him unco jocose and happy.

Weel, seein’ that I wis oot at ony rate, 1 thocht I wud just slip doon the High Street and see the auld neebourhude again. But, eh me! sic a changed place. The auld Bell-o’-the-Brae is clean cut awa. Hale streets hae been dung doon, and fine