Page:Martha Spreull by Zachary Fleming.pdf/69

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EEL, efter the turn things had ta'en in last chapter, I made up my mind that nae time should be lost in gettin' Willie Warstle a Question Book. Efter catchin' me by the cauf o' the leg wi' a string, in mistake for a young lass, I wis left in mortal fear o' what he might be up to next, if his moral edication wis langer negleckit; but I made a mistake at the ootset. The book I bought him contained the "Confession of Faith," as weel as the "Larger and Shorter Catechism." Hooever, I can tell ye I wis doonricht weel pleased wi' the progress the callant made, and the answers he gave me showed a wonnerfu' grip o' memory, as weel as intelligence; in fact I could see he wis interestit i' the book.

Ae day he startled me wi' a question he speir'd.

"Do you believe," says he, "John Smallwares, the pipemaker, can forgive sins?"

I wis perfect dumfooner't, for I couldna see what the laddie had in his head. John Smallwares was, nae doot, an elder i' the kirk, but, to tell ye the truth, he wisna greatly thocht o' as a Christian man, havin' failed in business an' paid five shillings i' the pound by wye o' composition.

"Hoot, toot," quoth I, "what puts sic fancies into yer heid?"