Page:Martha Spreull by Zachary Fleming.pdf/87

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S I said before, I had cuttit baith my wisdom teeth or I wis weel into my twelfth year. My mither, bless her memory, wis unco upliftit aboot the occurrence, the mair especial as her feelin's were worked on by Beeny Fortune, the spaewife, Mysie Deans, the mantymaker, and ither offeeshus neebours; but it's no' for me to dwell on that as a matter o' special merit, for I didna bring the thing on mysel', neither could I hinder the course o' natur', or lift up my voice, had I been willin', against what wis decreet before I wis born. Indeed, to tell the gospel truth, as I am bound to do, baith as a matter o' honour to mysel and as a duty to those that come efter me, I canna say I wis a grain wycer efter a' the scarifeein' and trouble o' gettin' the teeth, than ither lassies o' my ain age that had still the ordale to gang through. I wis a real don at the "peeveral," "there cam' dukes," "Babity bowster," and ither youthfu' games. I could even tak' a turn at "I spy," and "Keep the corbie frae the craw," wi' the callants, but I showed nae predeleckshon ava' for buik learnin'. Indeed, durin' a' my schule carrickilum the only thing that I ever excelled in wis the spellin' o' big words. Hooever, it has been