Page:Scott - Tales of my Landlord - 3rd series, vol. 1 - 1819.djvu/208

198 the objections which he had to their being contracted. He spoke to a premier, too busy in devising ways and means to puzzle himself with refuting the arguments offered against their justice or expediency.

"There's Eppie Smatrash will trust us for ale," said Caleb to himself; "she has lived a' her life under the family—and maybe wi' a soup brandy—I canna say for wine—she is but a lone woman, and gets her claret by a runlet at a time—but I'll work a wee drap out o' her by fair means or foul. For doos, there's the doo-cot—there will be poultry amang the tenants, though Luckie Chirnside says she has paid the kain twice ower—We'll mak shift, an it like your honour—we'll mak shift—keep your heart abune, for the house sall haud its credit as lang as auld Caleb is to the fore."

The entertainment which Caleb's exertions of various kinds enabled him to present to the young gentlemen for three or four days was certainly of no splendid