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 and dashing in her arm, stirred the infusion with equal care and speed.

"I believe, cousin," said Mrs Mason, hesitatingly, "I believe—you forgot to wash your hands."

"Hoot!" returned the good wife, "my hands do weel eneugh. I canna be fashed to clean them at every turn."

"But you go about your work with such activity," rejoined Mrs Mason, "that I should think it would give you little trouble, if you were once accustomed to it: and by all that I have observed, and I have had many opportunities of observation, I believe that in the management of a dairy, cleanliness is the first, the last, the one art needful."

"Cleanly!" repeated Mrs MacClarty; "nae ane ever said that I was na' cleanly. There's no' a mair cleanly person i' the parish. Cleanly, indeed? Ane wad think ye was speaking to a bairn!"

Mrs Mason offered a few words in explanation, and then retired to her own