Forbye that, to tell your honour the evendown truth, there's nae better place ever offered to Andrew.

But if your honour wad wush me to ony place where I wad hear pure doctrine, and hae a free cow's grass, and a cot, and a yard, and mair than ten punds of annual fee, and where there's nae leddy about the town to count the apples, I'se hold mysell muckle indebted t'ye." "Bravo, Andrew! I perceive you'll lose no preferment for want of asking patronage." "I canna see what for I should," replied Andrew; "it's no a generation to wait till ane's worth's discovered, I trow." "But you are no friend, I observe, to the ladies." "Na, by my troth, I keep up the first gardener's quarrel to them.

They're fasheous bargains--aye crying for apricocks, pears, plums, and apples, summer and winter, without distinction o' seasons; but we hae nae slices o' the spare rib here, be praised for't! except auld Martha, and she's weel eneugh pleased wi' the freedom o' the berry-bushes to her sister's weans, when they come to drink tea in a holiday in the housekeeper's room, and wi' a wheen codlings now and then for her ain private supper." "You forget your young mistress." "What mistress do I forget ?--whae's that ?" "Your young mistress, Miss Vernon." "What! the lassie Vernon ?--She's nae mistress o' mine, man.

I wish she was her ain mistress; and I wish she mayna be some other body's mistress or it's lang--She's a wild slip that." "Indeed!" said I, more interested than I cared to own to myself, or to show to the fellow--"why, Andrew, you know all the secrets of this family." "If I ken them, I can keep them," said Andrew; "they winna work in my wame like harm in a barrel, I'se warrant ye.

Miss Die is--but it's neither beef nor brose o' mine." And he began to dig with a great semblance of assiduity.
"What is Miss Vernon, Andrew?
I am a friend of the family, and should like to know." "Other than a gude ane, I'm fearing," said Andrew, closing one eye hard, and shaking his head with a grave and mysterious look--"something glee'd--your honour understands me ?" "I cannot say I do," said I, "Andrew; but I should like to hear you explain yourself;" and therewithal I slipped a crown-piece into Andrew's horn-hard hand.