Naething is good enough for them." The dominie took no notice of the petulant interruption.

"Laird," he said excitedly, "it is like a fresh Epiphany, what this young Mr.
Selwyn says--the hungry are fed, the naked clothed, the prisoners comforted, the puir wee, ragged, ignorant bairns gathered into homes and schools, and it is the gospel wi' bread and meat and shelter and schooling in its hand.

That was Christ's ain way, you'll admit that.
And while he was talking, my heart burned, and I bethought me of a night-school for the little herd laddies and lasses.

They could study their lessons on the hillside all day, and I'll gather them for an hour at night, and gie them a basin o' porridge and milk after their lessons.

And we ought not to send the orphan weans o' the kirk to the warkhouse; we ought to hae a hame for them, and our sick ought to be better looked to.