A certain number of tea-dinners would make a man into a Plymouth brother.

It's a mere question of time.
"You see if a man's digestion is good he takes a cheerful view of things; but if he is full of bile, then he is sure that everybody is going to be lost except himself and his little set, and that's heresy.
Apologetics is just dietetics; now there 's an epigram made for you on the spot, and you don't know what it means, so we 'll have a walk instead." His aunt knew what was coming, but was too late to resist, so she was twice taken round the room for exercise, till she cried out for mercy, and was left to rest while Carmichael went out to get an appetite for that dinner.
Nothing was said during its progress, but when Sarah had finally departed after her first triumph, won under every adverse circumstance of strangeness and limited resources, Carmichael took his aunt's hand and kissed it.
"It is an illuminated address you deserve, auntie, for such a paragon; as it is, I shall be the benefactor of a Presbytery, asking the men up by turns on fast-days, and sending them home speechless with satisfaction." "Sarah was always a clever woman; if she had only--" But Carmichael heard not, in his boyish excitement of householding.
"Clever is a cold word for such genius.

Mark my words, there is not a manse in Perthshire that shall not sound with the praise of Sarah.

I vow perpetual celibacy on the spot.

No man would dream of marrying that had the privilege of such a housekeeper." "Ye 're a silly laddie, John; but some day a fair face will change a' yer life, an' if she be a good wumman like your mother, I 'll thank God." "No woman can be compared with her," and the minister sobered.