Upon my word--and that of an elder--I do not believe that even Mr Wiggie himself could have done the thing greater justice.

It was just as if he had been a play-actor man, spouting Douglas's tragedy.
Having folded up that paper, and turned over not a few others, the docketings of which he read out to us, James at last says, "Ou ay, here it is.

I think I can now prove to ye, that the gentleman's sweetheart died abroad; and that, likely from her name--for it is here mentioned--she must have been a Portugee or Spaniard." "Ay, let us hear it," cried Nanse.

"Do, like a man, let us hear it, James; for I delight above a' things to hear about love-stories.

Do ye mind, Maister," she said, "when ye was so deep in love aince yoursell ?" "Foolish woman," I said, giving her a kind of severe look; "is that all your manners to interrupt Mr Batter?
If ye'll just keep a calm sough, ye'll hear the long and the short o't, in good time." By this, James, who did not relish interruption, and was a thought fidgety in his natural temper, had laid down the paper on the table, snuffed the candle, and raised his spectacles on his brow.