"Ay, weel, lads, of course David Alexander's oor Dite as we called 'im, Dite Elshioner, an' that's his wy o' signifyin' to us 'at he's married." "I assure ye," said Hendry, "Dite's doin' the thing in style." "Ay, we said that when the card arrived," Pete admitted.
"I kent," said Tammas, "'at that was the wy grand fowk did when they got married.

I've kent it a lang time.

It's no nae surprise to me." "He's been lang in marryin'," Hookey Crewe said.
"He was thirty at Martinmas," said Pete.
"Thirty, was he ?" said Hookey.

"Man, I'd buried twa wives by the time I was that age, an' was castin' aboot for a third." "I mind o' them," Hendry interposed.
"Ay," Hookey said, "the first twa was angels." There he paused.

"An' so's the third," he added, "in many respects." "But wha's the woman Dite's ta'en ?" T'nowhead or some one of the more silent members of the company asked of Pete.
"Ou, we dinna ken wha she is," answered Pete; "but she'll be some Glasca lassie, for he's there noo.