ich not an "auld wife" in Scotland is altogether free, she
changed the dolorous croon into a "Gude guide us!" and, pressing the
babe to her aged breast, bestowed a hearty blessing upon her nursling of
the second generation--the child of him who was at once her master and
her foster-son.

"An' wae's me that he's sae far awa', and canna do't himsel. My bonnie
bairn! Ye're come into the warld without a father's blessing."

Perhaps the good soul's clasp was the tenderer, and her warm heart
throbbed the warmer to the new-born child, for a passing remembrance of
her own two fatherless babes, who now slept--as close together, as when,
"twin-laddies," they had nestled in one mother's bosom--slept beneath
the wide Atlantic which marks the sea-boy's grave.

Nevertheless, the memory was now grown so dim with years, that it
vanished the moment the infant waked, and began to cry. Rocking to
and fro, the nurse tuned her cracked voice to a long-forgotten
lullaby--something about a "boatie." It was stopped by a hand on her
shoulder, followed by the approximation of a face which, in its bland
gravity, bore "M.D." on every line.

"Well, my good---- excuse me, but I forget your name."

"Elspeth, or mair commonly, Elspie Murray. And no an ill name, doctor.
The Murrays o' Perth were"----

"No doubt--no doubt, Mrs. Elsappy."

"_Elspie_, sir. How daur ye ca' me out o' my name, wi' your unceevil
English tongue!"

"Well, then, Elspie, or what the deuce you like," said the doctor, vexed
out of his proprieties. But his rosy face became rosier when he met the
horrified and sternly reproachful stare of Elspie's keen blue eyes as
she turned round--a whole volume of sermons expressed in her "Eh, sir?"
Then she added, quietly,

"I'll thank ye no to speak ill words in the ears o' this puir innocent
new-born wean. It's no canny."

"Humph!--I suppose I must beg pardon again. I shall never get out what
I wanted to say--which is, that you must be quiet, my good dame, and
you must keep Mrs. Rothesay quiet. She is a delicate young creature, you
know, and must have every possible comfort that she needs."

The doctor glanced round the room as though there was scarce enough
comfort for his notions of worldly necessity. Yet though not luxurious,
the antechamber and the room half-revealed beyond it seemed to furnish
all that could be needed by an individual of moderate fortune and
desires. And an eye more romantic and poetic than that of the worthy