oking
in his face as she spoke, "tak an example by them, and when ye get a
wife, if she's a guid ane, aye tak her advice afore ony ither body's,
and ye'll never hae cause to rue it. Afore Andrew was married, he ran
to a' the markets i' the round; he could never win hame that day he
gaed awa; his pouches were aye toom, and his duds were aften like to
bid him guid-day. Folk ca'd him a _weirdless cratur_ and a
_ne'er-do-weel_; and when he fell in wi' Tibby Crawford, some o' them
said, if they were her, they wouldna tak him, and ithers leugh at him
for drawin up wi' an auld hizzie like her; but Tibby took Andrew, and
Andrew took Tibby's advice; and noo they've a haudin o' their ain, wi'
plenty o' baith meat and claes, and three bonny bairns into the
bargain."

Jock seemed to listen more attentively to this harangue than he had
ever done to a sermon in his life. During the latter part of it he
appeared thoughtful; and, when it was concluded--"I've been thinkin,"
said he, "that, as Andrew and Tibby hae come sae weel on----" Here he
seemed to have forgotten what he was about to say, and was silent.

"Weel, Jock," said the other, "as I was gaun to say, there's Betsy
Braikens, a stout lassie already; she's Sandy Crawford's cousin, as ye
ken brawly, and troth I wouldna wonder muckle at seein her----"

"Ou ay, Nelly," interrupted Jock; "but, as I was gaun to tell ye, I've
been thinkin----" Here, however, he again halted, and seemed to have
nothing farther to say.

"I dinna ken what ye've been thinkin," said Nelly, after a
considerable pause; "but I think they would need to hae a hantle
patience that listen to your thoughts, for ye're unco lang o' coming
out wi' them. But, whatever they are, ye needna hesitate sae muckle in
tellin them to me, for I never telled a tale o' yours owre again in my
life."

"It's no for that either," said Jock, laughing; "but I just thought
shame to speak about it, and yet there's nae ill in't, after a'. I've
been thinkin, aye since ye wouldna let me gie half-a-crown for yon
_strowl_ o' lace i' the market, that you and me micht do waur than
make a bargain oorsels. I wad just need somebody like you to look
after me; and noo, Nelly, if you would promise to be my wife, I would
never seek anither."

Nelly's countenance brightened up with a glow of satisfaction, such as
it had not exhibited for years, at hearing these words. But, striving
to suppress those unwonted feelings which were rising in her bo