Betsy, wha was
baith a weel-faured and a weel-conditioned cummer, and had some
experience in the management o' a house." They said, further, that
"Betsy, they were sure, wad be the woman; for Sandy was a thoughtfu
callant; and though he might be led awa, for a time, wi' twa blue een,
a slender waist, and the red and white on a lassie's face, he wad soon
come to see that ither things were needfu to a man fechtin for his
bread, and strugglin for the rent o' a farm." A third party presumed
to differ from both of these in every particular save one. They
admitted, indeed, that Sandy "was a thoughtfu callant;" but from that
very admission they drew a quite contrary conclusion. "Baith Betsy and
Jenny," they averred, "might remain _single_ lang aneugh for him; and
if he ever took a wife ava, they were sure it wadna be in ony hurry."
They also pointed out several advantages which were likely to accrue
to him from adopting this theory, and several disadvantages which
would infallibly result from his adoption of any other. "The place,"
they said, "was but sma', and the rent high; and as lang as he had
only a servant, he had naething but her bit year's wage to pay at the
term. But, were he to tak a wife, he wad hae to get new beds, and new
chairs, and a hantle whigmaleeries forby, that wad cost him nae little
siller; he wad hae to buy _fykes_ to her in ilka market, and in ilka
shop he cam past--not to mention bairns' meat and bairns' claes--mair
o' baith, maybe, than the place wad afford." Thus, as the great
political world is at present divided into Tories, Whigs, and
Radicals, this little sequestered district was divided into parties,
which, for the sake of distinction, we shall denominate _Jervisines_,
_Braikenites_, and _Malthusians_.

Though Betsy Braikens had not been at Gairyburn for several years
before the death of her aunt, after that occurrence she continued to
pay occasional visits there; and it was observed, by those who knew
and could interpret the signs of the times, that her cousin always
looked more thoughtful for a day or two after she went away, than was
his usual. This seemed to favour the theory of the _Jervisines_, who
said that he was pestered with her visits, and did not know how to get
quit of her. The _Braikenites_, on the other hand, maintained, that,
if he did not give her some encouragement, she would not return so
often; and that his thoughtful looks were occasioned by regret at her
absence.

Sever