arms round his neck, and weeping
again--"na, na; _I_ dinna _ask_ ye."

"But ye maybe wish it, my dear Peggy," replied he, whimpering.
"Necessity is a great power: maybe ye feel _compelled_ to wish it."

"Maybe I do," said the wife, with another burst.

"Weel, Peggy, dry up yer tears, my love," said the conquered lord;
"I'll awa to Mrs Jean Todd."

And he was as good as his word. Away he went, to recognise that
authority in a wife which he so heartily despised, and to which he was
himself, at the very moment, bowing his head. He took the bill with
him, with the view of taking advantage of a compliance upon the
instant, as he feared the effects of a night's reconsideration. He
found the couple in a curious position. They were sitting, one on each
side of the fire. Mrs Jean Todd had on her spectacles; but her book
was lying on the table. Mr Todd was apparently doing nothing; but he
was thinking more deeply, and with more difficulty, than was his
partner, who was occupied doubtless in digesting what she had been
reading. Mr Todd was, in truth, at that very moment in the very act of
endeavouring to call up courage to tell his wife the import of the
deacon's request, and to make some attempt at supporting his petition.
A few words had passed previous to the entry of the deacon.

"I had a lang sederunt wi' our worthy deacon the day," said Andrew.
"He's no an ill body, the deacon. I canna forget the trouble he took
on my appointment to the honourable office o' boxmaster."

"It was _I_ that made ye boxmaster, Andrew," said Mrs Jean Todd. "I
commanded the suffrages o' the hail corporation. Deacon Waldie couldna
hae opposed me. I was at the blind side o' the electors, through their
wives; and what man could hae dared to compete wi' the electors'
wives, when they were determined to vote for me? The deacon professes
to laugh at _our_ authority. Puir man! he forgets, or doesna see, that
there's no a man in the hail corporation wha is mair ruled, and mair
dangerously ruled, by his wife than he is! She'll ruin him; and that
ye'll sune see. Nae tradesman could stand her extravagance; and, I
understand, she cunningly contrives to get him to assist _her_
friends, and to despise and disregard his ain. How different is my
conduct! Your friends, Andrew, I hae assisted; and the only thing I
ever left to your unassisted judgment was the benefiting o' mine."

This sensible speech had, as the sun does the fire, extinguished
Andrew's ment