ve the harmless enjoyment
that other young girls had, and to take the good of them. And she
desired for Davie, also, that he should be able to do and to enjoy
something else besides the work of the farm, which was certainly his
first duty. But she knew that his grandfather's desire to keep him from
evil companionship might keep him also from such companionship as might
correct some faults into which he was in danger of falling, being left
too much to himself, and might do him good in other ways. So, whenever
a fair opportunity occurred to give the young people a taste of
amusement which seemed harmless and enjoyable, she quietly gave her
voice in favour of it. And in her opinion this was one of the
occasions.

"If we are to refuse to put a hand to any good work till all who wish to
help are models of discretion, we'll do little in this world, Davie lad.
And you'll do what you can to make the occasion what it ought to be for
the honour of the town, since it is to be in Gershom."

"Oh, grannie, grannie! What would folk say to hear you? As though the
whole town werena agog for the fun of it, and as though I could make a
straw's difference."

"You can make a difference to your mother and Katie and the bairns. And
I dinna like to hear you laughing at folk, as though you didna believe
in them and their doing. We canna all be among the wise of the earth,
and I would like Katie to get the good of this--she who gets so little
in the way of pleasure."

"Oh, Katie! She's better at home than holding sham committee meetings
with a parcel of idle folk. There's plenty to do it all without her."

"Oh, as to committee meetings, I doubt she could be ill spared to many
of them, but for the day itself, to hear the speaking and see the show
like the rest. And you are not to spoil it to her beforehand, Davie."

"Well, I winna, grannie. It will be great fun I dare say."

"And as it's a leisure time, you must do what you can to help with the
rest, and all the more as I canna spare Katie. And she will have
preparations to make at home. But we'll hear more about it, it is
likely."

"Plenty more, grannie. Oh, yes; I'll help. It is to be a grand
occasion."

"But the preparing beforehand is the best of all, they say," said Katie.

But even her grandmother was as well pleased that Katie should have
nothing to do with general preparations. All sorts of young people were
to help, and it could hardly be but that some foolis