he girls was
exceedingly beautiful; and the figures of both of them, in grey plaids
falling to their feet, their faces only being uncovered, excited our
attention before we spoke to them; but they answered us so sweetly that
we were quite delighted, at the same time that they stared at us with an
innocent look of wonder. I think I never heard the English language
sound more sweetly than from the mouth of the elder of these girls, while
she stood at the gate answering our inquiries, her face flushed with the
rain; her pronunciation was clear and distinct: without difficulty, yet
slow, like that of a foreign speech. They told us we might sit in the
ferry-house till the return of the boat, went in with us, and made a good
fire as fast as possible to dry our wet clothes. We learnt that the
taller was the sister of the ferryman, and had been left in charge with
the house for the day, that the other was his wife's sister, and was come
with her mother on a visit,--an old woman, who sate in a corner beside
the cradle, nursing her little grandchild. We were glad to be housed,
with our feet upon a warm hearth-stone; and our attendants were so active
and good-humoured that it was pleasant to have to desire them to do
anything. The younger was a delicate and unhealthy-looking girl; but
there was an uncommon meekness in her countenance, with an air of
premature intelligence, which is often seen in sickly young persons. The
other made me think of Peter Bell's 'Highland Girl:'

'As light and beauteous as a squirrel,
As beauteous and as wild.'

She moved with unusual activity, which was chastened very delicately by a
certain hesitation in her looks when she spoke, being able to understand
us but imperfectly. They were both exceedingly desirous to get me what I
wanted to make me comfortable. I was to have a gown and petticoat of the
mistress's; so they turned out her whole wardrobe upon the parlour floor,
talking Erse to one another, and laughing all the time. It was long
before they could decide which of the gowns I was to have; they chose at
last, no doubt thinking that it was the best, a light-coloured sprigged
cotton, with long sleeves, and they both laughed while I was putting it
on, with the blue linsey petticoat, and one or the other, or both
together, helped me to dress, repeating at least half a dozen times, 'You
never had on the like of that before.' They held a consultation of
several minutes over a pair of c