with companions of their
own sex and age, who were anxious to be considered broad in their views.
Times have changed now, for we hear that quite respectable folk, even
town-councillors, take their walks openly on Sabbath afternoons. It was
otherwise in those days.

But none of their own kind did the Drumquhat folk meet or overtake, till
at the bottom rise of the mile-long Whinnyliggate Wood the red cart came
up with the three brave little old maids who, leaving a Free kirk at
their very door, and an Established over the hill, made their way seven
long miles to the true kirk of the persecutions.

It had always been a grief to them that there was no Clavers to make
them testify up to the chin in Solway tide, or with a great fiery match
between their fingers to burn them to the bone. But what they could they
did. They trudged fourteen miles every Sabbath day, with their dresses
"fait and snod" and their linen like the very snow, to listen to the
gospel preached according to their conscience. They were all the
smallest of women, but their hearts were great, and those who knew them
hold them far more worthy of honour than the three lairds of the parish.

Of them all only one remains. (Alas, no more!) But their name and honour
shall not be forgotten on Deeside while fire burns and water runs, if
this biographer can help it. The M'Haffies were all distinguished by
their sturdy independence, but Jen M'Haffie was ever the cleverest with
her head. The parish minister had once mistaken Jen for a person of
limited intelligence; but he altered his opinion after Jen had taken him
through-hands upon the Settlement of "Aughty-nine" (1689), when the
Cameronians refused to enter into the Church of Scotland as
reconstructed by the Revolution Settlement.

The three sisters had a little shop which the two less active tended;
while Mary, the business woman of the family, resorted to Cairn Edward
every Monday and Thursday with and for a miscellaneous cargo. As she
plodded the weary way, she divided herself between conning the sermons
of the previous Sabbath, arranging her packages, and anathematising the
cuddy. "Ye person--ye awfu' person!" was her severest denunciation.

Billy was a donkey of parts. He knew what houses to call at. It is said
that he always brayed when he had to pass the Established kirk manse, in
order to express his feelings. But in spite of this Billy was not a true
Cameronian. It was always suspected that he could not