young leddies, Mistress Mary and Emily Ramsden, and
just as gentle, and loving, and kind as lambs to the younger children.
They thanked me for my help; but they put their hands to everything
themselves, and would nae let me do half as much as I wished. I'll tell
you what, Margaret, I have set my heart on having them for my twa
bairns. They would make them bonny wives, indeed, but don't ye gang and
tell your brothers, for there is that obstinacy in human nature that
they might back, and kick, and run off into the woods rather than do
what, if left alone, they would be eager after."

Margaret promised to be discreet, and allow her brothers to judge for
themselves, without praising the Misses Ramsden, should her opinion of
them, as she had little doubt it would agree with that formed by Janet.
Next morning she and Alec paid their promised visit, and she was fully
as much disposed as Janet to admire the Misses Ramsden and their mother.
The more she saw of them the more pleased she was, not only with their
appearance, but with their earnest piety, their simple unassuming
manners, and their apparent energy and determination, and their evident
readiness to submit to all the inconveniences to which settlers in a new
country must, of necessity, be subjected.

A few days after this Donald and David returned, and called on Margaret
on their way home. They naturally inquired whether Mrs Ramsden and her
family had arrived. She wisely said but little about the young ladies,
and Janet was equally discreet. They, however, managed to find their
way that evening to Mr Skinner's.

They were always glad to pay their kind friend a visit; but from their
sister's and Janet's discreet silence, they suspected that the change in
the character of his establishment would be a drawback to the pleasure
of their previous intercourse. Not, however, till a much later hour
than usual on the evening in question did they discover that it was high
time to take up their hats and wish Mr Skinner and his sister and her
daughters good-bye.

As they walked homewards, Donald, after a long silence, burst out
laughing, exclaiming, "Weel, I expected to see a number of bairns in
pinafores, but eh! she's a braw lassie."

"She is the sweetest young creature I have ever had the happiness of
meeting," said David.

"But I am talking of the elder sister," exclaimed Donald.

"And I speak of the younger," observed David. "But they are both very
nice girls--th