me down to seek an almous frae ony bodie; but I couldna help it-auld age and an aching arm, soon made my bit beild toom o' plenishing; and when a' was gone, what could I do, for I could neither work nor want?”

""Deed Janet," replied Martha, "nobody says or thinks that it was idleset which brought you to the lone; for we a' ken it was a sore night that, afore ye could bring your mind to gang out in the morning.Many a saut tear and heavy heart was in the Clachan that day, at the sight of one that had so long ettled to keep up an appearance, at last obliged to go from door to door. But, Janet, Andrew will do something for you, and I'm blithe to say it's in his power, as I hope he'll no lack of the inclination."

"Noo that I hae got the better o' the shame," replied the poor old creature, "I maun just warsle on; the neighbours are a' as kind to me as they can afford; I only trust that the Lord will no leave me to grow bedrid-that's noo a' in this world that I fear."

"But if He should," replied our hero, cheeringly, "He'll send some kindly hand to help you."

“Ay, so I thought ance," said Janet, "and so I would fain hope still, for he has been gracious to me even in beggary, disposing the hearts of every body to compassion and sympathy; but when Mrs. Pierston gaed away frae the Wood-side to live in Glasgow, I lost a good friend; she would ne'er hae alloo't me to die in neglect. Howsever, poor leddy, she had her ain trials; for your old companion Charlie, her son, perished the pack, and they say has spoused his fortune and gone to Indy; I'm sure, gang where he will, a blessing will attend him, for he had a liel heart; and I hae a notion that mine wasna" the sairest in the parish when we heard of his ganging abroad; for ever since Miss Mary Cunningham kent that it was me that keepit the stand at the Fair for you and him, she's been aye kinder and kinder; and her and me has mony a crack about you and him, when I gang on the Saturdays to The Place."

"They would hae been a braw couple," said our

hero's grandmother; " and I ne'er heard till noo a right because for Miss Mary being so skeigh to a' her other joes."

Andrew was not entirely pleased with this information; for although persuaded that no attachment nad existed on the part of Pierston, it was possible that Mary Cunningham might have cherished some early affection for him; and he was on the point of turning away, in the absence of the moment produced by the remark of the old woman, when his grandmother again reminded him to give Janet something. Ashamed of

his inattention, he immediately said, "No; my auld copartner maunna receive sic gifts ony mair;—Janet, ye'll come home and tak supper wi' us; and as the maister's to be there, we'll consult wi' him what's best to be done for you."

66 Na, na," exclaimed the poor old woman bursting suddenly into tears, "I'll no do that; I canna noo sit -dow on an equality wi' ony body I hae fashed for alms, I'li no disgrace neither you nor your grandmother wi' my company; but whatsoever you and the master are content to do for me, I'll tak in thankfulness; but it has pleased the Lord to chastise me with the humiliation of beggary, and I'm resigned to His will. I would fajn hope, however, that He'll no just carry His righteous dispensation so far as to leave me to perish like a dog at a dyke-side-that's noo a' my anxiety."

The Baronet was deeply affected by the lowliness of this burst of affliction, and the honest sense of pride that it breathed.

Martha again assured the mendicant that she would be taken care of. "Though it werena in the power of Andrew," said she, 66 to do the needful, there's mony kindly neighbours, Janet, that respect you; and we a' think that what has been your case may be our ain, so you shouldna be just so cast down, but come away and tak a bit of our supper."

"No the night," replied Janet, drying her eyesA no the night :" and rising from the wall on which she had been resting, she moved to go homeward, which was in a different direction from that of Martha's Cottage.

Our hero then gave her what silver he had about him, saying, "Tak that, Janet, for erls of something better; and be sure and come to grannie's in the morning.

The unhappy creature could not speak, but grasped his hands in both hers, and watered them with the tears of her gratitude.

CHAPTER XLII.

THE FIRE-SIDE.

In the mean time the Craiglands family were discusing the events of the day; and the Laird was not the least dogmatical of the group, although perhaps not the wisest. "I dinna understand," said he, "a' this wark about Martha Docken's oye. That English Lord and his Leddy mak him joke-fellow wi' themselves; but the Englishers, as it is weel known, are no overladen with discretion-that's a certain fact. But how Andrew came to the degree of a Bauronet, is a thing I would fain hear the rights o'. Howsoever, I'm thinking that your Bauronet noo-a-days are but, as a body would say, the scum that's cast uppermost in times o' war and trouble."

Ay, but, brother," said Miss Mizy, "Sir Andrew's a great and wealthy man, and a Member of Parliament; and ye hae heard how Mary and me found him on a footing with the Duchess of Dashingwell, aud a' the nobility, which was just confounding."

"Ye have said sae," replied the Laird; "but everybody kens that Duchesses, especially o' the English breed, are nae better than they should be."

"But you forget, sir," interposed Mary, "that Lady Margaret is sister-in-law to her Grace; and when she gave us letters to the Duchess, she not only assured us

that she was a lady of unblemished honour, but beloved and esteemed by all her friends."

"Ye wouldna surely hae had Leddy Margaret," said the Laird, "to speak ill of her ain kith and kin." "But Sir Andrew," resumed Miss Mizy," has made a great fortune, and has bought the estate of Wylie." "Is't paid for ?" interrupted the Laird. "I would like to ken that."

"I should think," said Mary, diffidently, that he must be a man of merit and ability; for you know, sir, that he had but his own conduct for his patron, and he has acquired both riches and honour."

"But how did he acquire them!" cried the Laird, sharply. "Any body may acquire riches and honour! -the road is open both to gentle and semple. But, thanks be and praise, the democraws are no just able yet to mak themselves men o' family.'

"It is not likely that Sir Andrew is a democrat ; neither his associates nor his inclinations, or I am much mistaken," replied Mary, " lie that way."

"Wha made you a Judge ?" exclaimed the Laird. "I do not affect any judgment in the matter," was the answer; "I only think

"What business hae ye think? Is't not clear as a pike-staff that trade and traffic are to be the ruin o' this country. In a few years, it's my opinion, they'll no be sic a thing as a gentleman. There's that poor mean-spirited body Monkgreen, wha was aye ettling to improve his lands, like a common farmer, and wha cut down the fine auld trees o' his grandfather's planting, to set up his sons as Glasgow merchants-What has he made o't? His auld son, Robin, they say, stands behint a counter gieing out wabs to tambourers. Willy, the second, is awa' wi' a pact among the niggers to the West Indies; and his only dochter, she's drawn up wi' a manufacturer, which in broad Scotch means just a weaver. In another generation, a' that we'll hear o' the auld respectit family of Monkgreen, will be something about a sowan-cog or a sugar-hoggit. I wouldna be surprised to see a clecking o' blackent weans com

ing hame frae Jamaica, crying Massa-grandpa' to Monkgreen yet, before he died-it's a judgment he weel deserves."

"I am surprised, my dear father, that you entertain such prejudices against those who rise in the world by their talents and merits. The founders of all families must have sprung originally from the people," said Mary, with a persuasive accent.

True, Mary, my dear-that's very true," replied the Laird; "but there's some difference between a family come of the sword, aud ane o' the shuttle."

66

Ay, brother; but Sir Andrew Wylie's no frae the loom, but the law," said Miss Mizy.

"That's ten times waur," cried the Laird. Every body kens that lawyer is just another name for cheater. Wasna I obligated to pay James Gottera seventeen pounds odd shillings for outlay, and the price of the cow that happened to die, by me accidentally poking my stick in her e'e when she was riving down the hedge? Was there ever such injustice heard o'?--and that came of the law."

"I doubt, sir, said Mary, "that with these sentiments you and the Baronet are not like to become very intimate.”

"Bauronet! Bauronet! What gars the lassie aye cast up the Bauronet to me; I dinna like to hear sic havers. Martha Docken's oye a Bauronet !"

The conversation continued in this strain for some time, till Miss Mizy again reminded her brother that Sir Andrew had bought the Wylie estate. "They say," said she, "that he paid mair than thirty thousand pounds for't."

"Barrow't money! Barrow't money!" exclaimed the Laird. "What's to hinder folk frae buying estates with heritable bonds ?"

"But the Baronet,"-Mary was proceeding to say, when her father interrupted her peevishly.

"Bauronet again! Wilt t'ou ne'er devaul with that Bauronetting? Tak him to you and his Bauronetcy." "I'm sure she may get far waur," replied Miss Mizy ; "for he's a sensible man, and ye saw how he