The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

OLD MORTALITY. 399
"They're gude parritch eneugh," said Mrs. Wilson, " if ye wad but take
time to sup them. I made them mysell; but if folk winna hae patience,
they should get their thrapples causewayed."
" Haud your peace, Alison! I was speaking to my nevoy.- How is this,
sir? - and what sort o' scampering gates are these o' going on? Yb were
not at hame last night till near midnight."
"Thereabouts, sir, I believe," answered Morton, in an indifferent tone.
"Thereabouts, sir? -What sort of an answer is that, sir? Why came
ye nae hame when other folk left the grund?"
" I suppose you know the reason very well, sir," said Morton; "I had
the fortune to be the best marksman of the day, and remained, as is usual,
to give some little entertainment to the other young men."
" The deevil ye did, sir! And ye come to tell me that to my face? You
pretend to gie entertainments, that canna come by a dinner except by sorning on a carefu' man like me? But if ye put me to charges, I'se work it
out o' ye. I seena why ye shouldna haud the pleugh, now that the pleughman has left us; it wad set ye better than wearing thae green duds, and
wasting your siller on powther and lead; it wad put ye in an honest calling, and wad keep ye in bread without being behadden to ony ane."
"I am very ambitious of learning such a calling, sir, but I don't understand driving the plough."
"And what for no? It's easier than your gunning and archery that ye
like sae well. Auld Davie is ca'ing it e'en now, and ye may be goadsman
for the first twa or three days, and tak tent ye dinna o'erdrive the owsen,
and then ye will be fit to gang between the stilts. Ye'll ne'r learn younger,
I'll be your caution. IHaggie-holm is heavy land, and Davie is ower auld
to keep the coulter down now."
" I beg pardon for interrupting you, sir, but I have formed a scheme for
myself, which will have the same effect of relieving you of the burden and
charge attending my company."
" Ay? indeed? a scheme o' yours? that must be a denty ane!" said the
uncle, with a very peculiar sneer; " let's hear about it, lad."
" It is said in two words, sir. I intend to leave this country and serve
abroad, as my father did before these unhappy troubles broke out at home.
His name will not be so entirely forgotten in the countries where he served,
but that it will procure his son at least the opportunity of trying his fortune as a soldier."
"Gude be gracious to us i" exclaimed the housekeeper; "our young Mr.
Harry gang abroad? Na, na! eh, na! that maun never be."
DMilnwood, entertaining no thought or purpose of parting with his
nephew, who was moreover, very useful to him in many respects, was thunderstruck at this abrupt declaration of independence from a person whose
deference to him had hitherto been unlimited. I-He recovered himself, however, immediately.
"And wha do you think is to give you the means, young man, for such
a wild-goose chase? Not I, I am sure-I can hardly support ye at hame.
And ye wad be marrying, I'se warrant, as your father did afore ye, too, and
sending your uncle hame a pack o' weans to be fighting and skirling through
the house in my auld days, and to take wing and flee aft like yoursell,
whenever they were asked to serve a turn about the town?"
"I have no thoughts of ever marrying," answered Henry.
"Hear till him, now!" said the housekeeper. "It's a shame to hear a
douce young lad speak in that way, since a' the warld kens that they maun
either marry or do waur."
Ilaud your peace, Alison," said her master;-" and you, Harry," (he
added, more mildly), "put this nonsense out o' your head-this comes o'
letting ye gang a-sodgering for a day-mind ye hae nae siller, lad, for ony
sic nonsense plans."