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.

THE HEART OF MID-LOTHIAN. 825
Court since the case of Luckie Smith the howdie, that suffered in the year
saxteen hundred and seventy-nine."
"But what's the matter wi' you, Mr. Butler?' said the good woman;
"ye are looking as white as a sheet; will ye tak a dram?"
" By no means," said Butler, compelling himself to speak. "I walked
in from Dumfries yesterday, and this is a warm day."
"Sit down," said Mrs. Saddletree, laying hands on him kindly, "and
rest ye-ye'll kill yoursell, man, at that rate.-And are we to wish you joy
o' getting the scule, Mr. Butler?"
" Yes - no - I do not know," answered the young man vaguely. But
Mrs. Saddletree kept him to the point, partly out of real interest, partly
from curiosity.
"Ye dinna ken whether ye are to get the free scule o' Dumfries or no,
after hinging on and teaching it a' the simmer?"
" No, Mrs. Saddletree-I am not to have it," replied Butler, more collectedly. "The Laird of Black-at-the-bane had a natural son bred to the kirk,
that the presbytery could not be prevailed upon to license; and so- "
" Ay, ye need say nae mair about it; if there was a laird that had a puir
kinsman, or a bastard that it wad suit, there's eneugh said.-And ye're e'en
come back to Libberton to wait for dead men's shoon? —and, for as frail as
Mr. Whackbairn is, he may live as lang as you, that are his assistant and
successor."
"Very like," replied Butler with a sigh; "I do not know if I should wish
it otherwise."
"Nae doubt it's a very vexing thing," continued the good lady, "to be
in that dependent station; and you that hae right and title to sae muckle
better, I wonder how ye bear these crosses."
" Quos diligit castigat," answered Butler; "even the Pagan Seneca could
see an advantage in affliction. The Heathens had their philosophy, and
the Jews their revelation, Mrs. Saddletree, and they endured their distresses
in their day. Christians have a better dispensation than either-but doubtless "
He stopped and sighed.
" I ken what ye mean," said Mrs. Saddletree, looking toward her husband; "there's whiles we lose patience in spite of baith book and BibleBut ye are no gaun awa, and looking sae poorly-ye'll stay and tak some
kale wi' us?"
Mr. Saddletree laid aside Balfour's Practiques, (his favourite study, and
much goodmay it do him,) to join in his wife's hospitable importunity.
But the teacher declined all entreaty, and took his leave upon the spot.
" There's something in a' this," said Mrs. Saddletree, looking after him
as he walked up the street; "I wonder what makes Mr. Butler sae distressed about Effie's misfortune-there was nae acquaintance atween them
that ever I saw or heard of; but they were neighbours when David Deans
was on the Laird o' Dumbiedikes' land. Mr. Butler wad ken her father or
some o' her folk. - Get up, Mr. Saddletree - ye have set yoursell down on
the very brecham that wants stitching-and here's little Willie, the prentice.-Ye little rin-there-out deil that ye are, what takes you raking through
the gutters to see folk hangit?-how wad ye like when it comes to be your
ain chance, as I winna ensure ye, if ye dinna mend your manners? -And
what are ye maundering and greeting for, as if a word were breaking your
banes?-Gang in by, and be a better bairn another time, and tell Peggy to
gie ye a bicker o' broth, for ye'll be as gleg as a gled, I'sewarrant ye. —It's a
fatherless bairn, Mr. Saddletree, and motherless, whilk in some cases may be
waur, and ane would take care o' him if they could-it's a Christian duty."
"Very true, gudewife," said Saddletree, in reply, "we are in loco parentis
to him during his years of pupilarity, and I hae had thought of applying to
the Court for a commission as factor loco tutoris, seeing there is nae tutor
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