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.

592 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
o' the kirk. And then there's Aily MacClure of Deepheugh, that practises
her abominations, spaeing folks' fortunes wi' egg-shells, and mutton-banes,
and dreams and divinations, whilk is a scandal to ony Christian land to
suffer sic a wretch to live; and I'll uphaud that, in a' judicatures, civil or.ecclesiastical."
"I daresay ye are very right, father," was the general style of Jeanie's
answer; "but ye maun come down to the Manse to your dinner the day.
The bits o' bairns, puir things, are wearying to see their luckie-dad; and
Reuben never sleeps weel, nor I neither, when you and he hae had ony bit
outcast.'
"Nae outcast, Jeanie; God forbid I suld cast out wi' thee, or aught that
is dear to thee!" And he put on his Sunday's coat, and came to the Manse
accordingly.
With her husband, Mrs. Butler had a more direct conciliatory process.
Reuben had the utmost respect for the old man's motives, and affection for
his person, as well as gratitude for his early friendship. So that, upon any
such occasion of accidental irritation, it was only necessary to remind him
with delicacy of his father-in-law's age, of his scanty education, strong
prejudices, and family distresses. The least of these considerations always
inclined Butler to measures of conciliation, in so far as he could accede to
them without compromising principle; and thus our simple and unpretending heroine had the merit of those peacemakers, to whom it is pronounced
as a benediction, that they shall inherit the earth.
The second crook in Mrs. Butler's lot, to use the language of her father,
was the distressing circumstance, that she had never heard of her sister's
safety, or of the circumstances in which she found herself, though betwixt
four and five years had elapsed since they had parted on the beach of the
island of Roseneath. Frequent intercourse was not to be expected-not to
be desired, perhaps, in their relative situations; but Effie had promised,
that, if she lived and prospered, her sister should hear from her. She must
then be no more, or sunk into some abyss of misery, since she had never
redeemed her pledge. Her silence seemed strange and portentous,-and
wrung from Jeanie, who could never forget the early years of their intimacy, the most painful anticipation concerning her fate, At length, however, the veil was drawn aside.
One day, as the Captain of Knockdunder had called in at the Manse, on
his return from some business in the Highland part of the parish, and had
been accommodated, according to his special request, with a mixture of
milk, brandy, honey, and water, which he said Mrs. Butler compounded
"petter than ever a woman in Scotland,"-for, in all innocent matters, she
studied the taste of every one around her, -he said to Butler, " Py the py,
minister, I have a letter here either for your canny pody of a wife or you,
which I got when I was last at Glasco; the postage comes to fourpence,
which you may either pay me forthwith, or give me tooble or quits in a hit
at packcammon."
The playing at backgammon and draughts had been a frequent amusement of Mr. Whackbairn, Butler's principal, when at Libberton school.
The minister, therefore, still piqued himself on his skill at both games, and
occasionally practised them, as strictly canonical, although David Deans,
whose notions of every kind were more rigorous, used to shake his head,
and groan grievously, when he espied the tables lying in the parlour, or
the children playing with the dice-boxes or backgammon men. Indeed,
Mrs. Butler was sometimes chidden for removing these implements of pastime into some closet or corner out of sight. " Let them be where they are,
Jeanie," would Butler say upon such occasions; "I am not conscious of
following this, or any other trifling relaxation, to the interruption of my
more serious studies, and still more serious duties. I will not, therefore,
have it supposed that I am indulging by stealth, and against my conscience,