Waverley Novels (Volume 5); Old Mortality (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1877 Excerpt: ... come ahint me as I hae been.--But, as I was saying, we'll awa down to Milnwood and tell Mr. Harry our distress. They want a pleughman, and the grund's no unlike our ain--I am sure Mr. Harry will stand my part, for he's a kind-hearted gentleman.--I'll get but little penny-fee, for his uncle, auld Nippie Milnwood, has as close a grip as the deil himsell. But we'll aye win a bit bread, and a drap kale, and a fire-side, and theeking ower our heads; and that's a' we'll want for a season.--Sae get up, mither, and sort your things to gang away; for since sae it is that gang we maun, I wad like ill to wait till Mr. Harrison and auld Gudyill cam to pu' us out by the lug and the horn." CHAPTER VIII. The devil a puritan, or anything else he is, but a time-server. Twelfth Night. It was evening when Mr. Henry Morton perceived an old woman, wrapped in her tartan plaid, supported by a stout, stupid-looking fellow, in hoddin-grey, approach the house of Milnwood. Old Mause made her curtsey, but Cuddie took the lead in addressing Morton. Indeed, he had previously stipulated with his mother that he was to manage matters his own way; for though he readily allowed his general inferiority of understanding, and filially submitted to the guidance of his mother on most ordinary occasions, yet he said, "For getting a service, or getting forward in the warld, he could somegate gar the wee pickle sense he had gang muckle farther than hers, though she could crack like ony minister o' them a'." Accordingly, he thus opened the conversation with young Morton: "A braw nicht this for the rye, your honour; the west park will be breering bravely this e'en." "I do not doubt it, Cuddie; but what can have brought your mother--this is your mother, is it not?" (Cuddie nodded.) "What can have bough...