which prevented me from writing a book as I had proposed, and I for
a time thought of the peaceful and kindly nature of the first Mrs
Balwhidder with a sigh; but the outcoming was soon manifest. The
second Mrs Balwhidder sent her butter on the market-days to Irville,
and her cheese from time to time to Glasgow, to Mrs Firlot, that
kept the huxtry in the Saltmarket; and they were both so well made,
that our dairy was just a coining of money, insomuch that, after the
first year, we had the whole tot of my stipend to put untouched into
the bank.

But I must say, that although we were thus making siller like sclate
stones, I was not satisfied in my own mind that I had got the manse
merely to be a factory of butter and cheese, and to breed up veal
calves for the slaughter; so I spoke to the second Mrs Balwhidder,
and pointed out to her what I thought the error of our way; but she
had been so ingrained with the profitable management of cows and
grumphies in her father's house, that she could not desist, at the
which I was greatly grieved. By-and-by, however, I began to discern
that there was something as good in her example, as the giving of
alms to the poor folk; for all the wives of the parish were stirred
up by it into a wonderful thrift, and nothing was heard of in every
house, but of quiltings and wabs to weave; insomuch that, before
many years came round, there was not a better stocked parish, with
blankets and napery, than mine was, within the bounds of Scotland.

It was about the Michaelmas of this year that Mrs Malcolm opened her
shop, which she did chiefly on the advice of Mrs Balwhidder, who
said it was far better to allow a little profit on the different
haberdasheries that might be wanted, than to send to the
neighbouring towns an end's errand on purpose for them, none of the