of poor Kate and the young laird.

I listened in patience to all she had to say anent the discovery,
and offered her the very best advice; but she derided my judgment;
and because I would not speak outright to Mr Lorimore, and get him
to marry Kate off hand, she bade me good-night with an air, and sent
for him herself. He, however, was on the brink of marriage with his
present worthy helpmate, and declined her ladyship's proposals,
which angered her still more. But although there was surely a great
lack of discretion in all this, and her ladyship was entirely
overcome with her passion, she would not part with Kate, nor allow
her to quit the house with me, but made her sup with her as usual
that night, calling her sometimes a perfidious baggage, and at other
times, forgetting her delirium, speaking to her as kindly as ever.
At night, Kate as usual helped her ladyship into her bed, (this she
told me with tears in her eyes next morning;) and when Lady Macadam,
as was her wont, bent to kiss her for good-night, she suddenly
recollected "the intrigue," and gave Kate such a slap on the side of
the head, as quite dislocated for a time the intellects of the poor
young lassie. Next morning, Kate was solemnly advised never to
write again to the laird, while the lady wrote him a letter, which,
she said, would be as good as a birch to the breech of the boy.
Nothing, therefore, for some time, indeed, throughout the year, came
of the matter; but her ladyship, when Mrs Balwhidder soon after
called on her, said that I was a nose-of-wax, and that she never
would speak to me again, which surely was not a polite thing to say
to Mrs Balwhidder, my second wife.

This stramash was the first time I had interposed in the family
concerns of my people; for it was against my nature to make or