with a pair of wax candles in his hand. And so they all sat down to
dinner, and conversation went on very pleasantly, till at length the
husband, becoming familiar with them, said--

"Ladies, if it be not an uncivil question, I should like to know how it
happens that all your mouths are turned away to one side?"

"Oh," said ilk ane at ance, "it's with our constant
_spin-spin-spinning_."

"Is that the case?" cried the gentleman; "then, John, Tam, and Dick, fie,
go haste and burn every rock, and reel, and spinning-wheel in the house,
for I'll not have my wife to spoil her bonnie face with
_spin-spin-spinning_."

And so the lady lived happily with her gudeman all the rest of her days.




THE WEIRD OF THE THREE ARROWS.


Sir James Douglas, the companion of Bruce, and well known by his
appellation of the "Black Douglas," was once, during the hottest period
of the exterminating war carried on by him and his colleague Randolph,
against the English, stationed at Linthaughlee, near Jedburgh. He was
resting, himself and his men after the toils of many days'
fighting-marches through Teviotdale; and, according to his custom, had
walked round the tents, previous to retiring to the unquiet rest of a