Mrs. Lake had had great hopes that he would differ in another
respect also.

Most of the children of the neighborhood were fair. Not fair as so
many North-country children are, with locks of differing, but
equally brilliant, shades of gold, auburn, red, and bronze; but
white-headed, and often white-faced, with white-lashed inexpressive
eyes, as if they had been bleaching through several generations.

Now, when the dark bright eyes of the little Jan first came to be of
tender interest with Mrs. Lake, she fully hoped, and constantly
prophesied, that he would be "as black as a rook;" a style of
complexion to which she gave a distinct preference, though the
miller was fair by nature as well as white by trade. Jan's eyes
seemed conclusive.

"Black as slans they be," said his foster-mother. And slans meant
sloe-berries where Mrs. Lake was born.

An old local saying had something perhaps to do with her views: -

"Lang and lazy,
Black and proud;
Vair and voolish,
Little and loud."

"Fair and foolish" youngsters certainly abounded in the neighborhood
to an extent which justified a wish for a change.