window.

"Ay, ay, Marget, sae it's come to this. Weel, we daurna complain, ye
ken. Be thankfu' ye haena lost your man and five sons, besides twa
sisters and a brither, no to mention cousins. That wud be something
to speak aboot, and Losh keep's, there's nae saying but he micht
hang on a whilie. Ay, ay, it's a sair blow aifter a' that wes in the
papers. I wes feared when I heard o' the papers; 'Lat weel alane,'
says I to the Dominie; 'ye 'ill bring a judgment on the laddie wi'
yir blawing.' But ye micht as weel hae spoken to the hills. Domsie's
a thraun body at the best, and he was clean infatuat' wi' George.
Ay, ay, it's an awfu' lesson, Marget, no to mak' idols o' our
bairns, for that's naethin' else than provokin' the Almichty."

It was at this point that Marget gave way and scandalized
Drumtochty, which held that obtrusive prosperity was an irresistible
provocation to the higher powers, and that a skilful depreciation of
our children was a policy of safety.

"Did ye say the Almichty? I'm thinkin' that's ower grand a name for
your God, Kirsty. What wud ye think o' a faither that brocht hame
some bonnie thing frae the fair for ane o' his bairns, and when the
puir bairn wes pleased wi' it tore it oot o' his hand and flung it
into the fire? Eh, woman, he wud be a meeserable cankered jealous
body. Kirsty, wumman, when the Almichty sees a mither bound up in
her laddie, I tell ye He is sair pleased in His heaven, for mind ye
hoo He loved His ain Son. Besides, a'm judgin' that nane o' us can
love anither withoot lovin' Him, or hurt anither withoot hurtin'
Him.