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was attended with no farther bad consequences, than a little hurt upon the skin; and all our party were new assembled in the kitchen; but though they found the doors of the house open, they saw no ap- pearance of any inhabitants. At length Mrs Mac- Clarty came in, all out of breath, followed by her daughters, two big girls of eleven and thirteen years of age. She welcomed Mrs Mason and her friends with great kindness, and made many apologies for being in no better order to receive them; and im- mediately fell to busying herself in sweeping in the hearth, and adding turf to the fire, in order to make the kettle boil for tea.
“I think,” said Miss Mary, “you might make your
daughters save you that trouble;" looking at the two girls, who stood all this time leaning against the wall.
“O poor things," said their mother, “they have not
been used to it; they have eneugh o’ time for wark yet”
“Depend upon it,” said Mrs Mason, “young people
can never begin too soon; your eldest daughter there will soon be as tall as yourself.”
“Indeed she’s of a stately growth,” said Mrs
MacClarty, pleased with the observation; “and Jenny there is little ahint her; but what are they but bairns yet, for a’that! In time, I warrant, they’ll do weel eneugh. Meg can milk a cow as well as I can do, when she likes.”
“And does she not always like to do all she can?”
said Mrs Mason.
“O we maunna complain,” returned the mother,
“she does weel eneugh.
While Mrs MacClarty was preparing tea for her
guest, Mrs Mason cast her exploring eye on the house and furniture. She soon saw, that the place they were in served in the triple capacity of kitchen, parlour, and bed-room. Its furniture was suitably abundant, and Mrs MacClarty prided herself much on the noble stock of linen she possest, but which
