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tection of their superior lord. But even where there was no interested motive, the use which she had already made of his bounty, and the certainty that she would have the means of doing still farther good, had a wonderful effect in increasing the opinion of her wisdom. Of all the people in the village, it was to poor Mrs MacClarty alone, that this opinion came too late to be of any use. When she observed the thriving appearance of the Morisons, and how fast they were rising into notice and respect, her heart was torn between envy and regret. Far was she, however, from imputing to herself any blame; she, on the contrary, believed all the blame to rest with Mrs Mason, who was so unnatural as to leave her own relations, "and to tak up wi' straingers, who were neither kith nor kin to her;" nor did she omit any opportunity of railing at the pride of the schoolmaster's wife and daughters, who, she said, "were now sae saucy as to pretend that they cou'd na sit down in com-
