“He’s a shabby body the laird o’ Monkbarns,” said Mrs. Heukbane; “he’ll make as muckle about buying a forequarter o’ lamb in August as about a back sey o’ beef. Let’s taste another drop of the sinning” (perhaps she meant cinnamon) “waters, Mrs. Mailsetter, my dear. Ah, lasses! an ye had kend his brother as I did--mony a time he wad slip in to see me wi’ a brace o’ wild deukes in his pouch, when my first gudeman was awa at the Falkirk tryst--weel, weel--we’se no speak o’ that e’enow.” “I winna say ony ill o’this Monkbarns,” said Mrs. Shortcake; “his brother neer brought me ony wild-deukes, and this is a douce honest man; we serve the family wi’ bread, and he settles wi’ huz ilka week--only he was in an unco kippage when we sent him a book instead o’ the nick-sticks,* whilk, he said, were the true ancient way o’ counting between tradesmen and customers; and sae they are, nae doubt.” * Note E. Nick-sticks. “But look here, lasses,” interrupted Mrs. Mailsetter, “here’s a sight for sair e’en! What wad ye gie to ken what’s in the inside o’ this letter? This is new corn--I haena seen the like o’ this--For William Lovel, Esquire, at Mrs. Hadoway’s, High Street, Fairport, by Edinburgh, N. B. This is just the second letter he has had since he was here.” “Lord’s sake, let’s see, lass!--Lord’s sake, let’s see!--that’s him that the hale town kens naething about--and a weel-fa’ard lad he is; let’s see, let’s see!” Thus ejaculated the two worthy representatives of mother Eve. “Na, na, sirs,” exclaimed Mrs. Mailsetter; “haud awa--bide aff, I tell you; this is nane o’ your fourpenny cuts that we might make up the value to the post-office amang ourselves if ony mischance befell it;--the postage is five-and-twenty shillings--and here’s an order frae the Secretary to forward it to the young gentleman by express, if he’s no at hame. Na, na, sirs, bide aff;--this maunna be roughly guided.” “But just let’s look at the outside o’t, woman.” Nothing could be gathered from the outside, except remarks on the various properties which philosophers ascribe to matter,--length, breadth, depth, and weight, The packet was composed of strong thick paper, imperviable by the curious eyes of the gossips, though they stared as if they would burst from their sockets. The seal was a deep and well-cut impression of arms, which defied all tampering. “Od, lass,” said Mrs. Shortcake, weighing it in her hand, and wishing, doubtless, that the too, too solid wax would melt and dissolve itself, “I wad like to ken what’s in the inside o’ this, for that Lovel dings a’ that ever set foot on the plainstanes o’ Fairport--naebody kens what to make o’ him.” [Illustration: Mrs. Heukbane and Mrs. Shortcake]