Janets Love and Service | Page 4

fear o' me. But what can the like o' me do? For ye ken, woman, though the minister is a powerful preacher, and grand on points o' doctrine, he's a verra bairn about some things. She aye keepit the siller, and far did she make it gang--having something to lay by at the year's end as well. Now, if we make the twa ends meet, it's mair than I expect."
"But Miss Graeme ought to have some sense about these things. Surely she takes heed to the bairns?"
"Miss Graeme's but a bairn herself, with little thought and less experience; and its no' to be supposed that the rest will take heed to her. The little anes are no' so ill to do with; but these twa laddies are just spirits o' mischief, for as quiet as Norman looks; and they come home from the school with torn clothes, till Miss Graeme is just dazed with mending at them. And Miss Marian is near as ill as the laddies; and poor, wee Rosie, growing langer and thinner every day, till you would think the wind would blow her awa. Master Arthur is awa at his eddication: the best thing for a' concerned. I wish they were a' safe unto man's estate," and Janet sighed.
"And is Miss Graeme good at her seam?" asked Mistress Elspat.
"Oh ay; she's no' that ill. She's better at her sampler and at the flowering than at mending torn jackets, however. But there's no fear but she would get skill at that, and at other things, if she would but hae patience with herself. Miss Graeme is none of the common kind."
"And has there been no word from her friends since? They say her brother has no bairns of his own. He might well do something for hers."
Janet shook her head.
"The minister doesna think that I ken; but when Mr Ross was here at the burial, he offered to take two of the bairns, Norman or Harry, and wee Marian. She's likest her mamma. But such a thing wasna to be thought of; and he went awa' no' weel pleased. Whether he'll do onything for them in ony ither way is more than I ken. He might keep Master Arthur at the college and no' miss it. How the minister is ever to school the rest o' them is no' easy to be seen, unless he should go to America after all."
Mistress Smith lifted her hands.
"He'll never surely think o' taking these motherless bairns to yon savage place! What could ail him at Mr Ross's offer? My patience! but folk whiles stand in their ain light."
"Mr Ross is not a God-fearing man," replied Janet, solemnly. "It's no' what their mother would have wished to have her bairns brought up by him. The minister kenned her wishes well on that point, you may be sure. And besides, he could never cross the sea and leave any of them behind."
"But what need to cross the sea?" cried Mrs Smith; "It's a pity but folk should ken when they're weel aff. What could the like o' him do in a country he kens nothing about, and with so many bairns?"
"It's for the bairns' sake he's thinking of it. They say there's fine land there for the working, and no such a thing as payin' rent, but every man farming his own land, with none to say him nay. And there's room for all, and meat and clothes, and to spare. I'm no' sure but it's just the best thing the minister can do. They had near made up their minds afore, ye ken."
"Hoot, woman, speak sense," entreated her friend. "Is the minister to sell rusty knives and glass beads to the Indians? That's what they do in yon country, as I've read in a book myself. Whatna like way is that to bring up a family?"
"Losh, woman, there's other folk there beside red Indians; folk that dinna scruple to even themselves with the best in Britain, no' less. You should read the newspapers, woman. There's one John Caldwell there, a friend o' the minister's, that's something in a college, and he's aye writing him to come. He says it's a wonderful country for progress; and they hae things there they ca' institutions, that he seems to think muckle o', though what they may be I couldna weel make out. The minister read a bit out o' a letter the ither night to Miss Graeme and me."
"Janet," said her friend, "say the truth at once. The minister is bent on this fule's errand, and you're encouraging in it."
"Na, na! He needs na encouragement from the like o' me. I would gie muckle, that hasna muckle to spare, gin he were content to bide where he is, though it's easy seen he'll hae ill