Janets Love and Service | Page 4

I'm sure."
"Seven only," said Janet, under her breath. "She got one of them safe
home with her, thank God. No' that there's one ower many," added she
quickly; "and they're no' ill bairns."
"You have your ain troubles among them, I dare say, and are muckle to
be pitied--"
"Me to be pitied!" said Janet scornfully, "there's no 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