airn are
you?' she asked me. Mary Askew's, I replied, I noticed the younger woman
who had the child in her lap fixed her gaze on me. Where are you from?
grannie asked. From Glasgow and I am so cold. Laying down the child in
the cradle, the younger woman came to me and sitting on a stool took my
hands. 'Where did your mother belong?' she asked in a kind voice. She
came from the parish of Dundonald. 'And where is your father?' He is
dead. 'And is your mother in Glasgow?' She died in the hospital, and the
thought of that sad time set the tears running down my cheeks. 'You poor
motherless bairn!' she exclaimed, 'can it be you are the child of my old
school companion? Have you any brothers or sisters?' No, I have nobody
in the world. 'Did your mother leave you nothing?' In my simplicity, not
understanding she meant worldly gear, I untied my bundle, uncovered the
cloth I had wrapped round it to keep it dry, and handed her the bible.
She looked at the writing. 'I remember when she got it, as a prize for
repeating the 119th psalm without missing a word.' Putting her arms
round my neck she kissed me and holding me to the light she said 'You
have your mother's eyes and mouth.'

The boy and girl took me to the fire, and, when grannie was got to
understand who I was, she bustled round to heat over some of the broth
left from dinner and while it was warming the little girl forced her
piece into my mouth. The other boy came to me full of curiosity. Feeling
my legs he whispered, You're starvit. By-and-by a cart drove into the
yard. It was the master with his hired man. When he was told who I was,
he called me to him and patted me on the head. That night I slept with
Allan, the name of the older boy. His brother's name was Bob, and the
girl's Alice. The baby had not been christened. The name of the master
of the house was Andrew Anderson.

CHAPTER II.

Hating to be a burden on the family I was eager to work. Too weak for
farm duties, I helped about the house and came, in course of time, to
earn a good word from grannie. Tho of the same age, there was a great
difference between Allan and myself. He could lift weights I could not
move, did not get tired as I did, and as the stronger took care of me We
were all happy and getting-on well when trouble came from an unlooked
for quarter. The master got notice from the factor that, on his lease
running out the following year, the rent would be raised. He did not
look for this. Durin