Eliza Margaret Jane Humphreys

“ Buchie; "and a cup of tea is no such an unwelcome thing on a cold day. Miss Macpherson."
So he sat on, and drank his tea, and partook of brown bread and butter, and cake, and gossiped as agreeably as any old woman could have done; and the heart of Catherine Macpherson rejoiced within her, for she saw great things to be attained in the future did she but get a few more such opportunities. ”

“ She usually prepared herself for the day by reading a portion of Paley's "Evidences," a chapter of the Bible, and another of the "Pilgrim's Progress." Then she put on her Sunday gown of black silk, a rustling, noisy, aggravating sort of silk, tied an apron carefully over the skirt, and went down to breakfast.
The morning after that skirmish with Tibbie Minch was the Sabbath morning. She rose at her usual hour, but the new style of hair-dressing took up a much longer time than her plain bands had done. ”

“ Deed, then, if ye call a bit o' plain speaking impertinence ye may just as weel sit doon at once," said Tibbie; "for I'm one that would scorn not to speak out my mind, and no respecter of persons; and what the bonnie young minister will think of ye looking like a daft body in the kirk the morn is mair than I can say, but verily there's nae fule like to an auld ane; and so good-day to ye, and, mind ye, this is my Sunday evening, and you'll just hae to bide wi' the maister yersel'. Dinna forget that."
She left the room, and a cloud settled blackly upon Catherine Macpherson's virgin brow. ”

“ The afternoon will suit me very well," said Catherine Macpherson, her mind rushing off to the prospect of a cosy chat and a cup of tea in such agreeable company. " I shall expect you about — "
She hesitated and looked down at him. He was considerably shorter than herself.
" Will four o'clock do ? " he asked.
" Yes, very well indeed," she said, rejoiced to think that Tibbie would be out of. the way. She was such an unsafe person to have coming and going about a room. ”