J. J. Bell

“ Pumpherston," said Mrs. M'Ostrich, encouragingly. "Jist ony sang ye like. Ye needna be feart. We're nane o' us musical crickets."
"Ay, come awa', Mr. Pumpherston," murmured several of the guests, clapping their hands.
"Is he a comic, paw?" inquired Macgregor.
"Whisht!" said Lizzie, sighting danger ahead, and giving John, beside whom she was now sitting, a nudge with her elbow.
Mr. Pumpherston shuffled his chair an inch forward, fixed his eyes on the ceiling, and hummed, "Do, me, so, do, soh, me, do."
"Ay, he's a comic!" said Macgregor, in a delighted whisper. ”

“ Bowley remarked to a friend next day, she was evidently "sair pit oot."
As for Lizzie, after a hasty apology and good-bye, she hurried John from the house, and never opened her mouth till they were in their own kitchen. On the departure of Mrs. M'Farlane, who had taken good care of wee Jeannie, Macgregor, three parts asleep, was put to bed with scant ceremony, after which Lizzie collapsed into a chair and looked long at her husband.
"Weel?" she said, at last.
"Weel, Lizzie?" he returned, trying to smile. "Ye've had yer nicht oot."
"Ay. An' it's the last!" ”

“ An' whit aboot wee Jeannie?"
"She'll sleep soon, an' Mrs. M'Faurlan's comin' to sit in the hoose till we get back."
"I see ye've arranged it a'," he said, good-humoredly. "Whit wud ye ha'e dune if I had said I wudna gang?"
"Ah, but I kent ye wud gang.... Ye micht rin doon the stair the noo an' get a haud o' Macgreegor. He's ootbye playin' wi' Wullie Thomson. They've baith got sookers, an' they like fine when the streets is kin' o' wat. I dinna think sookers is vera nice things to play wi'."
"I yinst had yin masel', an' I near got the nick for pu'in' the stanes oot the streets.... ”