Miss Macdonald down stairs to her damsel,

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bring my walking shoes immediatelydon't wait to brush them-bring them up directly, I can't wait a moment-make haste."

"What in a'the world's in the wind now?” said Betty to Jenny Soapysapples, who happened just then to come into the kitchen. "I wonder what has put her into such a kippage," continued the damsel, beginning very composedly to brush the shoes; "the post hasna come in, and naebody has been here but Effie Banks the fishwife, who gaed out o' the yate just this minute. I'se warrant there's some news about the town, but I ne'er got a word o' Effie, for my mistress aye buys her fish hersel. I would like weel to ken what she wants wi' her shoon at this time o' the morning.'

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"Betty!" again screamed Miss Macdonald, " are my shoes not ready yet? bring them up, I tell you, without brushing them. It is very provoking that you will never clean them overnight, though I have told you so

fifty times. Do you dare to brush yet!" she exclaimed, her rage increasing as she heard the refractory damsel very coolly pursuing her occupation; "if "if you don't bring them to me this precious moment, I'll come down and take them out of your hand. Did you not hear me say I was in a hurry?"

"Coming, mem!" replied Betty; "I have just to gie the strings a bit dight;" then turning to Jenny, she said, "I would gie the very hair out o' hair out o' my head to ken what a' this is about. This is no the market-day, and the breakfast is scarcely weel ower her throat-there's surely some stramash in the

town."

"Betty, I say, Betty!" was again bawled from the head of the stairs; "Come here this instant-you might have made a pair of shoes in the time you have taken to clean these disobey me longer at your peril!"

"I maun gang now," said Betty, "she's getting unco tanty-jaggy. Coming, mem! I was just giving them a bit heat at the

fire."

"When I want my shoes heated I will tell you !" retorted her mistress, in high indignation. "Is this a time to be toasting shoes, when people are in a hurry to get

out ?"

"I wasna to be a witch to ken that you would be going out so soon-it's no ten o'clock yet!"

"It's none of your business at what hour I choose to go out ;-give me my mantle, and then, if you please, walk down stairs."

Betty sulkily obeyed, and then descended to the lower regions to indulge undisturbed in her talkative humour.

"Weel, the like o' this I ne'er saw in a' my born days-her breakfast is no half eaten; and I'm thinking she hasna locked the press, so something past common has happened, for it's no a wee thing makes her forget that we'll just rin to the window and see what road she takes. Na, look at her, if she hasna the wrang side o' her mantle outmost, and a black shoe on ae foot and a yellow ane on the tither-and

just see if her head is not set fu' o' paper curls. She's a bonnie sight to be gaun through Portobello-the hale town will be speaking o' her, but let them speak—I'll no fash to tell her the awfu' mountebank she has made o' hersel, just for the dirdum she gied me about her shoon; but we may as weel gang up and see if she has minded to lock the press-if that's open, we'll hear news the day. I think, by the road she has taken, she's awa to her cronie Miss Mackinlay,-she's unco fond o' going there when the brother's down."

Betty's supposition was perfectly correct. Miss Macdonald, unconscious of the notice the extreme oddity of her attire was attracting, hastily pursued her way to Miss Mackinlay's, whose damsel she found in the act of giving the finishing rub to the brass knocker; and rushing past her, she bounced into the dining-room, exclaiming-" She's off, she's off!"

"Off!" replied Mr Mackinlay, putting down his cup,-" off! the thing is impos

sible. I saw her last night, and she told me she was not to go till Friday."

"Off!” said Miss Mackinlay," and without my velvet pelisse, which she promised to get dyed for me-I must say she has not used me very well."

"Pelisse, indeed," retorted Miss Macdonald. "I fancy she was thinking more of coats than pelisses. I never thought any good would come of such light-headed behaviour."

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Light-headed!" replied Miss Mac"I never heard that laid to her

kinlay ;

charge."

"That comes well from you, indeed,” retorted her friend," who abused her in my house not three days ago, and called her a light-headed, glaiket lassie.”

"This is a most extraordinary affair,' interposed Mr Mackinlay." She told me she was to go on Friday with Captain Dewar."

Captain Dewar!" replied Miss Macdonald," she's off with Connor !"