“Willie’s father and mother had left Sandyknowe, and gone to a place about forty miles off.  They were living poorly enough, but they came to me in my desolation, and offered to take the bairns if we—­that is, my brothers and me—­would help whiles with money to get them through.  But, you see, James and Sandy were married men, with families of their own, and Robert and Daniel were like to be married soon, and it was borne on my mind that I was to be the chief person to be depended on.

“I went home to my place at Greenwells.  It was a big farmhouse, and I was kitchenmaid, and had the milking of the kye, and the making of the butter and cheese to do, and such like, and Mrs. Henderson said that I was a faithful industrious lass.  But, dear me! what was seven pounds by the year to maintain the bairns?  I thought over it and over it on the Sabbath night after I came home.  I tried to read—­the 14th of John’s Gospel—­but my heart would be troubled and afraid in spite of those bonnie consoling words.  I knew the old people, the Lowries, were not the best hands for bringing up the bairns, for they were so poor.  I had no money—­not a penny—­for you may guess that in my sister’s straits I kept none in the shuttle of my chest, and no way of keeping a house over their heads by myself could I see.  Mrs. Henderson came into the kitchen with Miss Thomson.  You know Miss Thomson of Allendale.  She was on a visit to the mistress; they are connections, you know.

“‘Well, Peggy,’ said Mrs. Henderson, ’I see you are just fretting, as usual.’

“‘I’m no fretting, ma’am, I’m praying,’ said I.

“‘The best thing you can do,’ said Miss Thomson.

“‘Of course it is,’ said Mrs. Henderson, ’provided it does not hinder work, and Peggy is neglecting nothing.’

“’I wish, ma’am, that you would let me take the housemaid’s place, as well as my own; I can do more work if you would raise my wages.’

“‘Nonsense, Peggy,’ said the mistress, ’you are busy from morning till night; you cannot possibly do more than you are doing now.  You cannot be in two places at once.’

“’No, ma’am, but I could take less sleep.  I am stronger than ever I was; and I have so many to work for.  The bairns-maid and me could manage all the housework.’

“Mrs. Henderson shook her head, and said it was not to be thought of, but she did not mind raising my wages to eight pounds by the year, for I was a good servant; and with that I had to be content—­at least, I tried.

“Next day a fat turkey had to be killed and plucked, and I had an old newspaper to burn for singeing the feathers.  I could not but look at the newspaper, when I had it in my hand, and the first thing that struck my eye was, that domestic servants, especially if they were skilful about a dairy, might get a free passage to Melbourne, by applying to such a person, at such a place, and that their wages when they got out to Australia would be from sixteen to twenty-five