When I had
passed them fifty yards or more, and looked back, they were still
bobbing and bowing. And I heard a dialogue between Phyllis and
Corydon. Says Phyllis, "Any poultry?"
Corydon. "A matter of twalve hens and twa cocks."
Phyllis. "A cow?"
Corydon. "Twa."
Phyllis. "How much tobacco?"
Corydon. "Three acres, hinny, though I dinna drink the weed
mysel'. I'm a Stewart, woman, an' the King's puir cousin."
Phyllis. "What household plenishing?"
Corydon. "Ane large bed, ane flock bed, ane trundle bed, ane
chest, ane trunk, ane leather cairpet, sax cawfskin chairs an'
twa-three rush, five pair o' sheets an' auchteen dowlas napkins, sax
alchemy spunes" -
Phyllis. "I'll take you."
At the far end of the meadow, near to the fort, I met young Hamor,
alone, flushed, and hurrying back to the more populous part of the
field.
"Not yet mated?" I asked. "Where are the maids' eyes?"
"By - !" he answered, with an angry laugh. "If they're all like the
sample I've just left, I'll buy me a squaw from the Paspaheghs!"
I smiled. "So your wooing has not prospered?"
His vanity took fire. "I have not wooed in earnest," he said
carelessly, and hitched forward his cloak of sky-blue tuftaffeta
with an air. "I sheered off quickly enough, I warrant you, when I
found the nature of the commodity I had to deal with.
Pages:
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43