170 OUR LANDLADY. [CHAI-. iv. 



yet occasionally found. Arran is lavishly populated with 

 grouse and black game, while on the lowland parts partridges 

 and pheasants have been bred by the duke. 



We were exceedingly glad, after our hot and toilsome 

 forenoon's work, to refresh our bodies with cold water, and 

 then to sit down to our homely dinner of stewed mutton 

 and well-boiled potatoes, which, it is needless to say, we ate 

 with decided relish. During this rest we became still better 

 acquainted with our landlady. She had passed nearly all her 

 life on the island as a domestic servant, and now, when she 

 had fallen into " the sere the yellow leaf," she had, by " good 

 speaking," and the payment of a rent of one pound a year, ob- 

 tained permission to reside in her present little cottage, which, 

 when it was handed over to her, was ruined and roofless : she 

 had, therefore, to put on a straw roof, and is bound to keep it 

 in repair. " How did she live ?" my friend asked. " Well, sir, 

 I don't live very well ; I'm not in good health and can't see to 

 do much with my needle. I have some sewing work at which 

 I can earn a penny a day. It is called ' veining,' and is used 

 to trim ladies' underclothing. Occasionally I let my bit place 

 to Glasgow gentlemen, who come down by the Saturday steam- 

 boat. The few shillings that I will get from you, if you stay 

 out the week, will be money to me. A gentlemen living in 

 Edinburgh is kind enough to pay my rent, and when my beds 

 are let, I sleep in the garret." Such are the short and simple 

 annals of the poor ; and I could not help being impressed with 

 this example of patient womanhood, who, rather than be a 

 recipient of parish relief, would toil on from day to day, acting 

 over again Hood's song of the shirt, in order to the earning of 

 a " sair-won penny fee." 



I have just indicated by the little story of this woman the 

 one drawback of the island the scarcity of house accommo- 

 dation, and consequently of good lodgings. To give my 

 readers a practical idea of how matters stand, let me relate 



