276 THE HOME OF A NATURALIST. 



ened manner than was usual among her country- 

 folks. 



It was also when in attendance upon Mrs. Arch- 

 bald that she received a strong religious bias, as well 

 as formed those habits which made her afterwards 

 such an excellent nurse. Mam-Willa was an elderly 

 woman when I remember her, and she always wore 

 a professional-looking black gown with white cap 

 tied down by a sooty-coloured silk kerchief. She 

 was lean and grey-complexioned, and had a habit 

 of twisting her bony fingers about which impressed 

 my childish imagination very much. But she had 

 very kindly eyes, and a gentle voice ; also great tact 

 and patience. 



There was always jubilee among us children when 

 Mam-Willa came to pay a non-professional visit. 



She was a notable hand at mending socks, and we 

 rejoiced when we saw her sit in a cozy low chair (I 

 never remember seeing her sitting on any but a low 

 seat) with a great basket of stockings beside her ; for 

 then we knew that delightful stories would be told us, 

 and dainty tit-bits would be produced from her capa- 

 cious pocket, rewards for those who were first to grasp 

 the moral of what she had narrated, or for those who 

 were the best behaved, or for those who required 

 bribing to keep the peace. Like the " pious ^neas," 

 Mam-Willa had rewards for all ! 



She could keep us quiet for hours while our over- 

 taxed mother was taking a rest, and our anxious 

 father was prosecuting his avocations, assured that 



