WEIRD SISTERS. 283 



patient, her ways too coarse and " loud " for the long- 

 suffering, loving tendance which the ailing require. 

 Hysterical women she shook and scolded. A weakly 

 babe had no mercy at her hands, and was quietly per- 

 mitted to lose the flicker of life it brought with it into 

 the world if Kirsty thought it was likely to prove a 

 troublesome child to bring up. 



Deformity and infirmity were abhorrent to her, and 

 I have heard her declare, " Mercy save me ! as / think, 

 a bairn born into this evil world wanting some power 

 it ought to hae had, should never be let live." 



Such sentiments came naturally from her own 

 abundant health and vitality, for which she was wont 

 to " bless the Lord," and call " the best o' a' He 

 bestows." 



She was a woman of strong and masculine build, and 

 would boast that her fist had more than once avenged 

 the wordy insult of some audacious man. 



She was fond of telling how once a party of six boys 

 " set on " her. The laddies doubtless desired to prove 

 if her oft-boasted valour was a fact, and they did 

 prove it. 



" They came roond me like heathen Philistines aboot 

 the Lord's anointed " (she said) " wi' their fists in my 

 face and jeers upon their tongues. So I set my back 

 to the stane-wa', and stripping my arms to ower the 

 elbows, I bade them come on ! Come on, every mither's 

 son o' you ! Kirsty is no' feared to meet the hale six ! " 



The boys had not been so much in earnest as Kirsty, 

 for, in reply to her challenge, they laughed and ran 



