WEIRD SISTERS. 285 



They had two children. The son died in infancy. 

 The daughter inherited none of her mother's strength, 

 but something more than her father's weakness. She 

 had what is expressively termed " a want " — that is a 

 certain silliness and weakness approaching imbecility 

 — and she brought shame upon her honest parents. 



In wrath and sorrow they took a step most unusual 

 in the Shetland Isles. They banished her from their 

 house. The young woman lived for a short time with 

 relatives not far from her home, and the parents often 

 saw her pass their door. This she doubtless did " of 

 a set purpose." 



Kirsty's maternal feelings yielded sooner than 

 "Willie's anger, and she proposed that Merran should 

 be recalled ; but the father — not usually firm on 

 any point — held out against the proposal. But it 

 happened (and now I shall tell the story in Kirsty's 

 words) "as I stood by oor door ae bright Sabbath 

 morning wha should gang by but Merran wi' her head 

 upon her breast. Aye, she micht weel hang him low ! 

 And I cried to Willie ' Come here ! ' 



"When he cam to my side I pointed to oor bairn 

 and I said, ' She's the only thing o' the kind that we 

 hae ; ca' her in to oor door if do wad hae the door o' 

 Heaven opened to dee.' So he ca'd Merran, and she 

 cam, greetin'." * 



The old couple adopted Merran's handsome boy, 

 and soon grew devotedly attached to him, and proud 

 of him — forgetful, apparently, of all but the fact that 



* Weeping. 



