WEIRD SISTERS. 289 



Kirsty was earnest and sincere according to her 

 lights, and " dropped " quickly, at a good old age with 

 faculties all undimmed. She had a presentiment 

 of her end at hand, and with her wonted impetuosity 

 set her house in order and passed behind the veil " in 

 sure and certain hope." 



CHAPTER III. 



I THINK " Gonga " must have had gipsy blood in her. 

 Her father was a sort of gaberlunzie, and doubtless 

 from him she inherited her vagrant habits and restless 

 nature. 



She must have been quite forty-five when I first 

 remember her : but the Shetland women wear well, 

 and she was at that time a handsome strong creature 

 full of animal-life and spirits. Her hair was black 

 and curled, her complexion clear and nut-brown, her 

 feet and hands beautifully shaped. She sang and 

 danced well, and altogether had much the appearance 

 of a gipsy queen. 



Gonga was greatly beloved of us children (her 

 favourites, I should rather say) ; her devotion to our 

 wants, her passionate caresses, her fierce defence, her 

 subtle excuses on our behalf, made us look to Gonga as 

 to a " shield and buckler." 



She had not been taught to read when young, and 

 could not be coaxed to learn when grown-up, and was 

 in truth very ignorant in some ways. As all ignorant 

 people are, she was very prejudiced, and if she took a 



