The girl promised obedience.
The very next day some strange ladies called; and after congratulating Mrs. —— on her speedy recovery, they expressed an earnest wish to see the “dear little baby.”
Mrs. —— rang the bell. Betty appeared. “Is the baby awake?”
“Yes, my leddy.”
“Just bring him in to show these ladies.”
Betty darted into the nursery, only too proud of the mission, and telling nurse to “mak’ the young laird brau,” she rushed to the kitchen, and demanded of the cook a “muckle big ashat.”
“What do you want with the dish?” said the English cook.
“That’s my ain business,” quoth Betty, taking the enormous china platter from the cook’s hand, and running back to the nursery. “Here, Mistress Norman, here is ain big enough to hand him in, at ony rate. Pray lay his wee duds smooth, an’ I’ll tak’ him in, for I hear the bell.”
“Are ye duff, lass? Wud ye put the bairn on the ashat?”
“Ay, mistress tauld me to bring what she asked me for on an ashat. Sure ye wud no ha’ me disobey her?”