"It's a queer thing," he said; "but I canna joy in the gear, unless I
kend the puir body was happy that gave it me."
"Next to enjoying happiness ourselves," said Ratcliffe, "is the
consciousness of having bestowed it on others. Had all my master's
benefits been conferred like the present, what a different return would
they have produced! But the indiscriminate profusion that would glut
avarice, or supply prodigality, neither does good, nor is rewarded by
gratitude. It is sowing the wind to reap the whirlwind."
"And that wad be a light har'st," said Hobbie; "but, wi' my young
leddie's leave, I wad fain take down Eishie's skeps o' bees, and set
them in Grace's bit flower yard at the Heugh-foot--they shall ne'er be
smeekit by ony o' huz. And the puir goat, she would be negleckit about a
great toun like this; and she could feed bonnily on our lily lea by the
burn side, and the hounds wad ken her in a day's time, and never fash
her, and Grace wad milk her ilka morning wi' her ain hand, for Elshie's
sake; for though he was thrawn and cankered in his converse, he likeit
dumb creatures weel.
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