And as for orphans, when I think how many fatherless
children we made for the British--'
"'You might have been better employed,' said mother, but he didn't
hear her, and went right on.
"'I have a kindly feelin' towards them. She is a beautiful girl that.'
"'If it warn't for her carrotty hair and freckled face,' said mother,
looking at me, 'she wouldn't be so awful ugly after all, would she?'
"'Yes, Sam,' sais father, 'teach her English for heaven's sake; but
mind, she must give you lessons in Gaelic. Languages is a great
thing.'
"'It's great nonsense,' said mother, raisin' her voice.
"'It's my orders,' said father, holding up his head and standing
erect. 'It's my orders, marm, and they must be obeyed;' and he walked
out of the room as stiff as a ramrod, and as grand as a Turk.
"'Sam,' sais mother, when we was alone, 'let the gall be; the less she
talks the more she'll work. Do you understand, my dear?'
"'That's just my idea, mother,' sais I.
"'Then you won't do no such nonsense, will you, Sammy?'
"'Oh no!' sais I, 'I'll just go through the form now and then to
please father, but that's all. Who the plague wants Gaelic? If all the
Highlands of Scotland were put into a heap, and then multiplied by
three, they wouldn't be half as big as the White Mountains, would
they, marm? They are just nothin' on the map, and high hills, like
high folks, are plaguy apt to have barren heads.
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