The old woman was knitting and enjoying her pipe, and the girl was
dressing wool, and handling a pair of cards with a rapidity and ease
that would have surprised a Lancashire weaver. The moment she rose to
sweep up the hearth I saw she was an heiress. When an Acadian girl has
but her outer and under garment on, it is a clear sign, if she
marries, there will be a heavy demand on the fleeces of her husband's
sheep; but if she wears four or more thick woollen petticoats, it is
equally certain her portion of worldly goods is not very small.
"Doctor," sais I, "it tante every darnin' needle would reach her
through them petticoats, is it?"
"Oh!" said he, "Mr Slick--oh!" and he rose as usual, stooped forward,
pressed his hands on his ribs, and ran round the room, if not at the
imminent risk of his life, certainly to the great danger of the
spinning wheel and the goslings. Both the females regarded him with
great surprise, and not without some alarm.
"He has the stomach-ache," sais I, in French, "he is subject to it."
"Oh! oh!" said he, when he heard that, "oh, Mr Slick, you will be the
death of me."
"Have you got any peppermint?" sais I.
"No," said she, talking in her own patois; and she scraped a spoonful
of soot from the chimney, and putting it into a cup, was about pouring
hot water on it for an emetic, when he could stand it no longer, but
rushing out of the door, put to flight a flock of geese that were
awaiting their usual meal, and stumbling over a pig, fell at full
length on the ground, nearly crushing the dog, who went off yelling as
if another such blow would be the death of him, and hid himself under
the barn.
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