human
Mr. M'Lauchlin, what did Miss M'Farlane say? My sister, you know, is considerably older than I am--there was a brother between us.
gpt
Quite so, my dear Miss Susan, said I;
human
Well, said Miss Susan, still playing with her ringlets,
gpt
Miss M'Farlane, said she,
human
O, no, my dear, says I;
gpt
I cannot part with the paper.
human
Well, then, said she,
gpt
Quite so. But tell me, Miss Robina, why did Miss M'Farlane not fill up the paper herself?
human
Oh, she replied,
gpt
Yes, yes, Miss Robina, said I;
human
Yes, she uttered, with a sigh. When we came to the age column--
gpt
Is it absolutely necessary, said she,
human
Tuts, it may be so to some folk; but to a sweet young creature like you, it cannot matter a button.
gpt
Well, said Miss Robina--
human
; and she blushed as she slowly continued:
gpt
The minister comes sometimes to see us.
human
I _have_ noticed him rather more attentive in his visitations in your quarter of late, than usual, Miss Robina.
gpt
Very well, Mr. M'Lauchlin; but you must not tease me just now. You know Miss M'Farlane is of opinion that he is in love with her; while Miss Susan thinks her taste for literature and her knowledge of geology, especially her pamphlet on the Old Red Sandstone and its fossils as confirming the old Mosaic record, are all matters of great interest to Mr. Frazer, and she fancies that he comes so frequently for the privilege of conversing with her. But, exclaimed Miss Robina, with a look of triumph,
human
and she held in her hand a beautiful gold ring.
gpt
I have got that from the minister this very day!
human
But what, I asked her,
gpt
Oh, just this, continued Miss Robina,
human
I had no reason to conceal my age, as Mr. Frazer knows it exactly, since he baptized me. He was a young creature then, only three-and-twenty; so that's just the difference between us.
gpt
Nothing at all, Miss Robina, said I;
human
In this changeful and passing world, said Miss Robina,
gpt
Much! said I.
human
Tuts, my dear, it's nothing--just, indeed, what should be.
gpt
I was just thirty-four last birthday, Mr. M'Lauchlin, said Miss Robina;
human
The minister, my dear, is a man of sense.