I Have a Fall and a Dream Elsie Duff's father was a farm-labourer, with a large family.

He was what is called a cottar in Scotland, which name implies that of the large farm upon which he worked for yearly wages he had a little bit of land to cultivate for his own use.

His wife's mother was Grannie Gregson.

She was so old that she needed someone to look after her, but she had a cottage of her own in the village, and would not go and live with her daughter, and, indeed, they were not anxious to have her, for she was not by any means a pleasant person.

So there was no help for it: Elsie must go and be her companion.