I'm sorry the wife was no wi' me; had I been able to be sure o' getting the show Tom Tinsley gied me I'd ha' had her doon.

As it was it wad ha' seemed like tempting Providence, and I've never been any hand tae do that.

I'm no superstitious, exactly--certainly I'm no sae for a Scot.

But I dinna believe it's a wise thing tae gave oot o' the way and look for trouble.

I'll no walk under a ladder if I can help it, I'll tell ye, if ye ask me why, that I avoid a ladder because I've heard o' painters dropping paint and costin' them that was beneath the price o' the cleaning of their claes, and ye can believe that or no, as ye've a mind! Ye've heard o' men who went to bed themselves at nicht and woke up famous.