But we'll not repeat their old wife's gossip, eh, lass ?" "Not if you're minded not to, Rotha.

But as to there being no girl worthy of Ralph," said Liza, pausing in her work and lifting herself into an erect position with an air of as much dignity as a lady of her stature could assume, "I'm none so sure of that, you know.

He has a fine genty air, I will say; and someways you don't feel the same to him when he comes by you as you do to other men, and he certainly is a great traveller; but to say that there isn't a girl worthy of him, that's like Nabob Johnny tellin' Tibby Fowler that he never met the girl that wasn't partial to him." Rotha did not quite realize the parallel that had commended itself to Liza's quick perception, but she raised no objection to the sentiment, and would have shifted the subject.
"What about Robbie, my lass ?" she said.
"'And as to Willy Ray,' says I to 'Becca," continued the loquacious churner, without noticing the question, "' it isn't true as Rotha would put herself in his way; but she's full his match, and you can't show me one that is nigher his equal.'" Rotha's confusion was increasing every minute.
"'What if her father can't leave her much gear, she has a head that's worth all the gold in Willy's pocket, and more.' Then says 'Becca, 'What about Kitty Jackson ?' 'Shaf,' says I, 'she's always curlin' her hair before her bit of a looking-glass.' 'And what about Maggie of Armboth ?' says 'Becca.

'She hasn't got such a head as Rotha,' says I, 'forby that she's spending a fortune on starch, what with her caps, and her capes, and her frills, and what not.'" Liza had by this time rattled away, until by the combined exertion of arms and tongue she had brought herself to a pause for lack of breath.
Resting one hand on the churn, she lifted the other to her head to push back the hair that had tumbled over her forehead.

As she tossed up her head to facilitate the latter process, her eyes caught a glimpse of Rotha's crimsoning face.