The tinkler-gypsies . gentleman, and as she handedit over she sad : Thats the big slanos (waggon licence). But, said I, ? its not in George MacMillansname ? No, she promptly rejoined, ye see Im awidow. Oh, but isnt there one George MacMillancamping here ? I next asked. Yes, yer honour : he was here, but dearknows whaur he is noo, and for a moment sheseemed at a loss what to say ; but then itdawned on her to ask : But wha are you, to ask sae mony ques-tions ? Oh, said I, Fm the range gadgi. Losh bless me, she ejaculated, I couldlike to hae hut ye on the face wi a scone whunye asked for Geordies
The tinkler-gypsies . gentleman, and as she handedit over she sad : Thats the big slanos (waggon licence). But, said I, ? its not in George MacMillansname ? No, she promptly rejoined, ye see Im awidow. Oh, but isnt there one George MacMillancamping here ? I next asked. Yes, yer honour : he was here, but dearknows whaur he is noo, and for a moment sheseemed at a loss what to say ; but then itdawned on her to ask : But wha are you, to ask sae mony ques-tions ? Oh, said I, Fm the range gadgi. Losh bless me, she ejaculated, I couldlike to hae hut ye on the face wi a scone whunye asked for Geordies leescience, for hes awainto Newton wi waxclaith, an its three days past the April (date when licences fall to be renewed), and I kenna whether hes paid thebig siajigs or no. Weel, weel, yere a rangegadgi richt eneuch. Seeing that Mrs MacMillan was busy scone-baking, I said : Are there any others about the camp ? towhich she replied : Deil the body except an aul blin HielanTinkler wumman ower there at that far cc H A Tinklers Encainpnieut. i-ji Well, said I, finish your baking, and Illgo and have a crack with her and come backto see you later. A poorjold shrivelled-up mite of a womanwas squatting on the ground in the mouth ofthe tent. Her frock was in tatters and hungloosely on her shrunken frame. Her bodicebeing open at the necl^ showed that she worelittle or no underclothing. A cutty pipe was inher mouth, and if clouds of smoke are anycriterion she was enjoying her smoke. Shemoved not as I approached, but a bantam cockwhich had been sitting on the top of the tentflapped its wings and flew down. On nearerinspection^the poor old body had no eyes in herhead. What a study for the antiquary 1 Whata reproach for Christian Scotland ! How comesit that Tinklers—the Marshalls always—stillcarry abouc with \.\\^\w bantam cocks and hens,which seems also, from Callots picture (seeillustrations to chapter ix.), to have been thecustom with continental Gypsies in 1604? (seepages lo
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