Allen! he's everything! I shall never
be happy without him! never! never!"
"Hush, dear Miss Ellen! for the love of a' that's gude; dinna
talk that gate, and dinna greet sae! your father wad be sair
vexed to hear ye or to see ye."
"I cannot help it," said Ellen; "it is true."
"It may be sae; but dear Miss Ellen, dinna let it come to your
father's ken; ye're his very heart's idol; he disna merit
ought but gude frae ye."
"I know it, Mrs. Allen," said Ellen, weeping, "and so I do
love him — better than anybody in the world, except two. But
oh! I want my brother; I don't know how to be happy or good
either without him. I want him all the while."
"Miss Ellen, I kenned and loved your dear mither weel for mony
a day — will ye mind if I speak a word to her bairn?"
"No, dear Mrs. Allen, I'll thank you. Did you know my mother?"
"Wha suld if I didna? she was brought up in my arms, and a
dear lassie. Ye're no muckle like her, Miss Ellen; ye're mair
bonny than her; and no a'thegither sae frack; though she was
douce and kind too."
"I wish," Ellen began, and stopped.
"My dear bairn, there is Ane abuve what disposes a' things for
us; and he isna weel pleased when His children fash themselves
wi' His dispensations. He has ta'en and placed you here for
your ain gude, I trust — I'm sure it's for the gude of us a' —
and if ye haena a' things ye wad wish, Miss Ellen, ye hae Him!
dinna forget that, my ain bairn.
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