THE RHYMER

CHAPTER I.

In the year of grace 1787, Mr. Graham of The Mains,a worthy gentleman and laird of the county of Perth,had a family of seven daughters. This, though hardlyat that date amounting to a social crime, was anindiscretion in a man of few acres and modest income.Moreover, his partner in life was even now a bloomingand a buxom dame, capable of adding further olivebranches to the already over-umbrageous family tree.She had, indeed, but lately performed the somewhatprocrastinated duty of adding an heir to the tale of theseven lasses of The Mains. This was as it shouldbe—but it was quite enough.

It was market day in the autumn of the year, andMr. Graham, who farmed his own land, had attendedthe weekly market at the country town of C——. Hewas about to jog home in the dusk, when he wasaccosted by a neighbour and fellow-laird.

'Hey—Mains!' called out this personage. 'Bidea bit, man! It is in my mind to do you and the mistressat The Mains a good turn.' Mr. Graham drew rein.

'It is not I that will miss a chance of that,' heobserved, in good humour.

'Well, to be straight to the point,' said his friend,'I have a friend biding with me at this time, one JimmyCheape—you may have heard me speak of him, for hewas a crony of our college days. He is a man ofsubstance in the county of Fife—and he has a mind to bemade acquainted with you and your lady.'

'Ay, ay!' ejaculated Mr. Graham. 'A most laudableand polite wish, truly, and not to be gainsaid!'

'He is in search of a wife,' said the friend, slily, witha dig in the ribs of the laird with the butt-end of hiswhip, 'and I bethought me that a presentation to aman with seven daughters was the very thing to be useful.So I promised it, and he jumped for it—as keen asa cock at a groset.'

Mr. Graham pricked up his ears.

'That's the wife's business rather than mine,' heobserved, cautiously.

'Well! let the wife see him, but see him yourself first.Yonder he is.' The speaker pointed to a burly form,standing with its back to the friends. 'I will bring himforward;' and he proceeded to be as good as his word.

When Mr. Cheape, of the county of Fife, presentedhis countenance to his possible father-in-

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