Neil Campbell , who was Highland Scotch and lived down at Berwick , was courting Nancy Sherman , too ; and , what was far worse , Nancy 's father favoured him , because he was a richer man than Donald Fraser . But Donald was not going to show all he thought -- Scotch people never do -- and he pretended to be very glad to see Neil and made him heartily welcome . `` Neil sat down by the roaring fire , looking quite well satisfied with himself . It was ten miles from Berwick to the bay shore , and a call at a half way house was just the thing . Then Donald brought out the whisky . They always did that eighty years ago , you know . If you were a woman , you could give your visitors a dish of tea ; but if you were a man and did not offer them a ` taste ' of whisky , you were thought either very mean or very ignorant . '' ` You look cold , ' said Donald , in his great , hearty voice . ` Sit nearer the fire , man , and put a bit of warmth in your veins . It 's bitter cold the day . And now tell me the Berwick news . Has Jean McLean made up with her man yet ? And is it true that Sandy McQuarrie is to marry Kate Ferguson ? ` Twill be a match now ! Sure , with her red hair , Sandy will not be like to lose his bride past finding . ' `` Neil had plenty of news to tell . And the more whisky he drank the more he told . He did n't notice that Donald was not taking much . Neil talked on and on , and of course he soon began to tell things it would have been much wiser not to tell . Finally he told Donald that he was going over the bay to ask Nancy Sherman that very night to marry him .
And XXXXX she would have him , then Donald and all the folks should see a wedding that WAS a wedding .
at because by if in of on over that to