MARTHA SPEEULL.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY.
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AM a wumman. It's as weel to let ye ken that at the ootset, for a body's notions can aye he best appraised when ye ken the circumstances in which they are formed. I got no' such a bad schuiling when I wis a lassie; but it wis, I believe, in 1843 that my interest in the higher edication began. In that ever-memorable year my faither died i' the battle of the Disruption, and left me heir to a flett o' rooms i' the eastern centre o' the city, no far frae the auld College in High Street. When looking at my case calmly about a week efter that sairest o' my earthly troubles, I said to mysel'—
"Martha, something maun be dune."
I had naturally a strong feeling against ludgers, hooever I pooked mysel' thegither. Nae doot some decent student lads wud be the better o' a kin'ly hand about them, no' to speak o' weel-aired rooms; so what did I dae but send an advertisement to the Glasgow Courier, and clap a ticket in ane o' the front windows—"Apartments to let to Students."
