within moments , the benches and stools were filled , mrs. chisholm , mrs. macleod , and mrs. aberfeldy yawning and blinking among their offspring , nodding and murmuring `` good morn '' to me and each other , straightening a kerchief here and a shirttail there , using a thumb wet with spittle to plaster down the spiked hair on a little boy 's head or wipe a smudge from a little girl 's cheek .