the annals of the parish-第13部分

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say；　that　Mrs　Balwhidder　would　otherwise　provide　good　cheer。

This　notification；　however；　was　a　great　trouble　to　my　wife；　who　was　only　used　to　manufacture　the　produce　of　our　glebe　and　yard　to　a　profitable　purpose；　and　not　used　to　the　treatment　of　deans　and　lords；　and　other　persons　of　quality。　　However；　she　was　determined　to　stretch　a　point　on　this　occasion；　and　we　had；　as　all　present　declared；　a　charming　dinner；　for　fortunately　one　of　the　sows　had　a　litter　of　pigs　a　few　days　before；　and　in　addition　to　a　goose；　that　is　but　a　boss　bird；　we　had　a　roasted　pig　with　an　apple　in　its　mouth；　which　was　just　a　curiosity　to　see；　and　my　lord　called　it　a　tithe　pig；　but　I　told　him　it　was　one　of　Mrs　Balwhidder's　own　clecking；　which　saying　of　mine　made　no　little　sport　when　expounded　to　the　dean。

But；　och　how！　this　was　the　last　happy　summer　that　we　had　for　many　a　year　in　the　parish；　and　an　omen　of　the　dule　that　ensued；　was　in　a　sacrilegious　theft　that　a　daft　woman；　Jenny　Gaffaw；　and　her　idiot　daughter；　did　in　the　kirk；　by　tearing　off　and　stealing　the　green　serge　lining　of　my　lord's　pew；　to　make；　as　they　said；　a　hap　for　their　shoulders　in　the　cold　weathersaving；　however；　the　sin；　we　paid　no　attention　at　the　time　to　the　mischief　and　tribulation　that　so　unheard…of　a　trespass　boded　to　us　all。　　It　took　place　about　Yule；　when　the　weather　was　cold　and　frosty；　and　poor　Jenny　was　not　very　able　to　go　about　seeking　her　meat　as　usual。　　The　deed；　however；　was　mainly　done　by　her　daughter；　who；　when　brought　before　me；　said；　〃her　poor　mother's　back　had　mair　need　of　claes　than　the　kirk…boards；〃　which　was　so　true　a　thing；　that　I　could　not　punish　her；　but　wrote　anent　it　to　my　lord；　who　not　only　overlooked　the　offence；　but　sent　orders　to　the　servants　at　the　castle　to　be　kind　to　the　poor　woman；　and　the　natural；　her　daughter。



CHAPTER　XV　　YEAR　1774



When　I　look　back　on　this　year；　and　compare　what　happened　therein　with　the　things　that　had　gone　before；　I　am　grieved　to　the　heart；　and　pressed　down　with　an　afflicted　spirit。　　We　had；　as　may　be　read；　trials　and　tribulations　in　the　days　that　were　past；　and　in　the　rank　and　boisterous　times　of　the　smuggling　there　was　much　sin　and　blemish　among　us；　but　nothing　so　dark　and　awful　as　what　fell　out　in　the　course　of　this　unhappy　year。　　The　evil　omen　of　daft　Jenny　Gaffaw　and　her　daughter's　sacrilege；　had　soon　a　bloody　verification。

About　the　beginning　of　the　month　of　March　in　this　year；　the　war　in　America　was　kindling　so　fast　that　the　government　was　obligated　to　send　soldiers　over　the　sea；　in　the　hope　to　quell　the　rebellious　temper　of　the　plantations；　and　a　party　of　a　regiment　that　was　quartered　at　Ayr　was　ordered　to　march　to　Greenock；　to　be　there　shipped　off。　　The　men　were　wild　and　wicked　profligates；　without　the　fear　of　the　Lord　before　their　eyes；　and　some　of　them　had　drawn　up　with　light　women　in　Ayr；　who　followed　them　on　their　march。　　This　the　soldiers　did　not　like；　not　wishing　to　be　troubled　with　such　gear　in　America；　so　the　women；　when　they　got　the　length　of　Kilmarnock；　were　ordered　to　retreat　and　go　home；　which　they　all　did　but　one　Jean　Glaikit；　who　persisted　in　her　intent　to　follow　her　joe；　Patrick　O'Neil；　a　Catholic　Irish　corporal。　　The　man　did；　as　he　said；　all　in　his　capacity　to　persuade　her　to　return；　but　she　was　a　contumacious　limmer；　and　would　not　listen　to　reason；　so　that；　in　passing　along　our　toll…road；　from　less　to　more；　the　miserable　wretches　fell　out；　and　fought；　and　the　soldier　put　an　end　to　her　with　a　hasty　knock　on　the　head　with　his　firelock；　and　marched　on　after　his　comrades。

The　body　of　the　woman　was；　about　half　an　hour　after；　found　by　the　scholars　of　Mr　Lorimore's　school；　who　had　got　the　play　to　see　the　marching；　and　to　hear　the　drums　of　the　soldiers。　　Dreadful　was　the　shout　and　the　cry　throughout　the　parish　at　this　foul　work。　　Some　of　the　farmer　lads　followed　the　soldiers　on　horseback；　and　others　ran　to　Sir　Hugh；　who　was　a　justice　of　the　peace；　for　his　advice。Such　a　day　as　that　was！

However；　the　murderer　was　taken；　and；　with　his　arms　tied　behind　him　with　a　cord；　he　was　brought　back　to　the　parish；　where　he　confessed　before　Sir　Hugh　the　deed；　and　how　it　happened。　　He　was　then　put　in　a　cart；　and；　being　well　guarded　by　six　of　the　lads；　was　taken　to　Ayr　jail。

It　was　not　long　after　this　that　the　murderer　was　brought　to　trial；　and；　being　found　guilty　on　his　own　confession；　he　was　sentenced　to　be　executed；　and　his　body　to　be　hung　in　chains　near　the　spot　where　the　deed　was　done。　　I　thought　that　all　in　the　parish　would　have　run　to　desperation　with　horror　when　the　news　of　this　came；　and　I　wrote　immediately　to　the　Lord　Eaglesham　to　get　this　done　away　by　the　merciful　power　of　the　government；　which　he　did；　to　our　great　solace　and　relief。

In　the　autumn；　the　young　Laird　Macadam；　being　ordered　with　his　regiment　for　the　Americas；　got　leave　from　the　king　to　come　and　see　his　lady　mother；　before　his　departure。　　But　it　was　not　to　see　her　only；　as　will　presently　appear。

Knowing　how　much　her　ladyship　was　averse　to　the　notion　he　had　of　Kate　Malcolm；　he　did　not　write　of　his　coming；　lest　she　would　send　Kate　out　of　the　way；　but　came　in　upon　them　at　a　late　hour；　as　they　were　wasting　their　precious　time；　as　was　the　nightly　wont　of　my　lady；　with　a　pack　of　cards；　and　so　far　was　she　from　being　pleased　to　see　him；　that　no　sooner　did　she　behold　his　face；　but；　like　a　tap　of　tow；　she　kindled　upon　both　him　and　Kate；　and　ordered　them　out　of　her　sight　and　house。　　The　young　folk　had　discretion：　　Kate　went　home　to　her　mother；　and　the　laird　came　to　the　manse；　and　begged　us　to　take　him　in。　　He　then　told　me　what　had　happened；　and　that；　having　bought　a　captain's　commission；　he　was　resolved　to　marry　Kate；　and　hoped　I　would　perform　the　ceremony；　if　her　mother　would　consent。　　〃As　for　mine；〃　said　he；　〃she　will　never　agree；　but；　when　the　thing　is　done；　her　pardon　will　not　be　difficult　to　get；　for；　with　all　her　whims　and　caprice；　she　is　generous　and　affectionate。〃　　In　short；　he　so　wiled　and　beguiled　me；　that　I　consented　to　marry　them；　if　Mrs　Malcolm　was　agreeable。　　〃I　will　not　disobey　my　mother；〃　said　he；　〃by　asking　her　consent；　which　I　know　she　will　refuse；　and；　therefore；　the　sooner　it　is　done　the　better。〃　　So　we　then　stepped　over　to　Mrs　Malcolm's　house；　where　we　found　that　saintly　woman；　with　Kate　and　Effie；　and　Willie；　sitting　peacefully　at　their　fireside；　preparing　to　read　their　Bibles　for　the　night。　　When　we　went　in；　and　when　I　saw　Kate；　that　was　so　ladylike　there；　with　the　decent　humility　of　her　parent's　dwelling；　I　could　not　but　think　she　was　destined　for　a　better　station；　and　when　I　looked　at　the　captain；　a　handsome　youth；　I　thought　surely　their　marriage　is　made　in　heaven；　and　so　I　said　to　Mrs　Malcolm；　who　after　a　time　consented；　and　likewise　agreed　that　her　daughter　should　go　with　the　captain　to　America；　for　her　faith　and　trust　in　the　goodness　of　Providence　was　great　and　boundless；　striving；　as　it　were；　to　be　even　with　its　tender　mercies。　Accordingly；　the　captain's　man　was　sent　to　bid　the　chaise　wait　that　had　taken　him　to　the　lady's；　and　the　marriage　was　sanctified　by　me　before　we　left　Mrs　Malcolm's。　　No　doubt；　they　ought　to　have　been　proclaimed　three　several　Sabbaths；　but　I　satisfied　the　session；　at　our　first　meeting；　on　account　of　the　necessity　of　the　case。　　The　young　couple　went　in　the　chaise　travelling　to　Glasgow；　authorising　me　to　break　the　matter　to　Lady　Macadam；　which　was　a　sore　task；　but　I　was　spared　from　the　performance。　　For　her　ladyship　had　come　to　herself；　and　thinking　on　her　own　rashness　in　sending　away　Kate　and　the　captain　in　the　way　she　had　done；　she　was　like　one　by　herself。　All　the　servants　were　scattered　out　and　abroad　in　quest　of　the　lovers；　and　some　of　them；　seeing　the　chaise　drive　from　Mrs　Malcolm's　door　with　them　in　it；　and　me　coming　out；　jealoused　what　had　been　done；　and　told　their　mistress　outright　of　the　marriage；　which　was　to　her　like　a　clap　of　thunder；　insomuch　that　she　flung　herself　back　in　her　settee；　and　was　beating　and　drumming　with　her　heels　on　the　floor；　like　a　madwoman　in　Bedlam；　when　I　entered　the　room。　　For　some　time　she　took　no　notice　of　me；　but　continued　her　din；　but；　by…and…　by；　she　began　to　turn　her　eyes　in　fiery　glances　upon　me；　till　I　was　terrified　lest　she　would　fly　at　me　with　her　claws　in　her　fury。　　At　last　she　stopped　all　at　once；　and　in　a　calm　voice；　said；　〃But　it　cannot　now　be　helped；　where　are　the　vagabonds？〃〃They　are　gone；〃　replied　I。〃Gone？〃　cried　she；　〃gone　where？〃〃To　America；　I　suppose；〃　was　my　answer；　upon　which　she　again　threw　herself　back　in　the　settee；　and　began　again　to　drum　and　beat　with　her　feet　as　before。　　But　not　to　dwell　on　small　particularities；　let　it　suffice　to　say；　that　she　sent　her　coachman　on　one　of　her　coach　horses；　which；　being　old　and　stiff；　did　not　overtake　the　fugitives　till　they　were　in　their　bed　at　Kilmarnock；　where　they　stopped　that　night；　but　when　they　came　back　to　the　lady's　in　the　morning；　she　was　as　cagey　and　meikle　taken　up　with　them；　as　if　they　had　gotten　her　full　consent　and　privilege　to　marry　from　the　first。　　Thus　was　the　first　of　Mrs　Malcolm's　children　well　and　creditably　settled。　　I　have　only　now　to　conclude　with　observing；　that　my　son　Gilbert　was　seized　with　the　smallpox　about　the　beginning　of　December；　and　was　blinded　by　them　for　seventeen　days；　for　the　inoculation　was　not　in　practice　yet　among　us；　saving　only　in　the　genteel　families　that　went　into　Edinburgh　for　the　education　of　their　children；　where　it　was　performed　by　the　faculty　there。



CHAPTER　XVI　　YEAR　1775



The　regular　course　of　nature　is　calm　and　orderly；　and　tempests　and　troubles　are　but　lapses　from　the　accustomed　sobriety　with　which　Providence　works　out　the　destined　end　of　all　things。　　From　Yule　till　Pace…Monday　there　had　been　a　gradual　subsidence　of　our　personal　and　parochial　tribulations；　and　the　spring；　though　late；　set　in　bright　and　beautiful；　and　was　accompanied　with　the　spirit　of　contentment；　so　that；　excepting　the　great　concern　that　we　all　began　to　take　in　the　American　rebellion；　especially　on　account　of　Charles　Malcolm　that　was　in　the　man…of…war；　and　of　Captain　Macadam　that　had　married　Kate；　we　had　throughout　the　better　half　of　the　year　but　little　molestation　of　any　sort。　　I　should；　however；　note　the　upshot　of　the　marriage。

By　some　cause　that　I　do　not　recollect；　if