the annals of the parish-第15部分

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；　that　the　very　next　market…day　another　lad　of　the　parish　listed　with　him；　but　he　was　a　ramplor；　roving　sort　of　a　creature；　and；　upon　the　whole；　it　was　thought　he　did　well　for　the　parish　when　he　went　to　serve　the　king。

The　listing　was　a　catching　distemper。　　Before　the　summer　was　over；　the　other　three　of　the　farming　lads　went　off　with　the　drum；　and　there　was　a　wailing　in　the　parish；　which　made　me　preach　a　touching　discourse。　　I　likened　the　parish　to　a　widow　woman　with　a　small　family；　sitting　in　her　cottage　by　the　fireside；　herself　spinning　with　an　eident　wheel；　ettling　her　best　to　get　them　a　bit　and　a　brat；　and　the　poor　weans　all　canty　about　the　hearthstanethe　little　ones　at　their　playocks；　and　the　elder　at　their　tasksthe　callans　working　with　hooks　and　lines　to　catch　them　a　meal　of　fish　in　the　morning　and　the　lassies　working　stockings　to　sell　at　the　next　Marymas　fair。…　…And　then　I　likened　war　to　a　calamity　coming　among　themthe　callans　drowned　at　their　fishingthe　lassies　led　to　a　misdoingand　the　feckless　wee　bairns　laid　on　the　bed　of　sickness；　and　their　poor　forlorn　mother　sitting　by　herself　at　the　embers　of　a　cauldrife　fire；　her　tow　done；　and　no　a　bodle　to　buy　more；　drooping　a　silent　and　salt　tear　for　her　babies；　and　thinking　of　days　that　war　gone；　and；　like　Rachel　weeping　for　her　children；　she　would　not　be　comforted。　　With　this　I　concluded；　for　my　own　heart　filled　full　with　the　thought；　and　there　was　a　deep　sob　in　the　Church；　verily　it　was　Rachel　weeping　for　her　children。

In　the　latter　end　of　the　year；　the　man…of…war；　with　Charles　Malcolm　in　her；　came　to　the　tail　of　the　Bank　at　Greenock；　to　press　men　as　it　was　thought；　and　Charles　got　leave　from　his　captain　to　come　and　see　his　mother；　and　he　brought　with　him　Mr　Howard；　another　midshipman；　the　son　of　a　great　parliament　man　in　London；　which；　as　we　have　tasted　the　sorrow；　gave　us　some　insight　into　the　pomp　of　war；　Charles　was　now　grown　up　into　a　fine　young　man；　rattling；　light…　hearted；　and　just　a　cordial　of　gladness；　and　his　companion　was　every　bit　like　him。　　They　were　dressed　in　their　fine　gold…laced　garbs　and　nobody　knew　Charles　when　he　came　to　the　clachan；　but　all　wondered；　for　they　were　on　horseback；　and　rode　to　the　house　where　his　mother　lived　when　he　went　away；　but　which　was　then　occupied　by　Miss　Sabrina　and　her　school。　　Miss　Sabrina　had　never　seen　Charles；　but　she　had　heard　of　him；　and　when　he　enquired　for　his　mother；　she　guessed　who　he　was；　and　showed　him　the　way　to　the　new　house　that　the　captain　had　bought　for　her。

Miss　Sabrina；　who　was　a　little　overly　perjink　at　times；　behaved　herself　on　this　occasion　with　a　true　spirit；　and　gave　her　lassies　the　play　immediately；　so　that　the　news　of　Charles's　return　was　spread　by　them　like　wildfire；　and　there　was　a　wonderful　joy　in　the　whole　town。　　When　Charles　had　seen　his　mother；　and　his　sister　Effie；　with　that　douce　and　well…mannered　lad　William；　his　brotherfor　of　their　meeting　I　cannot　speak；　not　being　presenthe　then　came　with　his　friend　to　see　me　at　the　manse；　and　was　most　jocose　with　me；　and；　in　a　way　of　great　pleasance；　got　Mrs　Balwhidder　to　ask　his　friend　to　sleep　at　the　manse。　　In　short；　we　had　just　a　ploy　the　whole　two　days　they　stayed　with　us；　and　I　got　leave　from　Lord　Eaglesham's　steward　to　let　them　shoot　on　my　lord's　land；　and　I　believe　every　laddie　wean　in　the　parish　attended　them　to　the　field。　　As　for　old　Lady　Macadam；　Charles　being；　as　she　said；　a　near　relation；　and　she　having　likewise　some　knowledge　of　his　comrade's　family；　she　was　just　in　her　element　with　them；　though　they　were　but　youths；　for　she　a　woman　naturally　of　a　fantastical；　and；　as　I　have　narrated；　given　to　comical　devices；　and　pranks　to　a　degree。　　She　made　for　them　a　ball；　to　which　she　invited　all　the　bonniest　lassies；　far　and　near；　in　the　parish；　and　was　out　of　the　body　with　mirth；　and　had　a　fiddler　from　Irville；　and　it　was　thought　by　those　that　were　there；　that　had　she　not　been　crippled　with　the　rheumatics；　she　would　have　danced　herself。　　But　I　was　concerned　to　hear　both　Charles　and　his　friend；　like　hungry　hawks；　rejoicing　at　the　prospect　of　the　war；　hoping　thereby；　as　soon　as　their　midship　term　was　out；　to　be　made　lieutenants；　saving　this；　there　was　no　allay　in　the　happiness　they　brought　with　them　to　the　parish；　and　it　was　a　delight　to　see　how　auld　and　young　of　all　degrees　made　of　Charles；　for　we　were　proud　of　him；　and　none　more　than　myself；　though　he　began　to　take　liberties　with　me；　calling　me　old　governor；　it　was；　however；　in　a　warm…hearted　manner；　only　I　did　not　like　it　when　any　of　the　elders　heard。　　As　for　his　mother；　she　deported　herself　like　a　saint　on　the　occasion。　　There　was　a　temperance　in　the　pleasure　of　her　heart；　and　in　her　thankfulness；　that　is　past　the　compass　of　words　to　describe。　　Even　Lady　Macadam；　who　never　could　think　a　serious　thought　all　her　days；　said；　in　her　wild　way　that　the　gods　had　bestowed　more　care　in　the　making　of　Mrs　Malcolm's　temper；　than　on　the　bodies　and　souls　of　all　the　saints　in　the　calendar。　　On　the　Sunday　the　strangers　attended　divine　worship；　and　I　preached　a　sermon　purposely　for　them；　and　enlarged　at　great　length　and　fulness　on　how　David　overcame　Goliath；　and　they　both　told　me　that　they　had　never　heard　such　a　good　discourse；　but　I　do　not　think　they　were　great　judges　of　preachings。　　How；　indeed；　could　Mr　Howard　know　anything　of　sound　doctrine；　being　educated；　as　he　told　me；　at　Eton　school；　a　prelatic　establishment！　　Nevertheless；　he　was　a　fine　lad；　and　though　a　little　given　to　frolic　and　diversion；　he　had　a　principle　of　integrity；　that　afterwards　kythed　into　much　virtue；　for；　during　this　visit；　he　took　a　notion　of　Effie　Malcolm；　and　the　lassie　of　him；　then　a　sprightly　and　blooming　creature；　fair　to　look　upon；　and　blithe　to　see；　and　he　kept　up　a　correspondence　with　her　till　the　war　was　over；　when　being　a　captain　of　a　frigate；　he　came　down　among　us；　and　they　were　married　by　me；　as　shall　be　related　in　its　proper　place。



CHAPTER　XVIII　　YEAR　1777



This　may　well　be　called　the　year　of　the　heavy　heart；　for　we　had　sad　tidings　of　the　lads　that　went　away　as　soldiers　to　America。　　First；　there　was　a　boding　in　the　minds　of　all　their　friends　that　they　were　never　to　see　them　more；　and　their　sadness；　like　a　mist　spreading　from　the　waters　and　covering　the　fields；　darkened　the　spirit　of　the　neighbours。　　Secondly；　a　sound　was　bruited　about　that　the　king's　forces　would　have　a　hot　and　a　sore　struggle　before　the　rebels　were　put　down；　if　they　were　ever　put　down。　　Then　came　the　cruel　truth　of　all　that　the　poor　lads'　friends　had　feared。　　But　it　is　fit　and　proper　that　I　should　relate　at　length；　under　their　several　heads；　the　sorrows　and　afflictions　as　they　came　to　pass。

One　evening；　as　I　was　taking　my　walk　alone；　meditating　my　discourse　for　the　next　Sabbathit　was　shortly　after　Candlemasit　was　a　fine　clear　frosty　evening；　just　as　the　sun　was　setting。　　Taking　my　walk　alone；　and　thinking　of　the　dreadfulness　of　Almighty　power；　and　how　that；　if　it　was　not　tempered　and　restrained　by　infinite　goodness；　and　wisdom；　and　mercy；　the　miserable　sinner；　man；　and　all　things　that　live；　would　be　in　a　woeful　state；　I　drew　near　the　beild　where　old　Widow　Mirkland　lived　by　herself；　who　was　grand…mother　to　Jock　Hempy；　the　ramplor　lad；　that　was　the　second　who　took　on　for　a　soldier。　　I　did　mind　of　this　at　the　time；　but；　passing　the　house；　I　heard　the　croon；　as　it　were；　of　a　laden　soul　busy　with　the　Lord；　and；　not　to　disturb　the　holy　workings　of　grace；　I　paused　and　listened。　　It　was　old　Mizy　Mirkland　herself；　sitting　at　the　gable　of　the　house；　looking　at　the　sun　setting　in　all　his　glory　behind　the　Arran　hills；　but　she　was　not　prayingonly　moaning　to　herselfan　oozing　out；　as　it　might　be　called；　of　the　spirit　from　her　heart；　then　grievously　oppressed　with　sorrow；　and　heavy　bodements　of　grey　hairs　and　poverty。〃Yonder　it　slips　awa'；〃　she　was　saying；　〃and　my　poor　bairn；　that's　o'er　the　seas　in　America；　is　maybe　looking　on　its　bright　face；　thinking　of　his　hame；　and　aiblins　of　me；　that　did　my　best　to　breed　him　up　in　the　fear　of　the　Lord；　but　I　couldna　warsle　wi'　what　was　ordained。　　Ay；　Jock！　as　ye　look　at　the　sun　gaun　down；　as　many　a　time；　when　ye　were　a　wee　innocent　laddie　at　my　knee　here；　I　hae　bade　ye　look　at　him　as　a　type　of　your　Maker；　ye　will　hae　a　sore　heart；　for　ye　hae　left　me　in　my　need；　when　ye　should　hae　been　near　at　hand　to　help　me；　for　the　hard　labour　and　industry　with　which　I　brought　you　up。　　But　it's　the　Lord's　will。　　Blessed　be　the　name　of　the　Lord；　that　makes　us　to　thole　the　tribulations　of　this　world；　and　will　reward　us；　through　the　mediation　of　Jesus；　hereafter。〃　　She　wept　bitterly　as　she　said　this；　for　her　heart　was　tried；　but　the　blessing　of　a　religious　contentment　was　shed　upon　her；　and　I　stepped　up　to　her；　and　asked　about　her　concerns；　for；　saving　as　a　parishioner；　and　a　decent　old　woman；　I　knew　little　of　her。　　Brief　was　her　story；　but　it　was　one　of　misfortune。〃But　I　will　not　complain；〃　she　said；　〃of　the　measure　that　has　been　meted　unto　me。　　I　was　left　myself　an　orphan；　when　I　grew　up；　and　was　married　to　my　gude…man；　I　had　known　but　scant　and　want。　　Our　days　of　felicity　were　few；　and　he　was　ta'en　awa'　from　me　shortly　after　my　Mary　was　born。　A　wailing　baby；　and　a　widow's　heart；　was　a'　he　left　me。　　I　nursed　her　with　my　salt　tears；　and　bred　her　in　straits；　but　the　favour　of　God　was　with　us；　and　she　grew　up　to　womanhood　as　lovely　as　the　rose；　and　as　blameless　as　the　lily。　　In　her　time　she　was　married　to　a　farming　lad。　　There　never　was　a　brawer　pair　in　the　kirk；　than　on　that　day　when　they　gaed　there　first　as　man　and　wife。　　My　heart　was　proud；　and　it　pleased　the　Lord　to　chastise　my　prideto　nip　my　happiness；　even　in　the　bud。　　The　very　next　day　he　got　his　arm　crushed。　　It　never　got　well　again；　and　he　fell　into　a　decay；　and　died　in　the　winter；　leaving　my　Mary　far　on　in　the　road　to　be　a　mother。

〃When　her　time　drew　near；　we　both　happened　to　be　working　in　the　yard。　　She　was　delving　to　plant　potatoes；　and　I　told　her　it　would　do　her　hurt；　but　she　was　eager　to　provide　something；　as　she　said；　for　what　might　happen。　　Oh！　it　was　an　ill…omened　word。　　The　same　night　her　trouble　came　on；　and　before　the　morning　she　was　a　cauld　corpse；　and　another　wee　wee　fatherless　baby　was　greeting　at　my　bosomit　was　him　that's　noo　awa'　in　America。　　He　grew　up　to　be　a　fine　bairn；　w