the annals of the parish-第16部分

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aby　was　greeting　at　my　bosomit　was　him　that's　noo　awa'　in　America。　　He　grew　up　to　be　a　fine　bairn；　with　a　warm　heart；　but　a　light　head；　and；　wanting　the　rein　of　a　father's　power　upon　him；　was　no　sa　douce　as　I　could　have　wished；　but　he　was　no　man's　foe　save　his　own。　　I　thought；　and　hoped；　as　he　grew　to　years　of　discretion；　he　would　have　sobered；　and　been　a　consolation　to　my　old　age；　but　he's　gone；　and　he'll　never　come　back　disappointment　is　my　portion　in　this　world；　and　I　have　no　hope；　while　I　can　do；　I　will　seek　no　help；　but　threescore　and　fifteen　can　do　little；　and　a　small　ail　is　a　great　evil　to　an　aged　woman；　who　has　but　the　distaff　for　her　breadwinner。〃

I　did　all　that　I　could　to　bid　her　be　of　good　cheer；　but　the　comfort　of　a　hopeful　spirit　was　dead　within　her；　and　she　told　me；　that　by　many　tokens　she　was　assured　her　bairn　was　already　slain。〃Thrice；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　seen　his　wraiththe　first　time　he　was　in　the　pride　of　his　young　manhood；　the　next　he　was　pale　and　wan；　with　a　bloody　and　gashy　wound　in　his　side；　and　the　third　time　there　was　a　smoke；　and；　when　it　cleared　away；　I　saw　him　in　a　grave；　with　neither　winding…sheet　nor　coffin。〃

The　tale　of　this　pious　and　resigned　spirit　dwelt　in　mine　ear；　and；　when　I　went　home；　Mrs　Balwhidder　thought　that　I　had　met　with　an　o'ercome；　and　was　very　uneasy；　so　she　got　the　tea　soon　ready　to　make　me　better；　but　scarcely　had　we　tasted　the　first　cup　when　a　loud　lamentation　was　heard　in　the　kitchen。　　This　was　from　that　tawpy　the　wife　of　Thomas　Wilson；　with　her　three　weans。　　They　had　been　seeking　their　meat　among　the　farmer　houses；　and；　in　coming　home；　forgathered　on　the　road　with　the　Glasgow　carrier；　who　told　them　that　news　had　come；　in　the　London　Gazette；　of　a　battle；　in　which　the　regiment　that　Thomas　had　listed　in　was　engaged；　and　had　suffered　loss　both　in　rank　and　file；　none　doubting　that　their　head　was　in　the　number　of　the　slain；　the　whole　family　grat　aloud；　and　came　to　the　manse；　bewailing　him　as　no　more；　and　it　afterwards　turned　out　to　be　the　case；　making　it　plain　to　me　that　there　is　a　farseeing　discernment　in　the　spirit；　that　reaches　beyond　the　scope　of　our　incarnate　senses。

But　the　weight　of　the　war　did　not　end　with　these　afflictions；　for；　instead　of　the　sorrow　that　the　listing　caused；　and　the　anxiety　after；　and　the　grief　of　the　bloody　tidings；　operating　as　wholesome　admonition　to　our　young　men；　the　natural　perversity　of　the　human　heart　was　more　and　more　manifested。　　A　wonderful　interest　was　raised　among　us　all　to　hear　of　what　was　going　on　in　the　world；　insomuch；　that　I　myself　was　no　longer　contented　with　the　relation　of　the　news　of　the　month　in　the　Scots　Magazine；　but　joined　with　my　father…in…　law；　Mr　Kibbock；　to　get　a　newspaper　twice　a…week　from　Edinburgh。　　As　for　Lady　Macadam；　who　being　naturally　an　impatient　woman；　she　had　one　sent　to　her　three　times　a…week　from　London；　so　that　we　had　something　fresh　five　times　every　week；　and　the　old　papers　were　lent　out　to　the　families　who　had　friends　in　the　wars。　　This　was　done　on　my　suggestion；　hoping　it　would　make　all　content　with　their　peaceable　lot；　but　dominion　for　a　time　had　been　given　to　the　power　of　contrariness；　and　it　had　quite　an　opposite　effect。　　It　begot　a　curiosity；　egging　on　to　enterprise；　and；　greatly　to　my　sorrow；　three　of　the　brawest　lads　in　the　parish；　or　in　any　parish；　all　in　one　day　took　on　with　a　party　of　the　Scots　Greys　that　were　then　lying　in　Ayr；　and　nothing　would　satisfy　the　callans　at　Mr　Lorimore's　school；　but；　instead　of　their　innocent　plays　with　girs；　and　shinties；　and　sicklike；　they　must　go　ranking　like　soldiers；　and　fight　sham…fights　in　bodies。　　In　short；　things　grew　to　a　perfect　hostility；　for　a　swarm　of　weans　came　out　from　the　schools　of　Irville　on　a　Saturday　afternoon；　and；　forgathering　with　ours；　they　had　a　battle　with　stones　on　the　toll…road；　such　as　was　dreadful　to　hear　of；　for　many　a　one　got　a　mark　that　day　he　will　take　to　the　grave　with　him。

It　was　not；　however；　by　accidents　of　the　field　only；　that　we　were　afflicted；　those　of　the　flood；　too；　were　sent　likewise　against　us。　In　the　month　of　October；　when　the　corn　was　yet　in　the　holms；　and　on　the　cold　land　by　the　river　side；　the　water　of　Irville　swelled　to　a　great　spait；　from　bank　to　brae；　sweeping　all　before　it；　and　roaring；　in　its　might；　like　an　agent　of　divine　displeasure；　sent　forth　to　punish　the　inhabitants　of　the　earth。　　The　loss　of　the　victual　was　a　thing　reparable；　and　those　that　suffered　did　not　greatly　complain；　for；　in　other　respects；　their　harvest　had　been　plenteous：　　but　the　river；　in　its　fury；　not　content　with　overflowing　the　lands；　burst　through　the　sandy　hills　with　a　raging　force；　and　a　riving　asunder　of　the　solid　ground；　as　when　the　fountains　of　the　great　deep　were　broken　up。　　All　in　the　parish　was　a…foot；　and　on　the　hills；　some　weeping　and　wringing　their　hands；　not　knowing　what　would　happen；　when　they　beheld　the　landmarks　of　the　waters　deserted；　and　the　river　breaking　away　through　the　country；　like　the　war…horse　set　loose　in　his　pasture；　and　glorying　in　his　might。　　By　this　change　in　the　way　and　channel　of　the　river；　all　the　mills　in　our　parish　were　left　more　than　half　a　mile　from　dam　or　lade；　and　the　farmers　through　the　whole　winter；　till　the　new　mills　were　built；　had　to　travel　through　a　heavy　road　with　their　victual；　which　was　a　great　grievance；　and　added　not　a　little　to　the　afflictions　of　this　unhappy　year；　which　to　me　were　not　without　a　particularity；　by　the　death　of　a　full　cousin　of　Mrs　Balwhidder；　my　first　wife；　she　was　grievously　burnt　by　looting　over　a　candle。　　Her　mutch；　which　was　of　the　high　structure　then　in　vogue；　took　fire；　and　being　fastened　with　corking…pins　to　a　great　toupee；　it　could　not　be　got　off　until　she　had　sustained　a　deadly　injury；　of　which；　after　lingering　long；　she　was　kindly　eased　by　her　removal　from　trouble。　　This　sore　accident　was　to　me　a　matter　of　deep　concern　and　cogitation；　but　as　it　happened　in　Tarbolton；　and　no　in　our　parish；　I　have　only　alluded　to　it　to　show；　that　when　my　people　were　chastised　by　the　hand　of　Providence；　their　pastor　was　not　spared；　but　had　a　drop　from　the　same　vial。



CHAPTER　XIX　　YEAR　1778



This　year　was　as　the　shadow　of　the　bygane：　　there　was　less　actual　suffering；　but　what　we　came　through　cast　a　gloom　among　us；　and　we　did　not　get　up　our　spirits　till　the　spring　was　far　advanced；　the　corn　was　in　the　ear；　and　the　sun　far　towards　midsummer　height；　before　there　was　any　regular　show　of　gladness　in　the　parish。

It　was　clear　to　me　that　the　wars　were　not　to　be　soon　over；　for　I　noticed；　in　the　course　of　this　year；　that　there　was　a　greater　christening　of　lad　bairns　than　had　ever　been　in　any　year　during　my　incumbency；　and　grave　and　wise　persons；　observant　of　the　signs　of　the　times；　said；　that　it　had　been　long　held　as　a　sure　prognostication　of　war；　when　the　births　of　male　children　outnumbered　that　of　females。

Our　chief　misfortune　in　this　year　was　a　revival　of　that　wicked　mother　of　many　mischiefs；　the　smuggling　trade；　which　concerned　me　greatly；　but　it　was　not　allowed　to　it　to　make　any　thing　like　a　permanent　stay　among　us；　though　in　some　of　the　neighbouring　parishes；　its　ravages；　both　in　morals　and　property；　were　very　distressing；　and　many　a　mailing　was　sold　to　pay　for　the　triumphs　of　the　cutters　and　gaugers；　for　the　government　was　by　this　time　grown　more　eager；　and　the　war　caused　the　king's　ships　to　be　out　and　about；　which　increased　the　trouble　of　the　smugglers；　whose　wits　in　their　turn　were　thereby　much　sharpened。

After　Mrs　Malcolm；　by　the　settlement　of　Captain　Macadam；　had　given　up　her　dealing；　two　maiden　women；　that　were　sisters；　Betty　and　Janet　Pawkie；　came　in　among　us　from　Ayr；　where　they　had　friends　in　league　with　some　of　the　laigh　land　folk；　that　carried　on　the　contraband　with　the　Isle　of　Man；　which　was　the　very　eye　of　the　smuggling。　　They　took　up　the　tea…selling；　which　Mrs　Malcolm　had　dropped；　and　did　business　on　a　larger　scale；　having　a　general　huxtry；　with　parliament…cakes；　and　candles；　and　pincushions；　as　well　as　other　groceries；　in　their　window。　　Whether　they　had　any　contraband　dealings；　or　were　only　back…bitten；　I　cannot　take　it　upon　me　to　say；　but　it　was　jealoused　in　the　parish　that　the　meal　in　the　sacks；　that　came　to　their　door　at　night；　and　was　sent　to　the　Glasgow　market　in　the　morning；　was　not　made　of　corn。　　They　were；　however；　decent　women；　both　sedate　and　orderly；　the　eldest；　Betty　Pawkie；　was　of　a　manly　stature；　and　had　a　long　beard；　which　made　her　have　a　coarse　look；　but　she　was；　nevertheless；　a　worthy；　well…doing　creature；　and　at　her　death　she　left　ten　pounds　to　the　poor　of　the　parish；　as　may　be　seen　in　the　mortification　board　that　the　session　put　up　in　the　kirk　as　a　testification　and　an　example。

Shortly　after　the　revival　of　the　smuggling；　an　exciseman　was　put　among　us；　and　the　first　was　Robin　Bicker；　a　very　civil　lad　that　had　been　a　flunkey　with　Sir　Hugh　Montgomerie；　when　he　was　a　residenter　in　Edinburgh；　before　the　old　Sir　Hugh's　death。　　He　was　a　queer　fellow；　and　had　a　coothy　way　of　getting　in　about　folk；　the　which　was　very　serviceable　to　him　in　his　vocation；　nor　was　he　overly　gleg：　but　when　a　job　was　ill　done；　and　he　was　obliged　to　notice　it；　he　would　often　break　out　on　the　smugglers　for　being　so　stupid；　so　that　for　an　exciseman　he　was　wonderful　well　liked；　and　did　not　object　to　a　waught　of　brandy　at　a　time；　when　the　auld　wives　ca'd　it　well…　water。　　It　happened；　however；　that　some　unneighbourly　person　sent　him　notice　of　a　clecking　of　tea　chests；　or　brandy　kegs；　at　which　both　Jenny　and　Betty　Pawkie　were　the　howdies。　　Robin　could　not　but　therefore　enter　their　house；　however；　before　going　in；　he　just　cried　at　the　door　to　somebody　on　the　road；　so　as　to　let　the　twa　industrious　lassies　hear　he　was　at　hand。　　They　were　not　slack　in　closing　the　trance…door；　and　putting　stoups　and　stools　behind　it；　so　as　to　cause　trouble；　and　give　time　before　any　body　could　get　in。　They　then　emptied　their　chaff…bed；　and　filled　the　tikeing　with　tea；　and　Betty　went　in　on　the　top；　covering　herself　with　the　blanket；　and　graining　like　a　woman　in　labour。　　It　was　thought　that　Robin　Bicker　himself　would　not　have　been　overly　particular　in　searching　the　house；　considering　there　was　a　woman　seemingly　in　the　death…thraws；　but　a　sorner；　an　incomer　from　the　east　country；　and　that　hung　about　the　chang