the annals of the parish-第20部分

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e　their　faces；　while　the　mothers　pressed　their　babies　fondlier　to　their　bosoms；　and　watered　their　innocent　faces　with　their　tears。

I　prepared　a　suitable　sermon；　taking　as　the　words　of　my　text；　〃Howl；　ye　ships　of　Tarshish；　for　your　strength　is　laid　waste。〃　　But　when　I　saw　around　me　so　many　of　my　people　clad　in　complimentary　mourning　for　the　gallant　Charles　Malcolm；　and　that　even　poor　daft　Jenny　Gaffaw；　and　her　daughter；　had　on　an　old　black　riband；　and　when　I　thought　of　him；　the　spirited　laddie；　coming　home　from　Jamaica　with　his　parrot　on　his　shoulder；　and　his　limes　for　me；　my　heart　filled　full；　and　I　was　obliged　to　sit　down　in　the　pulpit；　and　drop　a　tear。

After　a　pause；　and　the　Lord　having　vouchsafed　to　compose　me；　I　rose　up；　and　gave　out　that　anthem　of　triumph；　the　124th　psalm；　the　singing　of　which　brought　the　congregation　round　to　themselves；　but　still　I　felt　that　I　could　not　preach　as　I　had　meant　to　do；　therefore　I　only　said　a　few　words　of　prayer；　and　singing　another　psalm；　dismissed　the　congregation。



CHAPTER　XXIV　　YEAR　1783



This　was　another　Sabbath　year　of　my　ministry。　　It　has　left　me　nothing　to　record　but　a　silent　increase　of　prosperity　in　the　parish。　I　myself　had　now　in　the　bank　more　than　a　thousand　pounds；　and　every　thing　was　thriving　around。　　My　two　bairns；　Gilbert；　that　is　now　the　merchant　in　Glasgow；　was　grown　into　a　sturdy　ramplor　laddie；　and　Janet；　that　is　married　upon　Dr。　Kittleword；　the　minister　of　Swappington；　was　as　fine　a　lassie　for　her　years　as　the　eyes　of　a　parent　could　desire　to　see。

Shortly　after　the　news　of　the　peace；　an　event　at　which　all　gave　themselves　up　to　joy；　a　thing　happened　among　us　that　at　the　time　caused　much　talk；　but　although　very　dreadful；　was　yet　not　so　serious；　some　how　or　other；　as　such　an　awsome　doing　should　have　been。　　Poor　Jenny　Gaffaw　happened　to　take　a　heavy　cold；　and　soon　thereafter　died。　　Meg　went　about　from　house　to　house；　begging　dead…　clothes；　and　got　the　body　straighted　in　a　wonderful　decent　manner；　with　a　plate　of　earth　and　salt　placed　upon　itan　admonitory　type　of　mortality　and　eternal　life　that　has　ill…advisedly　gone　out　of　fashion。　　When　I　heard　of　this；　I　could　not　but　go　to　see　how　a　creature　that　was　not　thought　possessed　of　a　grain　of　understanding；　could　have　done　so　much　herself。　　On　entering　the　door；　I　beheld　Meg　sitting　with　two　or　three　of　the　neighbouring　kimmers；　and　the　corpse　laid　out　on　a　bed。　　〃Come　awa'；　sir；〃　said　Meg；　〃this　is　an　altered　house。　　They're　gane　that　keepit　it　bein；　but；　sir；　we　maun　a'　come　to　thiswe　maun　pay　the　debt　o'　naturedeath　is　a　grim　creditor；　and　a　doctor　but　brittle　bail　when　the　hour　of　reckoning's　at　han'！　　What　a　pity　it　is；　mother；　that　you're　now　dead；　for　here's　the　minister　come　to　see　you。　　Oh；　sir！　but　she　would　have　had　a　proud　heart　to　see　you　in　her　dwelling；　for　she　had　a　genteel　turn；　and　would　not　let　me；　her　only　daughter；　mess　or　mell　wi'　the　lathron　lasses　of　the　clachan。　　Ay；　ay；　she　brought　me　up　with　care；　and　edicated　me　for　a　lady：　　nae　coarse　wark　darkened　my　lily…white　hands。　　But　I　maun　work　now；　I　maun　dree　the　penalty　of　man。〃

Having　stopped　some　time；　listening　to　the　curious　maunnering　of　Meg；　I　rose　to　come　away；　but　she　laid　her　hand　on　my　arm；　saying；　〃No；　sir；　ye　maun　taste　before　ye　gang！　　My　mother　had　aye　plenty　in　her　life；　nor　shall　her　latter　day　be　needy。〃

Accordingly；　Meg；　with　all　the　due　formality　common　on　such　occasions；　produced　a　bottle　of　water；　and　a　dram…glass；　which　she　filled　and　tasted；　then　presented　to　me；　at　the　same　time　offering　me　a　bit　of　bread　on　a　slate。　　It　was　a　consternation　to　everybody　how　the　daft　creature　had　learnt　all　the　ceremonies；　which　she　performed　in　a　manner　past　the　power　of　pen　to　describe；　making　the　solemnity　of　death；　by　her　strange　mockery；　a　kind　of　merriment；　that　was　more　painful　than　sorrow；　but　some　spirits　are　gifted　with　a　faculty　of　observation；　that；　by　the　strength　of　a　little　fancy；　enables　them　to　make　a　wonderful　and　truthlike　semblance　of　things　and　events；　which　they　never　saw；　and　poor　Meg　seemed　to　have　this　gift。

The　same　night；　the　session　having　provided　a　coffin；　the　body　was　put　in；　and　removed　to　Mr　Mutchkin's　brewhouse；　where　the　lads　and　lassies　kept　the　late…wake。

Saving　this；　the　year　flowed　in　a　calm；　and　we　floated　on　in　the　stream　of　time　towards　the　great　ocean　of　eternity；　like　ducks　and　geese　in　the　river's　tide；　that　are　carried　down　without　being　sensible　of　the　speed　of　the　current。　　Alas！　we　have　not　wings　like　them；　to　fly　back　to　the　place　we　set　out　from。



CHAPTER　XXV　　YEAR　1784



I　have　ever　thought　that　this　was　a　bright　year；　truly　an　Ann。　Dom。；　for　in　it　many　of　the　lads　came　home　that　had　listed　to　be　soldiers；　and　Mr　Howard；　that　was　the　midshipman；　being　now　a　captain　of　a　man…of…war；　came　down　from　England　and　married　Effie　Malcolm；　and　took　her　up　with　him　to　London；　where　she　wrote　to　her　mother；　that　she　found　his　family　people　of　great　note；　and　more　kind　to　her　than　she　could　write。　　By　this　time；　also；　Major　Macadam　was　made　a　colonel；　and　lived　with　his　lady　in　Edinburgh；　where　they　were　much　respected　by　the　genteeler　classes；　Mrs　Macadam　being　considered　a　great　unco　among　them　for　all　manner　of　ladylike　ornaments；　she　having　been　taught　every　sort　of　perfection　in　that　way　by　the　old　lady；　who　was　educated　at　the　court　of　France；　and　was；　from　her　birth；　a　person　of　quality。　　In　this　year；　also；　Captain　Malcolm；　her　brother；　married　a　daughter　of　a　Glasgow　merchant；　so　that　Mrs　Malcolm；　in　her　declining　years；　had　the　prospect　of　a　bright　setting；　but　nothing　could　change　the　sober　Christianity　of　her　settled　mind；　and　although　she　was　strongly　invited；　both　by　the　Macadams　and　the　Howards；　to　see　their　felicity；　she　ever　declined　the　same；　saying〃No！　　I　have　been　long　out　of　the　world；　or　rather；　I　have　never　been　in　it；　my　ways　are　not　as　theirs；　and　although　I　ken　their　hearts　would　be　glad　to　be　kind　to　me；　I　might　fash　their　servants；　or　their　friends　might　think　me　unlike　other　folk；　by　which；　instead　of　causing　pleasure；　mortification　might　ensue；　so　I　will　remain　in　my　own　house；　trusting　that；　when　they　can　spare　the　time；　they　will　come　and　see　me。〃

There　was　a　spirit　of　true　wisdom　in　this　resolution；　for　it　required　a　forbearance　that　in　weaker　minds　would　have　relaxed；　but　though　a　person　of　a　most　slender　and　delicate　frame　of　body；　she　was　a　Judith　in　fortitude；　and　in　all　the　fortune　that　seemed　now　smiling　upon　her；　she　never　was　lifted　up；　but　bore　always　that　pale　and　meek　look；　which　gave　a　saintliness　to　her　endeavours　in　the　days　of　her　suffering　and　poverty。

But　when　we　enjoy　most；　we　have　least　to　tell。　　I　look　back　on　this　year　as　on　a　sunny　spot　in　the　valley；　amidst　the　shadows　of　the　clouds　of　time；　and　I　have　nothing　to　record；　save　the　remembrance　of　welcomings　and　weddings；　and　a　meeting　of　bairns　and　parents；　that　the　wars　and　the　waters　had　long　raged　between。　　Contentment　within　the　bosom；　lent　a　livelier　grace　to　the　countenance　of　Nature；　and　everybody　said；　that　in　this　year　the　hedges　were　greener　than　common；　the　gowans　brighter　on　the　brae；　and　the　heads　of　the　statelier　trees　adorned　with　a　richer　coronal　of　leaves　and　blossoms。　　All　things　were　animated　with　the　gladness　of　thankfulness；　and　testified　to　the　goodness　of　their　Maker。



CHAPTER　XXVI　　YEAR　1785



Well　may　we　say；　in　the　pious　words　of　my　old　friend　and　neighbour；　the　Reverend　Mr　Keekie　of　Loupinton；　that　the　world　is　such　a　wheel…　carriage；　that　it　might　very　properly　be　called　the　WHIRL'D。　　This　reflection　was　brought　home　to　me　in　a　very　striking　manner；　while　I　was　preparing　a　discourse　for　my　people；　to　be　preached　on　the　anniversary　day　of　my　placing；　in　which　I　took　a　view　of　what　had　passed　in　the　parish　during　the　five…and…twenty　years　that　I　had　been；　by　the　grace　of　God；　the　pastor　thereof。　　The　bairns；　that　were　bairns　when　I　came　among　my　people；　were　ripened　unto　parents；　and　a　new　generation　was　swelling　in　the　bud　around　me。　　But　it　is　what　happened　that　I　have　to　give　an　account　of。

This　year　the　Lady　Macadam's　jointure…house　that　was；　having　been　long　without　a　tenant；　a　Mr　Cayenne　and　his　family；　American　loyalists；　came　and　took　it；　and　settled　among　us　for　a　time。　　His　wife　was　a　clever　woman；　and　they　had　two　daughters；　Miss　Virginia　and　Miss　Carolina；　but　he　was　himself　an　ettercap；　a　perfect　spunkie　of　passion；　as　ever　was　known　in　town　or　country。　　His　wife　had　a　terrible　time　o't　with　him；　and　yet　the　unhappy　man　had　a　great　share　of　common　sense；　and；　saving　the　exploits　of　his　unmanageable　temper；　was　an　honest　and　creditable　gentleman。　　Of　his　humour　we　soon　had　a　sample；　as　I　shall　relate　at　length　all　about　it。

Shortly　after　he　came　to　the　parish；　Mrs　Balwhidder　and　me　waited　upon　the　family　to　pay　our　respects；　and　Mr　Cayenne；　in　a　free　and　hearty　manner；　insisted　on　us　staying　to　dinner。　　His　wife；　I　could　see；　was　not　satisfied　with　this；　not　being；　as　I　discerned　afterwards；　prepared　to　give　an　entertainment　to　strangers；　however；　we　fell　into　the　misfortune　of　staying；　and　nothing　could　exceed　the　happiness　of　Mr　Cayenne。　　I　thought　him　one　of　the　blithest　bodies　I　had　ever　seen；　and　had　no　notion　that　he　was　such　a　tap　of　tow　as　in　the　sequel　he　proved　himself。

As　there　was　something　extra　to　prepare；　the　dinner　was　a　little　longer　of　being　on　the　table　than　usual；　at　which　he　began　to　fash；　and　every　now　and　then　took　a　turn　up　and　down　the　room；　with　his　hands　behind　his　back；　giving　a　short　melancholious　whistle。　　At　length　the　dinner　was　served；　but　it　was　more　scanty　than　he　had　expected；　and　this　upset　his　good…humour　altogether。　　Scarcely　had　I　asked　the　blessing　when　he　began　to　storm　at　his　blackamoor　servant；　who　was；　however；　used　to　his　way；　and　did　his　work　without　minding　him；　but　by　some　neglect　there　was　no　mustard　down；　which　Mr　Cayenne　called　for　in　the　voice　of　a　tempest；　and　one　of　the　servant　lassies　came　in　with　the　pot；　trembling。　　It　happened　that；　as　it　had　not　been　used　for　a　day　or　two　before；　the　lid　was　clagged；　and；　as　it　were；　glued　in；　so　that　Mr　Cayenne　could　not　get　it　out；　which　put　him　quite　wud；　and　he　attempted　to　fling　it　at　Sambo；　the　black　lad's　head；　but　it