the annals of the parish-第3部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


entical　Rab　Rickerton；　that　was　art　and　part　in　Meg　Glaiks'　disowned　bairn。　　Then　they　had　a　long　converse　together；　and　he　had　come　through　many　hardships；　but　had　turned　out　a　good　soldier；　and　so；　in　his　old　days；　was　an　indoor　pensioner；　and　very　comfortable；　and　he　said　that　he　had；　to　be　sure；　spent　his　youth　in　the　devil's　service；　and　his　manhood　in　the　king's；　but　his　old　age　was　given　to　that　of　his　Maker；　which　I　was　blithe　and　thankful　to　hear；　and　he　enquired　about　many　a　one　in　the　parish；　the　blooming　and　the　green　of　his　time；　but　they　were　all　dead　and　buried；　and　he　had　a　contrite　and　penitent　spirit；　and　read　his　Bible　every　day；　delighting　most　in　the　Book　of　Joshua；　the　Chronicles；　and　the　Kings。

Before　this　year；　the　drinking　of　tea　was　little　known　in　the　parish；　saving　among　a　few　of　the　heritors'　houses　on　a　Sabbath　evening；　but　now　it　became　very　rife：　　yet　the　commoner　sort　did　not　like　to　let　it　be　known　that　they　were　taking　to　the　new　luxury；　especially　the　elderly　women；　who；　for　that　reason；　had　their　ploys　in　out…houses　and　by…places；　just　as　the　witches　lang　syne　had　their　sinful　possets　and　galravitchings；　and　they　made　their　tea　for　common　in　the　pint…stoup；　and　drank　it　out　of　caps　and　luggies；　for　there　were　but　few　among　them　that　had　cups　and　saucers。　　Well　do　I　remember　one　night　in　harvest；　in　this　very　year；　as　I　was　taking　my　twilight　dauner　aneath　the　hedge　along　the　back　side　of　Thomas　Thorl's　yard；　meditating　on　the　goodness　of　Providence；　and　looking　at　the　sheaves　of　victual　on　the　field；　that　I　heard　his　wife；　and　two　three　other　carlins；　with　their　Bohea　in　the　inside　of　the　hedge；　and　no　doubt　but　it　had　a　lacing　of　the　conek；　｛3｝　for　they　were　all　cracking　like　pen…guns。　　But　I　gave　them　a　sign；　by　a　loud　host；　that　Providence　sees　all；　and　it　skailed　the　bike；　for　I　heard　them；　like　guilty　creatures；　whispering；　and　gathering　up　their　truck…pots　and　trenchers；　and　cowering　away　home。

It　was　in　this　year　that　Patrick　Dilworth　（he　had　been　schoolmaster　of　the　parish　from　the　time；　as　his　wife　said；　of　Anna　Regina；　and　before　the　Rexes　came　to　the　crown）；　was　disabled　by　a　paralytic；　and　the　heritors；　grudging　the　cost　of　another　schoolmaster　as　long　as　he　lived；　would　not　allow　the　session　to　get　his　place　supplied；　which　was　a　wrong　thing；　I　must　say；　of　them；　for　the　children　of　the　parishioners　were　obliged；　therefore；　to　go　to　the　neighbouring　towns　for　their　schooling；　and　the　custom　was　to　take　a　piece　of　bread　and　cheese　in　their　pockets　for　dinner；　and　to　return　in　the　evening　always　voracious　for　more；　the　long　walk　helping　the　natural　crave　of　their　young　appetites。　　In　this　way　Mrs　Malcolm's　two　eldest　laddies；　Charlie　and　Robert；　were　wont　to　go　to　Irville；　and　it　was　soon　seen　that　they　kept　themselves　aloof　from　the　other　callans　in　the　clachan；　and　had　a　genteeler　turn　than　the　grulshy　bairns　of　the　cottars。　　Her　bit　lassies；　Kate　and　Effie；　were　better　off；　for　some　years　before；　Nanse　Banks　had　taken　up　a　teaching　in　a　garret…room　of　a　house；　at　the　corner　where　John　Bayne　has　biggit　the　sclate…house　for　his　grocery…shop。　　Nanse　learnt　them　reading　and　working　stockings；　and　how　to　sew　the　semplar；　for　twal…pennies　a…week。　　She　was　a　patient　creature；　well　cut　out　for　her　calling；　with　blear　een；　a　pale　face；　and　a　long　neck；　but　meek　and　contented　withal；　tholing　the　dule　of　this　world　with　a　Christian　submission　of　the　spirit；　and　her　garret…room　was　a　cordial　of　cleanliness；　for　she　made　the　scholars　set　the　house　in　order；　time　and　time　about；　every　morning；　and　it　was　a　common　remark　for　many　a　day；　that　the　lassies；　who　had　been　at　Nanse　Banks's　school；　were　always　well　spoken　of；　both　for　their　civility；　and　the　trigness　of　their　houses　when　they　were　afterwards　married。　　In　short；　I　do　not　know；　that　in　all　the　long　epoch　of　my　ministry；　any　individual　body　did　more　to　improve　the　ways　of　the　parishioners；　in　their　domestic　concerns；　than　did　that　worthy　and　innocent　creature；　Nanse　Banks；　the　schoolmistress；　and　she　was　a　great　loss　when　she　was　removed；　as　it　is　to　be　hoped；　to　a　better　world；　but　anent　this　I　shall　have　to　speak　more　at　large　hereafter。

It　was　in　this　year　that　my　patron；　the　Laird　of　Breadland；　departed　this　life；　and　I　preached　his　funeral　sermon；　but　he　was　non…beloved　in　the　parish；　for　my　people　never　forgave　him　for　putting　me　upon　them；　although　they　began　to　be　more　on　a　familiar　footing　with　myself。　　This　was　partly　owing　to　my　first　wife；　Betty　Lanshaw；　who　was　an　active　throughgoing　woman；　and　wonderfu'　useful　to　many　of　the　cottars'　wives　at　their　lying…in；　and　when　a　death　happened　among　them；　her　helping　hand；　and　any　thing　we　had　at　the　manse；　was　never　wanting；　and　I　went　about　myself　to　the　bedsides　of　the　frail；　leaving　no　stone　unturned　to　win　the　affections　of　my　people；　which；　by　the　blessing　of　the　Lord；　in　process　of　time；　was　brought　to　a　bearing。

But　a　thing　happened　in　this　year；　which　deserves　to　be　recorded；　as　manifesting　what　effect　the　smuggling　was　beginning　to　take　in　the　morals　of　the　country　side。　　One　Mr　Macskipnish；　of　Highland　parentage；　who　had　been　a　valet…de…chambre　with　a　major　in　the　campaigns；　and　taken　a　prisoner　with　him　by　the　French；　he　having　come　home　in　a　cartel；　took　up　a　dancing…school　at　Irville；　the　which　art　he　had　learnt　in　the　genteelest　fashion；　in　the　mode　of　Paris；　at　the　French　court。　　Such　a　thing　as　a　dancing…school　had　never；　in　the　memory　of　man；　been　known　in　our　country　side；　and　there　was　such　a　sound　about　the　steps　and　cottillions　of　Mr　Macskipnish；　that　every　lad　and　lass；　that　could　spare　time　and　siller；　went　to　him；　to　the　great　neglect　of　their　work。　　The　very　bairns　on　the　loan；　instead　of　their　wonted　play；　gaed　linking　and　louping　in　the　steps　of　Mr　Macskipnish；　who　was；　to　be　sure；　a　great　curiosity；　with　long　spindle　legs；　his　breast　shot　out　like　a　duck's；　and　his　head　powdered　and　frizzled　up　like　a　tappit…hen。　　He　was；　indeed；　the　proudest　peacock　that　could　be　seen；　and　he　had　a　ring　on　his　finger；　and　when　he　came　to　drink　his　tea　at　the　Breadland；　he　brought　no　hat　on　his　head；　but　a　droll　cockit　thing　under　his　arm；　which；　he　said；　was　after　the　manner　of　the　courtiers　at　the　petty　suppers　of　one　Madam　Pompadour；　who　was　at　that　time　the　concubine　of　the　French　king。

I　do　not　recollect　any　other　remarkable　thing　that　happened　in　this　year。　　The　harvest　was　very　abundant；　and　the　meal　so　cheap；　that　it　caused　a　great　defect　in　my　stipend；　so　that　I　was　obligated　to　postpone　the　purchase　of　a　mahogany　scrutoire　for　my　study；　as　I　had　intended。　　But　I　had　not　the　heart　to　complain　of　this：　　on　the　contrary；　I　rejoiced　thereat；　for　what　made　me　want　my　scrutoire　till　another　year；　had　carried　blitheness　into　the　hearth　of　the　cottar；　and　made　the　widow's　heart　sing　with　joy；　and　I　would　have　been　an　unnatural　creature；　had　I　not　joined　in　the　universal　gladness；　because　plenty　did　abound。



CHAPTER　III　　YEAR　1762



The　third　year　of　my　ministry　was　long　held　in　remembrance　for　several　very　memorable　things。　　William　Byres　of　the　Loanhead　had　a　cow　that　calved　two　calves　at　one　calving；　Mrs　Byres；　the　same　year；　had　twins；　male　and　female；　and　there　was　such　a　crop　on　his　fields；　testifying　that　the　Lord　never　sends　a　mouth　into　the　world　without　providing　meat　for　it。　　But　what　was　thought　a　very　daunting　sign　of　something；　happened　on　the　Sacrament　Sabbath　at　the　conclusion　of　the　action　sermon；　when　I　had　made　a　very　suitable　discourse。　　The　day　was　tempestuous；　and　the　wind　blew　with　such　a　pith　and　birr；　that　I　thought　it　would　have　twirled　the　trees　in　the　kirkyard　out　by　the　roots；　and；　blowing　in　this　manner；　it　tirled　the　thack　from　the　rigging　of　the　manse　stable；　and　the　same　blast　that　did　that；　took　down　the　lead　that　was　on　the　kirk…roof；　which　hurled　off；　as　I　was　saying；　at　the　conclusion　of　the　action　sermon；　with　such　a　dreadful　sound；　as　the　like　was　never　heard；　and　all　the　congregation　thought　that　it　betokened　a　mutation　to　me。　　However；　nothing　particular　happened　to　me；　but　the　smallpox　came　in　among　the　weans　of　the　parish；　and　the　smashing　that　it　made　of　the　poor　bits　o'　bairns　was　indeed　woeful。

One　Sabbath；　when　the　pestilence　was　raging；　I　preached　a　sermon　about　Rachel　weeping　for　her　children；　which　Thomas　Thorl；　who　was　surely　a　great　judge　of　good　preaching；　said；　〃was　a　monument　of　divinity　whilk　searched　the　heart　of　many　a　parent　that　day；〃　a　thing　I　was　well　pleased　to　hear；　for　Thomas；　as　I　have　related　at　length；　was　the　most　zealous　champion　against　my　getting　the　parish；　but；　from　this　time；　I　set　him　down　in　my　mind　for　the　next　vacancy　among　the　elders。　　Worthy　man！　it　was　not　permitted　him　to　arrive　at　that　honour。　　In　the　fall　of　that　year　he　took　an　income　in　his　legs；　and　couldna　go　about；　and　was　laid　up　for　the　remainder　of　his　days；　a　perfect　Lazarus；　by　the　fire…side。　　But　he　was　well　supported　in　his　affliction。　　In　due　season；　when　it　pleased　Him　that　alone　can　give　and　take；　to　pluck　him　from　this　life；　as　the　fruit　ripened　and　ready　for　the　gathering；　his　death；　to　all　that　knew　him；　was　a　gentle　dispensation；　for　truly　he　had　been　in　sore　trouble。

It　was　in　this　year　that　Charlie　Malcolm；　Mrs　Malcolm's　eldest　son；　was　sent　to　be　a　cabin…boy　in　the　Tobacco　trader；　a　three…masted　ship；　that　sailed　between　Port…Glasgow　and　Virginia　in　America。　　She　was　commanded　by　Captain　Dickie；　an　Irville　man；　for　at　that　time　the　Clyde　was　supplied　with　the　best　sailors　from　our　coast；　the　coal…trade　with　Ireland　being　a　better　trade　for　bringing　up　good　mariners　than　the　long　voyages　in　the　open　sea；　which　was　the　reason；　as　I　often　heard　said；　why　the　Clyde　shipping　got　so　many　of　their　men　from　our　country　side。　　The　going　to　sea　of　Charlie　Malcolm　was；　on　divers　accounts；　a　very　remarkable　thing　to　us　all；　for　he　was　the　first　that　ever　went　from　our　parish；　in　the　memory　of　man；　to　be　a　sailor；　and　everybody　was　concerned　at　it；　and　some　thought　it　was　a　great　venture　of　his　mother　to　let　him；　his　father　having　been　lost　at　sea。　　But　what　could　the　forlorn　widow　do？　　She　had　five　weans；　and　little　to　give　them；　and；　as　she　herself　said；　he　was　aye　in　the　hand　of　his　Maker；　go　where　he　might