the annals of the parish-第4部分

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ittle　to　give　them；　and；　as　she　herself　said；　he　was　aye　in　the　hand　of　his　Maker；　go　where　he　might；　and　the　will　of　God　would　be　done；　in　spite　of　all　earthly　wiles　and　devices　to　the　contrary。

On　the　Monday　morning；　when　Charlie　was　to　go　away　to　meet　the　Irville　carrier　on　the　road；　we　were　all　up；　and　I　walked　by　myself　from　the　manse　into　the　clachan　to　bid　him　farewell；　and　I　met　him　just　coming　from　his　mother's　door；　as　blithe　as　a　bee；　in　his　sailor's　dress；　with　a　stick；　and　a　bundle　tied　in　a　Barcelona　silk　handkerchief　hanging　o'er　his　shoulder；　and　his　two　little　brothers　were　with　him；　and　his　sisters；　Kate　and　Effie；　looking　out　from　the　door　all　begreeten；　but　his　mother　was　in　the　house；　praying　to　the　Lord　to　protect　her　orphan；　as　she　afterwards　told　me。　　All　the　weans　of　the　clachan　were　gathered　at　the　kirkyard　yett　to　see　him　pass；　and　they　gave　him　three　great　shouts　as　he　was　going　by；　and　everybody　was　at　their　doors；　and　said　something　encouraging　to　him；　but　there　was　a　great　laugh　when　auld　Mizy　Spaewell　came　hirpling　with　her　bauchle　in　her　hand；　and　flung　it　after　him　for　good…luck。　Mizy　had　a　wonderful　faith　in　freats；　and　was　just　an　oracle　of　sagacity　at　expounding　dreams；　and　bodes　of　every　sort　and　descriptionbesides；　she　was　reckoned　one　of　the　best　howdies　in　her　day；　but　by　this　time　she　was　grown　frail　and　feckless；　and　she　died　the　same　year　on　Hallowe'en；　which　made　everybody　wonder　that　it　should　have　so　fallen　out　for　her　to　die　on　Hallowe'en。

Shortly　after　the　departure　of　Charlie　Malcolm；　the　Lady　of　Breadland；　with　her　three　daughters；　removed　to　Edinburgh；　where　the　young　laird；　that　had　been　my　pupil；　was　learning　to　be　an　advocate；　and　the　Breadland…house　was　set　to　Major　Gilchrist；　a　nabob　from　India；　but　he　was　a　narrow　ailing　man；　and　his　maiden…sister；　Miss　Girzie；　was　the　scrimpetest　creature　that　could　be；　so　that；　in　their　hands；　all　the　pretty　policy　of　the　Breadlands；　that　had　cost　a　power　of　money　to　the　old　laird　that　was　my　patron；　fell　into　decay　and　disorder；　and　the　bonny　yew…trees　that　were　cut　into　the　shape　of　peacocks；　soon　grew　out　of　all　shape；　and　are　now　doleful　monuments　of　the　major's　tack；　and　that　of　Lady　Skimmilk；　as　Miss　Girzie　Gilchrist；　his　sister；　was　nick…named　by　every　ane　that　kent　her。

But　it　was　not　so　much　on　account　of　the　neglect　of　the　Breadland；　that　the　incoming　of　Major　Gilchrist　was　to　be　deplored。　　The　old　men　that　had　a　light　labour　in　keeping　the　policy　in　order；　were　thrown　out　of　bread；　and　could　do　little；　and　the　poor　women　that　whiles　got　a　bit　and　a　drap　from　the　kitchen　of　the　family；　soon　felt　the　change；　so　that　by　little　and　little　we　were　obligated　to　give　help　from　the　session；　insomuch　that；　before　the　end　of　the　year；　I　was　necessitated　to　preach　a　discourse　on　almsgiving；　specially　for　the　benefit　of　our　own　poor；　a　thing　never　before　known　in　the　parish。

But　one　good　thing　came　from　the　Gilchrists　to　Mrs　Malcolm。　　Miss　Girzie；　whom　they　called　Lady　Skimmilk；　had　been　in　a　very　penurious　way　as　a　seamstress；　in　the　Gorbals　of　Glasgow；　while　her　brother　was　making　the　fortune　in　India；　and　she　was　a　clever　needle…woman　none　better；　as　it　was　said；　and　she；　having　some　things　to　make；　took　Kate　Malcolm　to　help　her　in　the　coarse　work；　and　Kate；　being　a　nimble　and　birky　thing；　was　so　useful　to　the　lady；　and　the　complaining　man　the　major；　that　they　invited　her　to　stay　with　them　at　the　Breadland　for　the　winter；　where；　although　she　was　holden　to　her　seam　from　morning　to　night；　her　food　lightened　the　hand　of　her　mother；　who；　for　the　first　time　since　her　coming　into　the　parish；　found　the　penny　for　the　day's　darg　more　than　was　needed　for　the　meal…basin；　and　the　tea…drinking　was　beginning　to　spread　more　openly；　insomuch　that；　by　the　advice　of　the　first　Mrs　Balwhidder；　Mrs　Malcolm　took　in　tea　to　sell；　and　in　this　way　was　enabled　to　eke　something　to　the　small　profits　of　her　wheel。　　Thus　the　tide　that　had　been　so　long　ebbing　to　her；　began　to　turn；　and　here　I　am　bound　in　truth　to　say；　that　although　I　never　could　abide　the　smuggling；　both　on　its　own　account；　and　the　evils　that　grew　therefrom　to　the　country　side；　I　lost　some　of　my　dislike　to　the　tea　after　Mrs　Malcolm　began　to　traffic　in　it；　and　we　then　had　it　for　our　breakfast　in　the　morning　at　the　manse；　as　well　as　in　the　afternoon。　　But　what　I　thought　most　of　it　for　was；　that　it　did　no　harm　to　the　head　of　the　drinkers；　which　was　not　always　the　case　with　the　possets　that　were　in　fashion　before。　　There　is　no　meeting　now　in　the　summer　evenings；　as　I　remember　often　happened　in　my　younger　days；　with　decent　ladies　coming　home　with　red　faces；　tosy　and　cosh；　from　a　posset…masking；　so；　both　for　its　temperance　and　on　account　of　Mrs　Malcolm's　sale；　I　refrained　from　the　November　in　this　year　to　preach　against　tea；　but　I　never　lifted　the　weight　of　my　displeasure　from　off　the　smuggling　trade；　until　it　was　utterly　put　down　by　the　strong　hand　of　government。

There　was　no　other　thing　of　note　in　this　year；　saving　only　that　I　planted　in　the　garden　the　big　pear…tree；　which　had　the　two　great　branches　that　we　call　the　Adam　and　Eve。　　I　got　the　plant；　then　a　sapling；　from　Mr　Graft；　that　was　Lord　Eaglesham's　head…gardener；　and　he　said　it　was；　as　indeed　all　the　parish　now　knows　well；　a　most　juicy　sweet　pear；　such　as　was　not　known　in　Scotland　till　my　lord　brought　down　the　father　plant　from　the　king's　garden　in　London；　in　the　forty…five　when　he　went　up　to　testify　his　loyalty　to　the　House　of　Hanover。



CHAPTER　IV　　YEAR　1763



The　An。　Dom。　1763；　was；　in　many　a　respect；　a　memorable　year；　both　in　public　and　in　private。　　The　King　granted　peace　to　the　French；　and　Charlie　Malcolm；　that　went　to　sea　in　the　Tobacco　trader；　came　home　to　see　his　mother。　　The　ship；　after　being　at　America；　had　gone　down　to　Jamaica；　an　island　in　the　West　Indies；　with　a　cargo　of　live　lumber；　as　Charlie　told　me　himself；　and　had　come　home　with　more　than　a　hundred　and　fifty　hoggits　of　sugar；　and　sixty…three　puncheons　full　of　rum；　for　she　was；　by　all　accounts；　a　stately　galley；　and　almost　two　hundred　tons　in　the　burthen；　being　the　largest　vessel　then　sailing　from　the　creditable　town　of　Port…Glasgow。　　Charlie　was　not　expected；　and　his　coming　was　a　great　thing　to　us　all；　so　I　will　mention　the　whole　particulars。

One　evening；　towards　the　gloaming；　as　I　was　taking　my　walk　of　meditation；　I　saw　a　brisk　sailor　laddie　coming　towards　me。　　He　had　a　pretty　green　parrot　sitting　on　a　bundle；　tied　in　a　Barcelona　silk　handkerchief；　which　he　carried　with　a　stick　over　his　shoulder；　and　in　this　bundle　was　a　wonderful　big　nut；　such　as　no　one　in　our　parish　had　ever　seen。　　It　was　called　a　cocker…nut。　　This　blithe　callant　was　Charlie　Malcolm；　who　had　come　all　the　way　that　day　his　leeful　lane；　on　his　own　legs　from　Greenock；　where　the　Tobacco　trader　was　then　'livering　her　cargo。　　I　told　him　how　his　mother；　and　his　brothers；　and　his　sisters　were　all　in　good　health；　and　went　to　convoy　him　home；　and　as　we　were　going　along；　he　told　me　many　curious　things；　and　he　gave　me　six　beautiful　yellow　limes；　that　he　had　brought　in　his　pouch　all　the　way　across　the　seas；　for　me　to　make　a　bowl　of　punch　with；　and　I　thought　more　of　them　than　if　they　had　been　golden　guineas；　it　was　so　mindful　of　the　laddie。

When　we　got　to　the　door　of　his　mother's　house；　she　was　sitting　at　the　fireside；　with　her　three　other　bairns　at　their　bread　and　milk；　Kate　being　then　with　Lady　Skimmilk；　at　the　Breadland；　sewing。　　It　was　between　the　day　and　dark；　when　the　shuttle　stands　still　till　the　lamp　is　lighted。　　But　such　a　shout　of　joy　and　thankfulness　as　rose　from　that　hearth；　when　Charlie　went　in！　　The　very　parrot；　ye　would　have　thought；　was　a　participator；　for　the　beast　gied　a　skraik　that　made　my　whole　head　dirl；　and　the　neighbours　came　flying　and　flocking　to　see　what　was　the　matter；　for　it　was　the　first　parrot　ever　seen　within　the　bounds　of　the　parish；　and　some　thought　it　was　but　a　foreign　hawk；　with　a　yellow　head　and　green　feathers。

In　the　midst　of　all　this；　Effie　Malcolm　had　run　off　to　the　Breadland　for　her　sister　Kate；　and　the　two　lassies　came　flying　breathless；　with　Miss　Girzie　Gilchrist；　the　Lady　Skimmilk；　pursuing　them　like　desperation；　or　a　griffin；　down　the　avenue；　for　Kate；　in　her　hurry；　had　flung　down　her　seam；　a　new　printed　gown；　that　she　was　helping　to　make；　and　it　had　fallen　into　a　boyne　of　milk　that　was　ready　for　the　creaming；　by　which　issued　a　double　misfortune　to　Miss　Girzie；　the　gown　being　not　only　ruined；　but　licking　up　the　cream。　　For　this；　poor　Kate　was　not　allowed　ever　to　set　her　face　in　the　Breadland　again。

When　Charlie　Malcolm　had　stayed　about　a　week　with　his　mother；　he　returned　to　his　berth　in　the　Tobacco　trader；　and　shortly　after　his　brother　Robert　was　likewise　sent　to　serve　his　time　to　the　sea；　with　an　owner　that　was　master　of　his　own　bark；　in　the　coal　trade　at　Irville。　　Kate；　who　was　really　a　surprising　lassie　for　her　years；　was　taken　off　her　mother's　hands　by　the　old　Lady　Macadam；　that　lived　in　her　jointure　house；　which　is　now　the　Cross　Keys　Inn。　　Her　ladyship　was　a　woman　of　high　breeding；　her　husband　having　been　a　great　general；　and　knighted　by　the　king　for　his　exploits；　but　she　was　lame；　and　could　not　move　about　in　her　dining…room　without　help；　so　hearing　from　the　first　Mrs　Balwhidder　how　Kate　had　done　such　an　unatonable　deed　to　Miss　Girzie　Gilchrist；　she　sent　for　Kate；　and；　finding　her　sharp　and　apt；　she　took　her　to　live　with　her　as　a　companion。　　This　was　a　vast　advantage；　for　the　lady　was　versed　in　all　manner　of　accomplishments；　and　could　read　and　speak　French　with　more　ease　than　any　professor　at　that　time　in　the　College　of　Glasgow；　and　she　had　learnt　to　sew　flowers　on　satin；　either　in　a　nunnery　abroad；　or　in　a　boarding…school　in　England；　and　took　pleasure　in　teaching　Kate　all　she　knew；　and　how　to　behave　herself　like　a　lady。

In　the　summer　of　this　year；　old　Mr　Patrick　Dilworth；　that　had　so　long　been　doited　with　the　paralytics；　died；　and　it　was　a　great　relief　to　my　people；　for　the　heritors　could　no　longer　refuse　to　get　a　proper　schoolmaster；　so　we　took　on　trial　Mr　Lorimore；　who　has　ever　since　the　year　after；　with　so　much　credit　to　himself；　and　usefulness　to　the　parish；　been　schoolmaster；　session　clerk；　and　precentora　man　of　great　mildness　and　extraordinary　p