the annals of the parish-第6部分

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cy　would　allow；　which　he　thought　might　very　properly　be　after　the　turn　of　the　year；　by　which　time　the　first　Mrs　Balwhidder　would　be　dead　more　than　twelve　months；　and　when　I　mentioned　my　design　to　write　a　book；　he　said；　（and　he　was　a　man　of　good　discretion）；　that　the　doing　of　the　book　was　a　thing　that　would　keep；　but　masterful　servants　were　a　growing　evil；　so；　upon　his　counselling；　I　resolved　not　to　meddle　with　the　book　till　I　was　married　again；　but　employ　the　interim；　between　then　and　the　turn　of　the　year；　in　looking　out　for　a　prudent　woman　to　be　my　second　wife；　strictly　intending；　as　I　did　perform；　not　to　mint　a　word　about　my　choice；　if　I　made　one；　till　the　whole　twelve　months　and　a　day；　from　the　date　of　the　first　Mrs　Balwhidder's　interment；　had　run　out。

In　this　the　hand　of　Providence　was　very　visible；　and　lucky　for　me　it　was　that　I　had　sent　for　Mr　Auld　when　I　did　send；　as　the　very　week　following；　a　sound　began　to　spread　in　the　parish；　that　one　of　my　lassies　had　got　herself　with　bairn；　which　was　an　awful　thing　to　think　had　happened　in　the　house　of　her　master；　and　that　master　a　minister　of　the　gospel。　　Some　there　were；　for　backbiting　appertaineth　to　all　conditions；　that　jealoused　and　wondered　if　I　had　not　a　finger　in　the　pie；　which；　when　Mr　Auld　heard；　he　bestirred　himself　in　such　a　manful　and　godly　way　in　my　defence；　as　silenced　the　clash；　telling　that　I　was　utterly　incapable　of　any　such　thing；　being　a　man　of　a　guileless　heart；　and　a　spiritual　simplicity；　that　would　be　ornamental　in　a　child。　　We　then　had　the　latheron　summoned　before　the　session；　and　was　not　long　of　making　her　confess　that　the　father　was　Nichol　Snipe；　Lord　Glencairn's　gamekeeper；　and　both　her　and　Nichol　were　obligated　to　stand　in　the　kirk：　　but　Nichol　was　a　graceless　reprobate；　for　he　came　with　two　coats；　one　buttoned　behind　him；　and　another　buttoned　before　him；　and　two　wigs　of　my　lord's；　lent　him　by　the　valet…de…chamer；　the　one　over　his　face；　and　the　other　in　the　right　way；　and　he　stood　with　his　face　to　the　church…　wall。　　When　I　saw　him　from　the　poopit；　I　said　to　him〃Nichol；　you　must　turn　your　face　towards　me！〃　　At　the　which；　he　turned　round　to　be　sure；　but　there　he　presented　the　same　show　as　his　back。　　I　was　confounded；　and　did　not　know　what　to　say；　but　cried　out　with　a　voice　of　anger〃Nichol；　Nichol！　if　ye　had　been　a'　back；　ye　wouldna　hae　been　there　this　day；〃　which　had　such　an　effect　on　the　whole　congregation；　that　the　poor　fellow　suffered　afterwards　more　derision；　than　if　I　had　rebuked　him　in　the　manner　prescribed　by　the　session。

This　affair；　with　the　previous　advice　of　Mr　Auld；　was；　however；　a　warning　to　me；　that　no　pastor　of　his　parish　should　be　long　without　a　helpmate。　　Accordingly；　as　soon　as　the　year　was　out；　I　set　myself　earnestly　about　the　search　for　one；　but　as　the　particulars　fall　properly　within　the　scope　and　chronicle　of　the　next　year；　I　must　reserve　them　for　it；　and　I　do　not　recollect　that　any　thing　more　particular　befell　in　this；　excepting　that　William　Mutchkins；　the　father　of　Mr　Mutchkins；　the　great　spirit…dealer　in　Glasgow；　set　up　a　change…house　in　the　clachan；　which　was　the　first　in　the　parish；　and　which；　if　I　could　have　helped；　would　have　been　the　last；　for　it　was　opening　a　howf　to　all　manner　of　wickedness；　and　was　an　immediate　get　and　offspring　of　the　smuggling　trade；　against　which　I　had　so　set　my　countenance。　　But　William　Mutchkins　himself　was　a　respectable　man；　and　no　house　could　be　better　ordered　than　his　change。　　At　a　stated　hour　he　made　family　worship；　for　he　brought　up　his　children　in　the　fear　of　God　and　the　Christian　religion；　and　although　the　house　was　full；　he　would　go　in　to　the　customers；　and　ask　them　if　they　would　want　anything　for　half　an　hour；　for　that　he　was　going　to　make　exercise　with　his　family；　and　many　a　wayfaring　traveller　has　joined　in　the　prayer。　　There　is　no　such　thing；　I　fear；　nowadays；　of　publicans　entertaining　travellers　in　this　manner。



CHAPTER　VI　　YEAR　1765



As　there　was　little　in　the　last　year　that　concerned　the　parish；　but　only　myself；　so　in　this　the　like　fortune　continued；　and　saving　a　rise　in　the　price　of　barley；　occasioned；　as　was　thought；　by　the　establishment　of　a　house　for　brewing　whisky　in　a　neighbouring　parish；　it　could　not　be　said　that　my　people　were　exposed　to　the　mutations　and　influences　of　the　stars；　which　ruled　in　the　seasons　of　Ann。　Dom。　1765。　　In　the　winter　there　was　a　dearth　of　fuel；　such　as　has　not　been　since；　for　when　the　spring　loosened　the　bonds　of　the　ice；　three　new　coal…heughs　were　shanked　in　the　Douray　moor；　and　ever　since　there　has　been　a　great　plenty　of　that　necessary　article。　Truly；　it　is　very　wonderful　to　see　how　things　come　round。　　When　the　talk　was　about　the　shanking　of　their　heughs；　and　a　paper　to　get　folk　to　take　shares　in　them；　was　carried　through　the　circumjacent　parishes；　it　was　thought　a　gowk's　errand；　but　no　sooner　was　the　coal　reached；　but　up　sprung　such　a　traffic；　that　it　was　a　godsend　to　the　parish；　and　the　opening　of　a　trade　and　commerce；　that　has；　to　use　an　old　byword；　brought　gold　in　gowpins　amang　us。　　From　that　time　my　stipend　has　been　on　the　regular　increase；　and　therefore　I　think　that　the　incoming　of　the　heritors　must　have　been　in　like　manner　augmented。

Soon　after　this；　the　time　was　drawing　near　for　my　second　marriage。　I　had　placed　my　affections；　with　due　consideration；　on　Miss　Lizy　Kibbock；　the　well　brought…up　daughter　of　Mr　Joseph　Kibbock　of　the　Gorbyholm；　who　was　the　first　that　made　a　speculation　in　the　farming　way　in　Ayrshire；　and　whose　cheese　were　of　such　an　excellent　quality；　that　they　have；　under　the　name　of　Delap…cheese；　spread　far　and　wide　over　the　civilized　world。　　Miss　Lizy　and　me　were　married　on　the　29th　day　of　April；　with　some　inconvenience　to　both　sides；　on　account　of　the　dread　that　we　had　of　being　married　in　May；　for　it　is　said　…


〃Of　the　marriages　in　May；　The　bairns　die　of　a　decay。〃


However；　married　we　were；　and　we　hired　the　Irville　chaise；　and　with　Miss　Jenny　her　sister；　and　Becky　Cairns　her　niece；　who　sat　on　a　portmanty　at　our　feet；　we　went　on　a　pleasure　jaunt　to　Glasgow；　where　we　bought　a　miracle　of　useful　things　for　the　manse；　that　neither　the　first　Mrs　Balwhidder　nor　me　ever　thought　of；　but　the　second　Mrs　Balwhidder　that　was；　had　a　geni　for　management；　and　it　was　extraordinary　what　she　could　go　through。　　Well　may　I　speak　of　her　with　commendations；　for　she　was　the　bee　that　made　my　honey；　although　at　first　things　did　not　go　so　clear　with　us。　　For　she　found　the　manse　rookit　and　herrit；　and　there　was　such　a　supply　of　plenishing　of　all　sort　wanted；　that　I　thought　myself　ruined　and　undone　by　her　care　and　industry。　　There　was　such　a　buying　of　wool　to　make　blankets；　with　a　booming　of　the　meikle　wheel　to　spin　the　same；　and　such　birring　of　the　little　wheel　for　sheets　and　napery；　that　the　manse　was　for　many　a　day　like　an　organ　kist。　　Then　we　had　milk　cows；　and　the　calves　to　bring　up；　and　a　kirning　of　butter；　and　a　making　of　cheese；　in　short；　I　was　almost　by　myself　with　the　jangle　and　din；　which　prevented　me　from　writing　a　book　as　I　had　proposed；　and　I　for　a　time　thought　of　the　peaceful　and　kindly　nature　of　the　first　Mrs　Balwhidder　with　a　sigh；　but　the　outcoming　was　soon　manifest。　　The　second　Mrs　Balwhidder　sent　her　butter　on　the　market…days　to　Irville；　and　her　cheese　from　time　to　time　to　Glasgow；　to　Mrs　Firlot；　that　kept　the　huxtry　in　the　Saltmarket；　and　they　were　both　so　well　made；　that　our　dairy　was　just　a　coining　of　money；　insomuch　that；　after　the　first　year；　we　had　the　whole　tot　of　my　stipend　to　put　untouched　into　the　bank。

But　I　must　say；　that　although　we　were　thus　making　siller　like　sclate　stones；　I　was　not　satisfied　in　my　own　mind　that　I　had　got　the　manse　merely　to　be　a　factory　of　butter　and　cheese；　and　to　breed　up　veal　calves　for　the　slaughter；　so　I　spoke　to　the　second　Mrs　Balwhidder；　and　pointed　out　to　her　what　I　thought　the　error　of　our　way；　but　she　had　been　so　ingrained　with　the　profitable　management　of　cows　and　grumphies　in　her　father's　house；　that　she　could　not　desist；　at　the　which　I　was　greatly　grieved。　　By…and…by；　however；　I　began　to　discern　that　there　was　something　as　good　in　her　example；　as　the　giving　of　alms　to　the　poor　folk；　for　all　the　wives　of　the　parish　were　stirred　up　by　it　into　a　wonderful　thrift；　and　nothing　was　heard　of　in　every　house；　but　of　quiltings　and　wabs　to　weave；　insomuch　that；　before　many　years　came　round；　there　was　not　a　better　stocked　parish；　with　blankets　and　napery；　than　mine　was；　within　the　bounds　of　Scotland。

It　was　about　the　Michaelmas　of　this　year　that　Mrs　Malcolm　opened　her　shop；　which　she　did　chiefly　on　the　advice　of　Mrs　Balwhidder；　who　said　it　was　far　better　to　allow　a　little　profit　on　the　different　haberdasheries　that　might　be　wanted；　than　to　send　to　the　neighbouring　towns　an　end's　errand　on　purpose　for　them；　none　of　the　lasses　that　were　so　sent　ever　thinking　of　making　less　than　a　day's　play　on　every　such　occasion。　　In　a　word；　it　is　not　to　be　told　how　the　second　Mrs　Balwhidder；　my　wife；　showed　the　value　of　flying　time；　even　to　the　concerns　of　this　world；　and　was　the　mean　of　giving　a　life　and　energy　to　the　housewifery　of　the　parish；　that　has　made　many　a　one　beek　his　shins　in　comfort；　that　would　otherwise　have　had　but　a　cold　coal　to　blow　at。　　Indeed；　Mr；　Kibbock；　her　father；　was　a　man　beyond　the　common；　and　had　an　insight　of　things；　by　which　he　was　enabled　to　draw　profit　and　advantage；　where　others　could　only　see　risk　and　detriment。　　He　planted　mounts　of　fir…trees　on　the　bleak　and　barren　tops　of　the　hills　of　his　farm；　the　which　everybody；　and　I　among　the　rest；　considered　as　a　thrashing　of　the　water　and　raising　of　bells。　　But　as　his　rack　ran　his　trees　grew；　and　the　plantations　supplied　him　with　stabs　to　make　STAKE　AND　RICE　between　his　fields；　which　soon　gave　them　a　trig　and　orderly　appearance；　such　as　had　never　before　been　seen　in　the　west　country；　and　his　example　has；　in　this　matter；　been　so　followed；　that　I　have　heard　travellers　say；　who　have　been　in　foreign　countries；　that　the　shire　of　Ayr；　for　its　bonny　round　green　plantings　on　the　tops　of　the　hills；　is　above　comparison　either　with　Italy　or　Switzerland；　where　the　hills　are；　as　it　were；　in　a　state　of　nature。

Upon　the　whole；　this　was　a　busy　year　in　the　parish；　and　the　seeds　of　many　great　improvements　were　laid。　　The　king's　road；　the　which