the annals of the parish-第7部分

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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　then　ran　through　the　Vennel；　was　mended；　but　it　was　not　till　some　years　after；　as　I　shall　record　by…and…by；　that　the　trust…road；　as　it　was　called；　was　made；　the　which　had　the　effect　of　turning　the　town　inside　out。

Before　I　conclude；　it　is　proper　to　mention　that　the　kirk…bell；　which　had　to　this　time；　from　time　immemorial；　hung　on　an　ash…tree；　was　one　stormy　night　cast　down　by　the　breaking　of　the　branch；　which　was　the　cause　of　the　heritors　agreeing　to　build　the　steeple。　　The　clock　was　a　mortification　to　the　parish　from　the　Lady　Breadland；　when　she　died　some　years　after。



CHAPTER　VII　　YEAR　1766



It　was　in　this　Ann。　Dom。　that　the　great　calamity　happened；　the　which　took　place　on　a　Sabbath　evening　in　the　month　of　February。　　Mrs　Balwhidder　had　just　infused　or　masket　the　tea；　and　we　were　set　round　the　fireside；　to　spend　the　night　in　an　orderly　and　religious　manner；　along　with　Mr　and　Mrs　Petticrew；　who　were　on　a　friendly　visitation　to　the　manse；　the　mistress　being　full　cousin　to　Mrs　Balwhidder。　Sitting；　as　I　was　saying；　at　our　tea；　one　of　the　servant　lasses　came　into　the　room　with　a　sort　of　a　panic　laugh；　and　said；　〃What　are　ye　all　doing　there　when　the　Breadland's　in　a　low？〃〃The　Breadland　in　a　low！〃　cried　I。〃Oh；　ay！〃　cried　she；　〃bleezing　at　the　windows　and　the　rigging；　and　out　at　the　lum；　like　a　killogie。〃　　Upon　the　which；　we　all　went　to　the　door；　and　there；　to　be　sure；　we　did　see　that　the　Breadland　was　burning；　the　flames　crackling　high　out　o'er　the　trees；　and　the　sparks　flying　like　a　comet's　tail　in　the　firmament。

Seeing　this　sight；　I　said　to　Mr　Petticrew；　that；　in　the　strength　of　the　Lord；　I　would　go　and　see　what　could　be　done；　for　it　was　as　plain　as　the　sun　in　the　heavens　that　the　ancient　place　of　the　Breadlands　would　be　destroyed；　whereupon　he　accorded　to　go　with　me；　and　we　walked　at　a　lively　course　to　the　spot；　and　the　people　from　all　quarters　were　pouring　in；　and　it　was　an　awsome　scene。　　But　the　burning　of　the　house；　and　the　droves　of　the　multitude；　were　nothing　to　what　we　saw　when　we　got　forenent　the　place。　　There　was　the　rafters　crackling；　the　flames　raging；　the　servants　running；　some　with　bedding；　some　with　looking…glasses；　and　others　with　chamber　utensils　as　little　likely　to　be　fuel　to　the　fire；　but　all　testifications　to　the　confusion　and　alarm。　　Then　there　was　a　shout；　〃Whar's　Miss　Girzie？　whar's　the　Major？〃　　The　Major；　poor　man；　soon　cast　up；　lying　upon　a　feather…bed；　ill　with　his　complaints；　in　the　garden；　but　Lady　Skimmilk　was　nowhere　to　be　found。　　At　last；　a　figure　was　seen　in　the　upper　flat；　pursued　by　the　flames；　and　that　was　Miss　Girzie。　　Oh！　it　was　a　terrible　sight　to　look　at　her　in　that　jeopardy　at　the　window；　with　her　gold　watch　in　the　one　hand　and　the　silver　teapot　in　the　other；　skreighing　like　desperation　for　a　ladder　and　help。　　But；　before　a　ladder　or　help　could　be　found；　the　floor　sunk　down；　and　the　roof　fell　in；　and　poor　Miss　Girzie；　with　her　idols；　perished　in　the　burning。　　It　was　a　dreadful　business！　　I　think；　to　this　hour；　how　I　saw　her　at　the　window；　how　the　fire　came　in　behind　her；　and　claught　her　like　a　fiery　Belzebub；　and　bore　her　into　perdition　before　our　eyes。　　The　next　morning　the　atomy　of　the　body　was　found　among　the　rubbish；　with　a　piece　of　metal　in　what　had　been　each　of　its　hands；　no　doubt　the　gold　watch　and　the　silver　teapot。　　Such　was　the　end　of　Miss　Girzie；　and　the　Breadland；　which　the　young　laird；　my　pupil　that　was；　by　growing　a　resident　at　Edinburgh；　never　rebuilt。　　It　was　burnt　to　the　very　ground；　nothing　was　spared　but　what　the　servants　in　the　first　flaught　gathered　up　in　a　hurry　and　ran　with；　but　no　one　could　tell　how　the　Major；　who　was　then；　as　it　was　thought　by　the　faculty；　past　the　power　of　nature　to　recover；　got　out　of　the　house；　and　was　laid　on　the　feather…bed　in　the　garden。　　However；　he　never　got　the　better　of　that　night；　and　before　Whitsunday　he　was　dead　too；　and　buried　beside　his　sister's　bones　at　the　south　side　of　the　kirkyard　dyke；　where　his　cousin's　son；　that　was　his　heir；　erected　the　handsome　monument；　with　the　three　urns　and　weeping　cherubims；　bearing　witness　to　the　great　valour　of　the　Major　among　the　Hindoos；　as　well　as　other　commendable　virtues；　for　which；　as　the　epitaph　says；　he　was　universally　esteemed　and　beloved；　by　all　who　knew　him；　in　his　public　and　private　capacity。

But　although　the　burning　of　the　Breadland…House　was　justly　called　the　great　calamity；　on　account　of　what　happened　to　Miss　Girzie　with　her　gold　watch　and　silver　teapot；　yet；　as　Providence　never　fails　to　bring　good　out　of　evil；　it　turned　out　a　catastrophe　that　proved　advantageous　to　the　parish；　for　the　laird；　instead　of　thinking　to　build　it　up；　was　advised　to　let　the　policy　out　as　a　farm；　and　the　tack　was　taken　by　Mr　Coulter；　than　whom　there　had　been　no　such　man　in　the　agriculturing　line　among　us　before；　not　even　excepting　Mr　Kibbock　of　the　Gorbyholm；　my　father…in…law　that　was。　　Of　the　stabling；　Mr　Coulter　made　a　comfortable　dwelling…house；　and　having　rugget　out　the　evergreens　and　other　unprofitable　plants；　saving　the　twa　ancient　yew…trees　which　the　near…begaun　Major　and　his　sister　had　left　to　go　to　ruin　about　the　mansion…house；　he　turned　all　to　production；　and　it　was　wonderful　what　an　increase　he　made　the　land　bring　forth。　　He　was　from　far　beyond　Edinburgh；　and　had　got　his　insight　among　the　Lothian　farmers；　so　that　he　knew　what　crop　should　follow　another；　and　nothing　could　surpass　the　regularity　of　his　rigs　and　furrows。Well　do　I　remember　the　admiration　that　I　had；　when；　in　a　fine　sunny　morning　of　the　first　spring　after　he　took　the　Breadland；　I　saw　his　braird　on　what　had　been　the　cows'　grass；　as　even　and　pretty　as　if　it　had　been　worked　and　stripped　in　the　loom　with　a　shuttle。　　Truly；　when　I　look　back　at　the　example　he　set；　and　when　I　think　on　the　method　and　dexterity　of　his　management；　I　must　say；　that　his　coming　to　the　parish　was　a　great　godsend；　and　tended　to　do　far　more　for　the　benefit　of　my　people；　than　if　the　young　laird　had　rebuilded　the　Breadland…House　in　a　fashionable　style；　as　was　at　one　time　spoken　of。

But　the　year　of　the　great　calamity　was　memorable　for　another　thing：…　in　the　December　foregoing；　the　wind　blew；　as　I　have　recorded　in　the　chronicle　of　the　last　year；　and　broke　down　the　bough　of　the　tree　whereon　the　kirk…bell　had　hung　from　the　time；　as　was　supposed；　of　the　persecution；　before　the　bringing　over　of　King　William。　　Mr　Kibbock；　my　father…in…law　then　that　was；　being　a　man　of　a　discerning　spirit；　when　he　heard　of　the　unfortunate　fall　of　the　bell；　advised　me　to　get　the　heritors　to　big　a　steeple；　but　which；　when　I　thought　of　the　expense；　I　was　afraid　to　do。　　He；　however；　having　a　great　skill　in　the　heart　of　man；　gave　me　no　rest　on　the　subject；　but　told　me；　that　if　I　allowed　the　time　to　go　by　till　the　heritors　were　used　to　come　to　the　kirk　without　a　bell；　I　would　get　no　steeple　at　all。　I　often　wondered　what　made　Mr　Kibbock　so　fond　of　a　steeple；　which　is　a　thing　that　I　never　could　see　a　good　reason　for；　saving　that　it　is　an　ecclesiastical　adjunct；　like　the　gown　and　bands。　　However；　he　set　me　on　to　get　a　steeple　proposed；　and　after　no　little　argol…bargling　with　the　heritors；　it　was　agreed　to。　　This　was　chiefly　owing　to　the　instrumentality　of　Lady　Moneyplack；　who；　in　that　winter；　was　much　subjected　to　the　rheumatics；　she　having；　one　cold　and　raw　Sunday　morning；　there　being　no　bell　to　announce　the　time；　come　half　an　hour　too　soon　to　the　kirk；　made　her　bestir　herself　to　get　an　interest　awakened　among　the　heritors　in　behalf　of　a　steeple。

But　when　the　steeple　was　built；　a　new　contention　arose。　　It　was　thought　that　the　bell；　which　had　been　used　in　the　ash…tree；　would　not　do　in　a　stone　and　lime　fabric；　so；　after　great　agitation　among　the　heritors；　it　was　resolved　to　sell　the　old　bell　to　a　foundery　in　Glasgow；　and　buy　a　new　bell　suitable　to　the　steeple；　which　was　a　very　comely　fabric。　　The　buying　of　the　new　bell　led　to　other　considerations；　and　the　old　Lady　Breadland；　being　at　the　time　in　a　decaying　condition；　and　making　her　will；　she　left　a　mortification　to　the　parish；　as　I　have　intimated；　to　get　a　clock；　so　that；　by　the　time　the　steeple　was　finished；　and　the　bell　put　up；　the　Lady　Breadland's　legacy　came　to　be　implemented；　according　to　the　ordination　of　the　testatrix。

Of　the　casualities　that　happened　in　this　year；　I　should　not　forget　to　put　down；　as　a　thing　for　remembrance；　that　an　aged　woman；　one　Nanse　Birrel；　a　distillator　of　herbs；　and　well　skilled　in　the　healing　of　sores；　who　had　a　great　repute　among　the　quarriers　and　colliersshe　having　gone　to　the　physic　well　in　the　sandy　hills　to　draw　water；　was　found；　with　her　feet　uppermost　in　the　well；　by　some　of　the　bairns　of　Mr　Lorimore's　school；　and　there　was　a　great　debate　whether　Nanse　had　fallen　in　by　accident　head　foremost；　or；　in　a　temptation；　thrown　herself　in　that　position；　with　her　feet　sticking　up　to　the　evil　one；　for　Nanse　was　a　curious　discontented　blear…eyed　woman；　and　it　was　only　with　great　ado　that　I　could　get　the　people　keepit　from　calling　her　a　witchwife。

I　should　likewise　place　on　record；　that　the　first　ass　that　had　ever　been　seen　in　this　part　of　the　country；　came　in　the　course　of　this　year　with　a　gang　of　tinklers；　that　made　horn…spoons　and　mended　bellows。　　Where　they　came　from　never　was　well　made　out；　but　being　a　blackaviced　crew；　they　were　generally　thought　to　be　Egyptians。　　They　tarried　about　a　week　among　us；　living　in　tents；　with　their　little　ones　squattling　among　the　litter；　and　one　of　the　older　men　of　them　set　and　tempered　to　me　two　razors；　that　were　as　good　as　nothing；　but　which　he　made　better　than　when　they　were　new。

Shortly　after；　but　I　am　not　quite　sure　whether　it　was　in　the　end　of　this　year；　or　the　beginning　of　the　next；　although　I　have　a　notion　that　it　was　in　this；　there　came　over　from　Ireland　a　troop　of　wild　Irish；　seeking　for　work　as　they　said；　but　they　made　free　quarters；　for　they　herrit　the　roosts　of　the　clachan；　and　cutted　the　throat　of　a　sow　of　ours；　the　carcass　of　which　they　no　doubt　intended　to　steal；　but　something　came　over　them；　and　it　was　found　lying　at　the　back　side　of　the　manse；　to　the　great　vexation　of　Mrs　Balwhidder；　for　she　had　set　her　mind　on　a　clecking　of　pigs；