the annals of the parish-第9部分

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t　is　not；　however；　my　design　to　speak　much　anent　my　own　affairs；　which　would　be　a　very　improper　and　uncomely　thing；　but　only　of　what　happened　in　the　parish；　this　book　being　for　a　witness　and　testimony　of　my　ministry。　　Therefore；　setting　out　of　view　both　me　and　mine；　I　will　now　resuscitate　the　concerns　of　Mrs　Malcolm　and　her　children；　for；　as　I　think；　never　was　there　such　a　visible　preordination　seen　in　the　lives　of　any　persons；　as　was　seen　in　that　of　this　worthy　decent　woman；　and　her　well…doing　off…spring。　　Her　morning　was　raw；　and　a　sore　blight　fell　upon　her　fortunes；　but　the　sun　looked　out　on　her　midday；　and　her　evening　closed　loun　and　warm；　and　the　stars　of　the　firmament；　that　are　the　eyes　of　heaven；　beamed　as　it　were　with　gladness；　when　she　lay　down　to　sleep　the　sleep　of　rest。

Her　son　Charles　was　by　this　time　grown　up　into　a　stout　buirdly　lad；　and　it　was　expected　that；　before　the　return　of　the　Tobacco　trader；　he　would　have　been　out　of　his　time；　and　a　man　afore　the　mast；　which　was　a　great　step　of　preferment；　as　I　heard　say　by　persons　skilled　in　seafaring　concerns。　　But　this　was　not　ordered　to　happen；　for；　when　the　Tobacco　trader　was　lying　in　the　harbour　of　Virginia　in　the　North　Americas；　a　pressgang；　that　was　in　need　of　men　for　a　man…of…war；　came　on　board；　and　pressed　poor　Charles；　and　sailed　away　with　him　on　a　cruise；　nobody；　for　many　a　day；　could　tell　where；　till　I　thought　of　the　Lord　Eaglesham's　kindness。　　His　lordship　having　something　to　say　with　the　king's　government；　I　wrote　to　him；　telling　him　who　I　was；　and　how　jocose　he　had　been　when　buttoned　in　my　clothes；　that　he　might　recollect　me；　thanking　him；　at　the　same　time；　for　his　condescension　and　patronage　to　Andrew　Lanshaw；　in　his　way　to　the　East　Indies。　　I　then　slipped　in；　at　the　end　of　the　letter；　a　bit　nota…bene　concerning　the　case　of　Charles　Malcolm；　begging　his　lordship；　on　account　of　the　poor　lad's　widow　mother；　to　enquire　at　the　government　if　they　could　tell　us　any　thing　about　Charles。　　In　the　due　course　of　time；　I　got　a　most　civil　reply　from　his　lordship；　stating　all　about　the　name　of　the　man…of…war；　and　where　she　was；　and　at　the　conclusion　his　lordship　said；　that　I　was　lucky　in　having　the　brother　of　a　Lord　of　the　Admiralty　on　this　occasion　for　my　agent；　as　otherwise；　from　the　vagueness　of　my　statement；　the　information　might　not　have　been　procured；　which　remark　of　his　lordship　was　long　a　great　riddle　to　me；　for　I　could　not　think　what　he　meant　about　an　agent；　till；　in　the　course　of　the　year；　we　heard　that　his　own　brother　was　concerned　in　the　admiralty；　so　that　all　his　lordship　meant　was　only　to　crack　a　joke　with　me；　and　that　he　was　ever　ready　and　free　to　do；　as　shall　be　related　in　the　sequel；　for　he　was　an　excellent　man。

There　being　a　vacancy　for　a　schoolmistress；　it　was　proposed　to　Mrs　Malcolm；　that；　under　her　superintendence；　her　daughter　Kate；　that　had　been　learning　great　artifices　in　needle…work　so　long　with　Lady　Macadam；　should　take　up　the　school；　and　the　session　undertook　to　make　good　to　Kate　the　sum　of　five　pounds　sterling　per　annum；　over　and　above　what　the　scholars　were　to　pay。　　But　Mrs　Malcolm　said　she　had　not　strength　herself　to　warsle　with　so　many　unruly　brats；　and　that　Kate；　though　a　fine　lassie；　was　a　tempestuous　spirit；　and　might　lame　some　of　the　bairns　in　her　passion；　and　that　selfsame　night；　Lady　Macadam　wrote　me　a　very　complaining　letter；　for　trying　to　wile　away　her　companion；　but　her　ladyship　was　a　canary…headed　woman；　and　given　to　flights　and　tantrums；　having　in　her　youth　been　a　great　toast　among　the　quality。　　It　would；　however；　have　saved　her　from　a　sore　heart；　had　she　never　thought　of　keeping　Kate　Malcolm。　　For　this　year　her　only　son；　who　was　learning　the　art　of　war　at　an　academy　in　France；　came　to　pay　her；　his　lady　mother；　a　visit。　　He　was　a　brisk　and　light…hearted　stripling；　and　Kate　Malcolm　was　budding　into　a　very　rose　of　beauty；　so　between　them　a　hankering　began；　which；　for　a　season；　was　productive　of　great　heaviness　of　heart　to　the　poor　old　cripple　lady；　indeed；　she　assured　me　herself；　that　all　her　rheumatics　were　nothing　to　the　heart…ache　which　she　suffered　in　the　progress　of　this　business。　　But　that　will　be　more　treated　of　hereafter；　suffice　it　to　say　for　the　present；　that　we　have　thus　recorded　how　the　plan　for　making　Kate　Malcolm　our　schoolmistress　came　to　nought。　　It　pleased；　however；　Him；　from　whom　cometh　every　good　and　perfect　gift；　to　send　at　this　time　among　us　a　Miss　Sabrina　Hooky；　the　daughter　of　old　Mr　Hooky；　who　had　been　schoolmaster　in　a　neighbouring　parish。　　She　had　gone；　after　his　death；　to　live　with　an　auntie　in　Glasgow；　that　kept　a　shop　in　the　Gallowgate。　　It　was　thought　that　the　old　woman　would　have　left　her　heir　to　all　her　gatherings；　and　so　she　said　she　would；　but　alas！　our　life　is　but　within　our　lip。　　Before　her　testament　was　made；　she　was　carried　suddenly　off　by　an　apoplectick；　an　awful　monument　of　the　uncertainty　of　time　and　the　nearness　of　eternity；　in　her　own　shop；　as　she　was　in　the　very　act　of　weighing　out　an　ounce　of　snuff　to　a　professor　of　the　College；　as　Miss　Sabrina　herself　told　me。　　Being　thus　destitute；　it　happened　that　Miss　Sabrina　heard　of　the　vacancy　in　our　parish；　as　it　were；　just　by　the　cry　of　a　passing　bird；　for　she　could　not　tell　how；　although　I　judge　myself　that　William　Keckle　the　elder　had　a　hand　in　it；　as　he　was　at　the　time　in　Glasgow；　and　she　wrote　me　a　wonderful　well…penned　letter　bespeaking　the　situation；　which　letter　came　to　hand　on　the　morn　following　Lady　Macadam's　stramash　to　me　about　Kate　Malcolm；　and　I　laid　it　before　the　session　the　same　day；　so　that；　by　the　time　her　auntie's　concern　was　taken　off　her　hands；　she　had　a　home　and　a　howf　among　us　to　come　in；　to　the　which　she　lived　upwards　of　thirty　years　in　credit　and　respect；　although　some　thought　she　had　not　the　art　of　her　predecessor；　and　was　more　uppish　in　her　carriage　than　befitted　the　decorum　of　her　vocation。　　Hers；　however；　was　but　a　harmless　vanity；　and；　poor　woman；　she　needed　all　manner　of　graces　to　set　her　out；　for　she　was　made　up　of　odds　and　ends；　and　had　but　one　good　eye；　the　other　being　blind；　and　just　like　a　blue　bead。　　At　first　she　plainly　set　her　cap　for　Mr　Lorimore；　but　after　oggling　and　goggling　at　him　every　Sunday　in　the　kirk　for　a　whole　half…year　and　more；　Miss　Sabrina　desisted　in　despair。

But　the　most　remarkable　thing　about　her　coming　into　the　parish；　was　the　change　that　took　place　in　Christian　names　among　us。　　Old　Mr　Hooky；　her　father；　had；　from　the　time　he　read　his　Virgil；　maintained　a　sort　of　intromission　with　the　nine　muses；　by　which　he　was　led　to　baptize　her　Sabrina；　after　a　name　mentioned　by　John　Milton　in　one　of　his　works。　　Miss　Sabrina　began　by　calling　our　Jennies　Jessies；　and　our　Nannies　Nancies；　alas！　I　have　lived　to　see　even　these　likewise　grow　old…fashioned。　　She　had　also　a　taste　in　the　mantua…making　line；　which　she　had　learnt　in　Glasgow；　and　I　could　date　from　the　very　Sabbath　of　her　first　appearance　in　the　kirk；　a　change　growing　in　the　garb　of　the　younger　lassies；　who　from　that　day　began　to　lay　aside　the　silken　plaidie　over　the　head；　the　which　had　been　the　pride　and　bravery　of　their　grandmothers；　and　instead　of　the　snood；　that　was　so　snod　and　simple；　they　hided　their　heads　in　round…eared　bees…cap　mutches；　made　of　gauze　and　catgut；　and　other　curious　contrivances　of　French　millendery；　all　which　brought　a　deal　of　custom　to　Miss　Sabrina；　over　and　above　the　incomings　and　Candlemas　offerings　of　school；　insomuch　that　she　saved　money；　and　in　the　course　of　three　years　had　ten　pounds　to　put　in　the　bank。

At　the　time；　these　alterations　and　revolutions　in　the　parish　were　thought　a　great　advantage；　but　now　when　I　look　back　upon　them；　as　a　traveller　on　the　hill　over　the　road　he　has　passed；　I　have　my　doubts。　For　with　wealth　come　wants；　like　a　troop　of　clamorous　beggars　at　the　heels　of　a　generous　man；　and　it's　hard　to　tell　wherein　the　benefit　of　improvement　in　a　country　parish　consists；　especially　to　those　who　live　by　the　sweat　of　their　brow。　　But　it　is　not　for　me　to　make　reflections；　my　task　and　duty　is　to　note　the　changes　of　time　and　habitudes。



CHAPTER　X　　YEAR　1769



I　have　my　doubts　whether　it　was　in　the　beginning　of　this　year；　or　in　the　end　of　the　last；　that　a　very　extraordinary　thing　came　to　light　in　the　parish；　but；　howsoever　that　may　be；　there　is　nothing　more　certain　than　the　fact；　which　it　is　my　duty　to　record。　　I　have　mentioned　already　how　it　was　that　the　toll；　or　trust…road；　was　set　a…going；　on　account　of　the　Lord　Eaglesham's　tumbling　on　the　midden　in　the　Vennel。　　Well；　it　happened　to　one　of　the　labouring　men；　in　breaking　the　stones　to　make　metal　for　the　new　road；　that　he　broke　a　stone　that　was　both　large　and　remarkable；　and　in　the　heart　of　it；　which　was　boss；　there　was　found　a　living　creature；　that　jumped　out　the　moment　it　saw　the　light　of　heaven；　to　the　great　terrification　of　the　man；　who　could　think　it　was　nothing　but　an　evil　spirit　that　had　been　imprisoned　therein　for　a　time。　　The　man　came　to　me　like　a　demented　creature；　and　the　whole　clachan　gathered　out；　young　and　old；　and　I　went　at　their　head　to　see　what　the　miracle　could　be；　for　the　man　said　it　was　a　fiery　dragon；　spewing　smoke　and　flames。　　But　when　we　came　to　the　spot；　it　was　just　a　yird　toad；　and　the　laddie　weans　nevelled　it　to　death　with　stones；　before　I　could　persuade　them　to　give　over。　　Since　then；　I　have　read　of　such　things　coming　to　light　in　the　Scots　Magazine；　a　very　valuable　book。

Soon　after　the　affair　of　〃the　wee　deil　in　the　stane；〃　as　it　was　called；　a　sough　reached　us　that　the　Americas　were　seized　with　the　rebellious　spirit　of　the　ten　tribes；　and　were　snapping　their　fingers　in　the　face　of　the　king's　government。　　The　news　came　on　a　Saturday　night；　for　we　had　no　newspapers　in　those　days；　and　was　brought　by　Robin　Modiwort；　that　fetched　the　letters　from　the　Irville　post。　Thomas　Fullarton　（he　has　been　dead　many　a　day）　kept　the　grocery　shop　at　Irville；　and　he　had　been　in　at　Glasgow；　as　was　his　yearly　custom；　to　settle　his　accounts；　and　to　buy　a　hogshead　of　tobacco；　with　sugar　and　other　spiceries；　and　being　in　Glasgow；　Thomas　was　told　by　the　merchant　of　a　great　rise　in　tobacco；　that　had　happened　by　reason　of　the　contumacity　of　the　plantations；　and　it　was　thought　that　blood　would　be　spilt　before　things　were　ended；　for　that　the　King　and　Parliame