the annals of the parish-第2章

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　houses；　their　parents　wouldna　ask　me　to　sit　down；　but　with　a　scornful　way；　said；　〃Honest　man；　what's　your　pleasure　here？〃　　Nevertheless；　I　walked　about　from　door　to　door　like　a　dejected　beggar；　till　I　got　the　almous　deed　of　a　civil　receptionand　who　would　have　thought　it？　from　no　less　a　person　than　the　same　Thomas　Thorl　that　was　so　bitter　against　me　in　the　kirk　on　the　foregoing　day。

Thomas　was　standing　at　the　door　with　his　green　duffle　apron；　and　his　red　Kilmarnock　nightcapI　mind　him　as　well　as　if　it　was　but　yesterdayand　he　had　seen　me　going　from　house　to　house；　and　in　what　manner　I　was　rejected；　and　his　bowels　were　moved；　and　he　said　to　me　in　a　kind　manner；　〃Come　in；　sir；　and　ease　yoursel'：　　this　will　never　do；　the　clergy　are　God's　gorbies；　and　for　their　Master's　sake　it　behoves　us　to　respect　them。　　There　was　no　ane　in　the　whole　parish　mair　against　you　than　mysel'；　but　this　early　visitation　is　a　symptom　of　grace　that　I　couldna　have　expectit　from　a　bird　out　the　nest　of　patronage。〃　　I　thanked　Thomas；　and　went　in　with　him；　and　we　had　some　solid　conversation　together；　and　I　told　him　that　it　was　not　so　much　the　pastor's　duty　to　feed　the　flock；　as　to　herd　them　well；　and　that；　although　there　might　be　some　abler　with　the　head　than　me；　there　wasna　a　he　within　the　bounds　of　Scotland　more　willing　to　watch　the　fold　by　night　and　by　day。　　And　Thomas　said　he　had　not　heard　a　mair　sound　observe　for　some　time；　and　that；　if　I　held　to　that　doctrine　in　the　poopit；　it　wouldna　be　lang　till　I　would　work　a　change。〃I　was　mindit；〃　quoth　he；　〃never　to　set　my　foot　within　the　kirk　door　while　you　were　there；　but　to　testify；　and　no　to　condemn　without　a　trial；　I'll　be　there　next　Lord's　day；　and　egg　my　neighbours　to　be　likewise；　so　ye'll　no　have　to　preach　just　to　the　bare　walls　and　the　laird's　family。〃

I　have　now　to　speak　of　the　coming　of　Mrs　Malcolm。She　was　the　widow　of　a　Clyde　shipmaster；　that　was　lost　at　sea　with　his　vessel。　　She　was　a　genty　body；　calm　and　methodical。　　From　morning　to　night　she　sat　at　her　wheel；　spinning　the　finest　lint；　which　suited　well　with　her　pale　hands。　　She　never　changed　her　widow's　weeds；　and　she　was　aye　as　if　she　had　just　been　ta'en　out　of　a　bandbox。　　The　tear　was　aften　in　her　e'e　when　the　bairns　were　at　the　school；　but　when　they　came　home；　her　spirit　was　lighted　up　with　gladness；　although；　poor　woman；　she　had　many　a　time　very　little　to　give　them。　　They　were；　however；　wonderful　well…bred　things；　and　took　with　thankfulness　whatever　she　set　before　them；　for　they　knew　that　their　father；　the　breadwinner；　was　away；　and　that　she　had　to　work　sore　for　their　bit　and　drap。　　I　dare　say；　the　only　vexation　that　ever　she　had　from　any　of　them；　on　their　own　account；　was　when　Charlie；　the　eldest　laddie；　had　won　fourpence　at　pitch…and…toss　at　the　school；　which　he　brought　home　with　a　proud　heart　to　his　mother。　　I　happened　to　be　daunrin'　by　at　the　time；　and　just　looked　in　at　the　door　to　say　gude…night：　　it　was　a　sad　sight。　　There　was　she　sitting　with　the　silent　tear　on　her　cheek；　and　Charlie　greeting　as　if　he　had　done　a　great　fault；　and　the　other　four　looking　on　with　sorrowful　faces。　　Never；　I　am　sure；　did　Charlie　Malcolm　gamble　after　that　night。

I　often　wondered　what　brought　Mrs　Malcolm　to　our　clachan；　instead　of　going　to　a　populous　town；　where　she　might　have　taken　up　a　huxtry…　shop；　as　she　was　but　of　a　silly　constitution；　the　which　would　have　been　better　for　her　than　spinning　from　morning　to　far　in　the　night；　as　if　she　was　in　verity　drawing　the　thread　of　life。　　But　it　was；　no　doubt；　from　an　honest　pride　to　hide　her　poverty；　for　when　her　daughter　Effie　was　ill　with　the　measlesthe　poor　lassie　was　very　illnobody　thought　she　could　come　through；　and　when　she　did　get　the　turn；　she　was　for　many　a　day　a　heavy　handful；our　session　being　rich；　and　nobody　on　it　but　cripple　Tammy　Daidles；　that　was　at　that　time　known　through　all　the　country　side　for　begging　on　a　horse；　I　thought　it　my　duty　to　call　upon　Mrs　Malcolm　in　a　sympathising　way；　and　offer　her　some　assistance；　but　she　refused　it。

〃No；　sir；〃　said　she；　〃I　canna　take　help　from　the　poor's…box；　although　it's　very　true　that　I　am　in　great　need；　for　it　might　hereafter　be　cast　up　to　my　bairns；　whom　it　may　please　God　to　restore　to　better　circumstances　when　I　am　no　to　see't；　but　I　would　fain　borrow　five　pounds；　and　if；　sir；　you　will　write　to　Mr　Maitland；　that　is　now　the　Lord　Provost　of　Glasgow；　and　tell　him　that　Marion　Shaw　would　be　obliged　to　him　for　the　lend　of　that　soom；　I　think　he　will　not　fail　to　send　it。〃

I　wrote　the　letter　that　night　to　Provost　Maitland；　and；　by　the　retour　of　the　post；　I　got　an　answer；　with　twenty　pounds　for　Mrs　Malcolm；　saying；　〃That　it　was　with　sorrow　he　heard　so　small　a　trifle　could　be　serviceable。〃　　When　I　took　the　letter　and　the　money；　which　was　in　a　bank…bill；　she　said；　〃This　is　just　like　himsel'。〃　　She　then　told　me　that　Mr　Maitland　had　been　a　gentleman's　son　of　the　east　country；　but　driven　out　of　his　father's　house；　when　a　laddie；　by　his　stepmother；　and　that　he　had　served　as　a　servant　lad　with　her　father；　who　was　the　Laird　of　Yillcogie；　but　ran　through　his　estate；　and　left　her；　his　only　daughter；　in　little　better　than　beggary　with　her　auntie；　the　mother　of　Captain　Malcolm；　her　husband　that　was。　Provost　Maitland　in　his　servitude　had　ta'en　a　notion　of　her；　and　when　he　recovered　his　patrimony；　and　had　become　a　great　Glasgow　merchant；　on　hearing　how　she　was　left　by　her　father；　he　offered　to　marry　her；　but　she　had　promised　herself　to　her　cousin　the　captain；　whose　widow　she　was。　　He　then　married　a　rich　lady；　and　in　time　grew；　as　he　was；　Lord　Provost　of　the　city；　but　his　letter　with　the　twenty　pounds　to　me；　showed　that　he　had　not　forgotten　his　first　love。　　It　was　a　short；　but　a　well…written　letter；　in　a　fair　hand　of　write；　containing　much　of　the　true　gentleman；　and　Mrs　Malcolm　said；　〃Who　knows　but　out　of　the　regard　he　once　had　for　their　mother；　he　may　do　something　for　my　five　helpless　orphans。〃

Thirdly；　Upon　the　subject　of　taking　my　cousin；　Miss　Betty　Lanshaw；　for　my　first　wife；　I　have　little　to　say。It　was　more　out　of　a　compassionate　habitual　affection；　than　the　passion　of　love。　　We　were　brought　up　by　our　grandmother　in　the　same　house；　and　it　was　a　thing　spoken　of　from　the　beginning；　that　Betty　and　me　were　to　be　married。　So；　when　she　heard　that　the　Laird　of　Breadland　had　given　me　the　presentation　of　Dalmailing；　she　began　to　prepare　for　the　wedding；　and　as　soon　as　the　placing　was　well　over；　and　the　manse　in　order；　I　gaed　to　Ayr；　where　she　was；　and　we　were　quietly　married；　and　came　home　in　a　chaise；　bringing　with　us　her　little　brother　Andrew；　that　died　in　the　East　Indies；　and　he　lived　and　was　brought　up　by　us。

Now；　this　is　all；　I　think；　that　happened　in　that　year　worthy　of　being　mentioned；　except　that　at　the　sacrament；　when　old　Mr　Kilfuddy　was　preaching　in　the　tent；　it　came　on　such　a　thunder…plump；　that　there　was　not　a　single　soul　stayed　in　the　kirkyard　to　hear　him；　for　the　which　he　was　greatly　mortified；　and　never　after　came　to　our　preachings。



CHAPTER　II　　YEAR　1761



It　was　in　this　year　that　the　great　smuggling　trade　corrupted　all　the　west　coast；　especially　the　laigh　lands　about　the　Troon　and　the　Loans。　　The　tea　was　going　like　the　chaff；　the　brandy　like　well…　water；　and　the　wastrie　of　all　things　was　terrible。　　There　was　nothing　minded　but　the　riding　of　cadgers　by　day；　and　excisemen　by　nightand　battles　between　the　smugglers　and　the　king's　men；　both　by　sea　and　land。　　There　was　a　continual　drunkenness　and　debauchery；　and　our　session；　that　was　but　on　the　lip　of　this　whirlpool　of　iniquity；　had　an　awful　time　o't。　　I　did　all　that　was　in　the　power　of　nature　to　keep　my　people　from　the　contagion：　　I　preached　sixteen　times　from　the　text；　〃Render　to　Caesar　the　things　that　are　Caesar's。〃　　I　visited；　and　I　exhorted；　I　warned；　and　I　prophesied；　I　told　them　that；　although　the　money　came　in　like　sclate　stones；　it　would　go　like　the　snow　off　the　dyke。　　But　for　all　I　could　do；　the　evil　got　in　among　us；　and　we　had　no　less　than　three　contested　bastard　bairns　upon　our　hands　at　one　time；　which　was　a　thing　never　heard　of　in　a　parish　of　the　shire　of　Ayr　since　the　Reformation。　　Two　of　the　bairns；　after　no　small　sifting　and　searching；　we　got　fathered　at　last；　but　the　third；　that　was　by　Meg　Glaiks；　and　given　to　one　Rab　Rickerton；　was　utterly　refused；　though　the　fact　was　not　denied；　but　he　was　a　termagant　fellow；　and　snappit　his　fingers　at　the　elders。　The　next　day　he　listed　in　the　Scotch　Greys；　who　were　then　quartered　at　Ayr；　and　we　never　heard　more　of　him；　but　thought　he　had　been　slain　in　battle；　till　one　of　the　parish；　about　three　years　since；　went　up　to　London　to　lift　a　legacy　from　a　cousin　that　died　among　the　Hindoos。　　When　he　was　walking　about；　seeing　the　curiosities；　and　among　others　Chelsea　Hospital；　he　happened　to　speak　to　some　of　the　invalids；　who　found　out　from　his　tongue　that　he　was　a　Scotchman；　and　speaking　to　the　invalids；　one　of　them；　a　very　old　man；　with　a　grey　head　and　a　leg　of　timber；　inquired　what　part　of　Scotland　he　was　come　from；　and　when　he　mentioned　my　parish；　the　invalid　gave　a　great　shout；　and　said　he　was　from　the　same　place　himself；　and　who　should　this　old　man　be；　but　the　very　identical　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）；