the annals of the parish-第25章

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tation；　at　the　sight　of　which　he　gave　only　a　shrill　whistle；　and　began　to　laugh　at　the　idea　of　the　men　fearing　to　take　him　the　news；　as　if　he　had　not　fortune　and　philosophy　enough；　as　he　called　it；　to　withstand　much　greater　misfortunes。



CHAPTER　XXXVIII　　YEAR　1797



When　I　have　seen　in　my　walks　the　irrational　creatures　of　God；　the　birds　and　the　beasts；　governed　by　a　kindly　instinct　in　attendance　on　their　young；　often　has　it　come　into　my　head　that　love　and　charity；　far　more　than　reason　or　justice；　formed　the　tie　that　holds　the　world；　with　all　its　jarring　wants　and　woes；　in　social　dependence　and　obligation　together；　and；　in　this　year；　a　strong　verification　of　the　soundness　of　this　notion　was　exemplified　in　the　conduct　of　the　poor　haverel　lassie　Meg　Gaffaw；　whose　naturality　on　the　occasion　of　her　mother's　death　I　have　related　at　length　in　this　chronicle。

In　the　course　of　the　summer；　Mr　Henry　Melcomb；　who　was　a　nephew　to　Mr　Cayenne；　came　down　from　England　to　see　his　uncle。　　He　had　just　completed　his　education　at　the　college　of　Christ　Church；　in　Oxford；　and　was　the　most　perfect　young　gentleman　that　had　ever　been　seen　in　this　part　of　the　country。

In　his　appearance　he　was　a　very　paragon；　with　a　fine　manly　countenance；　frank…hearted；　blithe；　and；　in　many　points　of　character；　very　like　my　old　friend　the　Lord　Eaglesham；　who　was　shot。　Indeed；　in　some　respects；　he　was　even　above　his　lordship；　for　he　had　a　great　turn　at　ready　wit；　and　could　joke　and　banter　in　a　most　agreeable　manner。　　He　came　very　often　to　the　manse　to　see　me；　and　took　great　pleasure　in　my　company；　and　really　used　a　freedom　that　was　so　droll；　I　could　scarcely　keep　my　composity　and　decorum　with　him。　　Among　others　that　shared　in　his　attention；　was　daft　Meg　Gaffaw；　whom　he　had　forgathered　with　one　day　in　coming　to　see　me；　and　after　conversing　with　her　for　some　time；　he　handed　her；　as　she　told　me　herself；　over　the　kirk…stile　like　a　lady　of　high　degree；　and　came　with　her　to　the　manse　door　linking　by　the　arm。

From　the　ill…timed　daffin　of　that　hour；　poor　Meg　fell　deep　in　love　with　Mr　Melcomb；　and　it　was　just　a　playacting　to　see　the　arts　and　antics　she　put　in　practice　to　win　his　attention。　　In　her　garb；　she　had　never　any　sense　of　a　proper　propriety；　but　went　about　the　country　asking　for　shapings　of　silks　and　satins；　with　which　she　patched　her　duds；　calling　them　by　the　divers　names　of　robes　and　negligees。　　All　hitherto；　however；　had　been　moderation；　compared　to　the　daffadile　of　vanity　which　she　was　now　seen；　when　she　had　searched；　as　she　said；　to　the　bottom　of　her　coffer。　　I　cannot　take　it　upon　me　to　describe　her；　but　she　kythed　in　such　a　variety　of　cuffs　and　ruffles；　feathers；　old　gumflowers；　painted　paper　knots；　ribbons；　and　furs；　and　laces；　and　went　about　gecking　and　simpering　with　an　old　fan　in　her　hand；　that　it　was　not　in　the　power　of　nature　to　look　at　her　with　sobriety。

Her　first　appearance　in　this　masquerading　was　at　the　kirk　on　the　Sunday　following　her　adventure　with　Mr　　Melcomb；　and　it　was　with　a　sore　difficulty　that　I　could　keep　my　eyes　off　her；　even　in　prayer；　and　when　the　kirk　skailed；　she　walked　before　him；　spreading　all　her　grandeur　to　catch　his　eye；　in　such　a　manner　as　had　not　been　seen　or　heard　of　since　the　prank　that　Lady　Macadam　played　Miss　Betty　Wudrife。

Any　other　but　Mr　Melcomb　would　have　been　provoked　by　the　fool's　folly；　but　he　humoured　her　wit；　and；　to　the　amazement　of　the　whole　people；　presented　her　his　hand；　and　allemanded　her　along　in　a　manner　that　should　not　have　been　seen　in　any　street　out　of　a　king's　court；　and　far　less　on　the　Lord's　day。　　But；　alas！　this　sport　did　not　last　long。　　Mr　Melcomb　had　come　from　England　to　be　'married'　to　his　cousin；　Miss　Virginia　Cayenne；　and　poor　daft　Meg　never　heard　of　it　till　the　banns　for　their　purpose　of　marriage　was　read　out　by　Mr　Lorimore　on　the　Sabbath　after。　　The　words　were　scarcely　out　of　his　mouth；　when　the　simple　and　innocent　natural　gave　a　loud　shriek；　that　terrified　the　whole　congregation；　and　ran　out　of　the　kirk　demented。　There　was　no　more　finery　for　poor　Meg；　but　she　went　and　sat　opposite　to　the　windows　of　Mr　Cayenne's　house；　where　Mr　Melcomb　was；　with　clasped　hands　and　beseeching　eyes；　like　a　monumental　statue　in　alabaster；　and　no　entreaty　could　drive　her　away。　　Mr　Melcomb　sent　her　money；　and　the　bride　many　a　fine　thing；　but　Meg　flung　them　from　her；　and　clasped　her　hands　again；　and　still　sat。　　Mr　Cayenne　would　have　let　loose　the　house…dog　on　her；　but　was　not　permitted。

In　the　evening　it　began　to　rain；　and　they　thought　that　and　the　coming　darkness　would　drive　her　away；　but　when　the　servants　looked　out　before　barring　the　doors；　there　she　was　in　the　same　posture。　　I　was　to　perform　the　marriage　ceremony　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　for　the　young　pair　were　to　go　that　night　to　Edinburgh；　and　when　I　went；　there　was　Meg　sitting　looking　at　the　windows　with　her　hands　clasped。　　When　she　saw　me　she　gave　a　shrill　cry；　and　took　me　by　the　hand；　and　wised　me　to　go　back；　crying　out　in　a　heart…breaking　voice；　〃O；　Sir！　　No　yetno　yet！　　He'll　maybe　draw　back；　and　think　of　a　far　truer　bride。〃　　I　was　wae　for　her　and　very　angry　with　the　servants　for　laughing　at　the　fond　folly　of　the　ill…less　thing。

When　the　marriage　was　over；　and　the　carriage　at　the　door；　the　bridegroom　handed　in　the　bride。　　Poor　Meg　saw　this；　and　jumping　up　from　where　she　sat；　was　at　his　side　like　a　spirit；　as　he　was　stepping　in；　and；　taking　him　by　the　hand；　she　looked　in　his　face　so　piteously；　that　every　heart　was　sorrowful；　for　she　could　say　nothing。　　When　he　pulled　away　his　hand；　and　the　door　was　shut；　she　stood　as　if　she　had　been　charmed　to　the　spot；　and　saw　the　chaise　drive　away。　　All　that　were　about　the　door　then　spoke　to　her；　but　she　heard　us　not。　　At　last　she　gave　a　deep　sigh；　and　the　water　coming　into　her　eye；　she　said；　〃The　wormthe　worm　is　my　bonny　bridegroom；　and　Jenny　with　the　many…feet　my　bridal　maid。　　The　mill…dam　water's　the　wine　o'　the　wedding；　and　the　clay　and　the　clod　shall　be　my　bedding。　　A　lang　night　is　meet　for　a　bridal；　but　none　shall　be　langer　than　mine。〃　　In　saying　which　words；　she　fled　from　among　us；　with　heels　like　the　wind。　　The　servants　pursued；　but　long　before　they　could　stop　her；　she　was　past　redemption　in　the　deepest　plumb　of　the　cotton…mill　dam。

Few　deaths　had　for　many　a　day　happened　in　the　parish；　to　cause　so　much　sorrow　as　that　of　this　poor　silly　creature。　　She　was　a　sort　of　household　familiar　among　us；　and　there　was　much　like　the　inner　side　of　wisdom　in　the　pattern　of　her　sayings；　many　of　which　are　still　preserved　as　proverbs。



CHAPTER　XXXIX　　YEAR　1798



This　was　one　of　the　heaviest　years　in　the　whole　course　of　my　ministry。　　The　spring　was　slow　of　coming；　and　cold　and　wet　when　it　did　come；　the　dibs　were　full；　the　roads　foul；　and　the　ground　that　should　have　been　dry　at　the　seed…time；　was　as　claggy　as　clay；　and　clung　to　the　harrow。　　The　labour　of　man　and　beast　was　thereby　augmented；　and　all　nature　being　in　a　state　of　sluggish　indisposition；　it　was　evident　to　every　eye　of　experience　that　there　would　be　a　great　disappointment　to　the　hopes　of　the　husbandman。

Foreseeing　this；　I　gathered　the　opinion　of　all　the　most　sagacious　of　my　parishioners；　and　consulted　with　them　for　a　provision　against　the　evil　day；　and　we　spoke　to　Mr　Cayenne　on　the　subject；　for　he　had　a　talent　by　common　in　matters　of　mercantile　management。　　It　was　amazing；　considering　his　hot　temper；　with　what　patience　he　heard　the　grounds　of　our　apprehension；　and　how　he　questioned　and　sifted　the　experience　of　the　old　farmers；　till　he　was　thoroughly　convinced　that　all　similar　seed…times　were　ever　followed　by　a　short　crop。　　He　then　said；　that　he　would　prove　himself　a　better　friend　to　the　parish　than　he　was　thought。　　Accordingly；　as　he　afterwards　told　me　himself；　he　wrote　off　that　very　night　to　his　correspondents　in　America；　to　buy　for　his　account　all　the　wheat　and　flour　they　could　get；　and　ship　it　to　arrive　early　in　the　fall；　and　he　bought　up　likewise　in　countries　round　the　Baltic　great　store　of　victual；　and　brought　in　two　cargoes　to　Irville　on　purpose　for　the　parish；　against　the　time　of　need；　making　for　the　occasion　a　garnel　of　one　of　the　warehouses　of　the　cotton…mill。

The　event　came　to　pass　as　had　been　foretold：　　the　harvest　fell　short；　and　Mr　Cayenne's　cargoes　from　America　and　the　Baltic　came　home　in　due　season；　by　which　he　made　a　terrible　power　of　money；　clearing　thousands　on　thousands　by　post　after　postmaking　more　profit；　as　he　said　himself；　in　the　course　of　one　month；　he　believed；　than　ever　was　made　by　any　individual　within　the　kingdom　of　Scotland　in　the　course　of　a　year。He　said；　however　that　he　might　have　made　more　if　he　had　bought　up　the　corn　at　home；　but　being　convinced　by　us　that　there　would　be　a　scarcity；　he　thought　it　his　duty　as　an　honest　man　to　draw　from　the　stores　and　granaries　of　foreign　countries；　by　which　he　was　sure　he　would　serve　his　country；　and　be　abundantly　rewarded。　　In　short；　we　all　reckoned　him　another　Joseph　when　he　opened　his　garnels　at　the　cotton…mill；　and；　after　distributing　a　liberal　portion　to　the　poor　and　needy；　selling　the　remainder　at　an　easy　rate　to　the　generality　of　the　people。　　Some　of　the　neighbouring　parishes；　however；　were　angry　that　he　would　not　serve　them　likewise；　and　called　him　a　wicked　and　extortionate　forestaller；　but　he　made　it　plain　to　the　meanest　capacity；　that　if　he　did　not　circumscribe　his　dispensation　to　our　own　bounds　it　would　be　as　nothing。　　So　that；　although　he　brought　a　wonderful　prosperity　in　by　the　cotton…mill；　and　a　plenteous　supply　of　corn　in　a　time　of　famine；　doing　more　in　these　things　for　the　people　than　all　the　other　heritors　had　done　from　the　beginning　of　time；　he　was　much　reviled；　even　his　bounty　was　little　esteemed　by　my　people；　because　he　took　a　moderate　profit　on　what　he　sold　to　them。　　Perhaps；　however；　these　prejudices　might　be　partly　owing　to　their　dislike　of　his　hasty　temper；　at　least　I　am　willing　to　think　so；　for　it　would　grieve　me　if　they　were　really　ungrateful　for　a　benefit　that　made　the　pressure　of　the　time　lie　but　lightly　on　them。

The　alarm　of　the　Irish　rebellion　in　this　year　was　likewise　another　source　of　affliction　to　us；　for　many　of　the　gentry　coming　over　in　great　straits；　especially　ladies　and　their　children；　and　some　of　them　in　the　hurry　of　their　flight　having　but　little　ready　money；　were　very　ill　off。　　Some　four　or　five　families　came　to　the　Cross…　Keys　in　this　situation；　and　the　conduct　of　Mr　Cayenne　to　them　was　most　exemplary。　　He　remembered　his　own　haste　with　his　family　from　Virginia；　when　the　Americans　rebelled；　and　immediately　on　hearing　of　these　Irish　refugees；　he　waited　on　them　with　his　wife　and　daughter；　supplied　them　with　money；　invited　them　to　his　house；　made　ploys　to　keep　up　their　spirits；　while　the　other　gentry　stood　back　till　they　knew　something　of　the　strangers。

Among　these　destitute　ladies　was　a　Mrs　Desmond　and　her　two　daughters；　a　woman　of　most　august　presence；　being　indeed　more　like　one　ordained　to　reign　over　a　kingdom；　than　for　household　purposes。　The　Miss　Desmonds　were　only　entering　their　teens；　but　they　also　had　no　ordinary　stamp　upon　them。　　What　made　this　party　the　more　particular；　was　on　account　of　Mr　Desmond；　who　was　supposed　to　be　a　united　man　with　the　rebels；　and　it　was　known　his　son　was　deep　in　their　plots；　yet　although　this　was　all　t