the annals of the parish-第7章

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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；　and　only　waited　for　the　China　boar；　that　had　been　brought　down　from　London　by　Lord　Eaglesham；　to　mend　the　breed　of　porka　profitable　commodity；　that　her　father；　Mr　Kibbock；　cultivated　for　the　Glasgow　market。　　The　destruction　of　our　sow；　under　such　circumstances；　was　therefore　held　to　be　a　great　crime　and　cruelty；　and　it　had　the　effect　to　raise　up　such　a　spirit　in　the　clachan；　that　the　Irish　were　obligated　to　decamp；　and　they　set　out　for　Glasgow；　where　one　of　them　was　afterwards　hanged　for　a　fact；　but　the　truth　concerning　how　he　did　it；　I　either　never　heard；　or　it　has　passed　from　my　mind；　like　many　other　things　I　should　have　carefully　treasured。



CHAPTER　VIII　　YEAR　1767



All　things　in　our　parish　were　now　beginning　to　shoot　up　into　a　great　prosperity。　　The　spirit　of　farming　began　to　get　the　upper　hand　of　the　spirit　of　smuggling；　and　the　coal…heughs　that　had　been　opened　in　the　Douray；　now　brought　a　pour　of　money　among　us。　　In　the　manse；　the　thrift　and　frugality　of　the　second　Mrs　Balwhidder　throve　exceedingly；　so　that　we　could　save　the　whole　stipend　for　the　bank。

The　king's　highway；　as　I　have　related　in　the　foregoing；　ran　through　the　Vennel；　which　was　a　narrow　and　a　crooked　street；　with　many　big　stones　here　and　there；　and　every　now　and　then；　both　in　the　spring　and　the　fall；　a　gathering　of　middens　for　the　fields；　insomuch　that　the　coal…carts　from　the　Douray　moor　were　often　reested　in　the　middle　of　the　causey；　and　on　more　than　one　occasion　some　of　them　laired　altogether　in　the　middens；　and　others　of　them　broke　down。　　Great　complaint　was　made　by　the　carters　anent　these　difficulties；　and　there　was；　for　many　a　day；　a　talk　and　sound　of　an　alteration　and　amendment；　but　nothing　was　fulfilled　in　the　matter　till　the　month　of　March　in　this　year；　when　the　Lord　Eaglesham　was　coming　from　London　to　see　the　new　lands　that　he　had　bought　in　our　parish。　　His　lordship　was　a　man　of　a　genteel　spirit；　and　very　fond　of　his　horses；　which　were　the　most　beautiful　creatures　of　their　kind　that　had　been　seen　in　all　the　country　side。　　Coming；　as　I　was　noting；　to　see　his　new　lands；　he　was　obliged　to　pass　through　the　clachan　one　day；　when　all　the　middens　were　gathered　out；　reeking　and　sappy；　in　the　middle　of　the　causey。　　Just　as　his　lordship　was　driving　in　with　his　prancing　steeds；　like　a　Jehu；　at　one　end　of　the　vennel；　a　long　string　of　loaded　coal…carts　came　in　at　the　other；　and　there　was　hardly　room　for　my　lord　to　pass　them。　　What　was　to　be　done？　　His　lordship　could　not　turn　back；　and　the　coal…carts　were　in　no　less　perplexity。　　Every　body　was　out　of　doors　to　see　and　to　help；　when；　in　trying　to　get　his　lordship's　carriage　over　the　top　of　a　midden；　the　horses　gave　a　sudden　loup；　and　couped　the　coach；　and　threw　my　lord；　head　foremost；　into　the　very　scent…bottle　of　the　whole　commodity；　which　made　him　go　perfect　mad；　and　he　swore　like　a　trooper　that　he　would　get　an　act　of　parliament　to　put　down　the　nuisancethe　which　now　ripened　in　the　course　of　this　year　into　the　undertaking　of　the　trust…road。

His　lordship；　being　in　a　woeful　plight；　left　the　carriage　and　came　to　the　manse；　till　his　servant　went　to　the　castle　for　a　change　for　him；　but　he　could　not　wait　nor　abide　himself：　　so　he　got　the　lend　of　my　best　suit　of　clothes；　and　was　wonderful　jocose　both　with　Mrs　Balwhidder　and　me；　for　he　was　a　portly　man；　and　I　but　a　thin　body；　and　it　was　really　a　droll　curiosity　to　see　his　lordship　clad　in　my　garments。

Out　of　this　accident　grew　a　sort　of　a　neighbourliness　between　that　Lord　Eaglesham　and　me；　so　that　when　Andrew　Lanshaw；　the　brother　that　was　of　the　first　Mrs　Balwhidder；　came　to　think　of　going　to　India；　I　wrote　to　my　lord　for　his　behoof；　and　his　lordship　got　him　sent　out　as　a　cadet；　and　was　extraordinary　discreet　to　Andrew　when　he　went　up　to　London　to　take　his　passage；　speaking　to　him　of　me　as　if　I　had　been　a　very　saint；　which　the　Searcher　of　Hearts　knows　I　am　far　from　thinking　myself。

But　to　return　to　the　making　of　the　trust…road；　which；　as　I　have　said；　turned　the　town　inside　out。　　It　was　agreed　among　the　heritors；　that　it　should　run　along　the　back　side　of　the　south　houses；　and　that　there　should　be　steadings　fued　off　on　each　side；　according　to　a　plan　that　was　laid　down；　and　this　being　gone　into；　the　town　gradually；　in　the　course　of　years；　grew　up　into　that　orderlyness　which　makes　it　now　a　pattern　to　the　country　sideall　which　was　mainly　owing　to　the　accident　that　befell　the　Lord　Eaglesham；　which　is　a　clear　proof　how　improvements　come　about；　as　it　were；　by　the　immediate　instigation　of　Providence；　which　should　make　the　heart　of　man　humble；　and　change　his　eyes　of　pride　and　haughtiness　into　a　lowly　demeanour。

But　although　this　making　of　the　trust…road　was　surely　a　great　thing　for　the　parish；　and　of　an　advantage　to　my　people；　we　met；　in　this　year；　with　a　loss　not　to　be　compensatedthat　was　the　death　of　Nanse　Banks；　the　schoolmistress。　　She　had　been　long　in　a　weak　and　frail　state；　but　being　a　methodical　creature；　still　kept　on　the　school；　laying　the　foundation　for　many　a　worthy　wife　and　mother。　　However；　about　the　decline　of　the　year　her　complaints　increased；　and　she　sent　for　me　to　consult　about　her　giving　up　the　school；　and　I　went　to　see　her　on　Saturday　afternoon；　when　the　bit　lassies；　her　scholars；　had　put　the　house　in　order；　and　gone　home　till　the　Monday。

She　was　sitting　in　the　window…nook；　reading　THE　WORD　to　herself；　when　I　entered；　but　she　closed　the　book；　and　put　her　spectacles　in　for　a　mark　when　she　saw　me；　and；　as　it　was　expected　I　would　come；　her　easy…chair；　with　a　clean　cover；　had　been　set　out　for　me　by　the　scholars；　by　which　I　discerned　that　there　was　something　more　than　common　to　happen；　and　so　it　appeared　when　I　had　taken　my　seat。

〃Sir；〃　said　she；　〃I　hae　sent　for　you　on　a　thing　troubles　me　sairly。　I　have　warsled　with　poortith　in　this　shed；　which　it　has　pleased　the　Lord　to　allow　me　to　possess；　but　my　strength　is　worn　out；　and　I　fear　I　maun　yield　in　the　strife；〃　and　she　wiped　her　eye　with　her　apron。　I　told　her；　however；　to　be　of　good　cheer；　and　then　she　said；　〃That　she　could　no　longer　thole　the　din　of　the　school；　and　that　she　was　weary；　and　ready　to　lay　herself　down　to　die　whenever　the　Lord　was　pleased　to　permit。〃　　〃But；〃　continued　she；　〃what　can　I　do　without　the　school；　and；　alas！　　I　can　neither　work　nor　want；　and　I　am　wae　to　go　on　the　session；　for　I　am　come　of　a　decent　family。〃　　I　comforted　her；　and　told　her；　that　I　thought　she　had　done　so　much　good　in　the　parish；　that　the　session　was　deep　in　her　debt；　and　that　what　they　might　give　her　was　but　a　just　payment　for　her　service。　　〃I　would　rather；　however；　sir；〃　said　she；　〃try　first　what　some　of　my　auld　scholars　will　do；　and　it　was　for　that　I　wanted　to　speak　with　you。　If　some　of　them　would　but　just；　from　time　to　time；　look　in　upon　me；　that　I　may　not　die　alane；　and　the　little　pick　and　drap　that　I　require　would　not　be　hard　upon　themI　am　more　sure　that　in　this　way　their　gratitude　would　be　no　discredit；　than　I　am　of　having　any　claim　on　the　session。〃

As　I　had　always　a　great　respect　for　an　honest　pride；　I　assured　her　that　I　would　do　what　she　wanted；　and　accordingly；　the　very　morning　after；　being　Sabbath；　I　preached　a　sermon　on　the　h