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Charlie was not expected； and his coming was a great thing to us all； so I
will mention the whole particulars。
One evening； towards the gloaming； as I was taking my walk of
meditation； I saw a brisk sailor laddie coming towards me。 He had a
pretty green parrot sitting on a bundle； tied in a Barcelona silk
handkerchief； which he carried with a stick over his shoulder； and in this
bundle was a wonderful big nut； such as no one in our parish had ever seen。
It was called a cocker…nut。 This blithe callant was Charlie Malcolm； who
had come all the way that day his leeful lane； on his own legs from
Greenock； where the Tobacco trader was then 'livering her cargo。 I told
him how his mother； and his brothers； and his sisters were all in good
health； and went to convoy him home； and as we were going along； he told
me many curious things； and he gave me six beautiful yellow limes； that
he had brought in his pouch all the way across the seas； for me to make a
bowl of punch with； and I thought more of them than if they had been
golden guineas； it was so mindful of the laddie。
When we got to the door of his mother's house； she was sitting at the
fireside； with her three other bairns at their bread and milk； Kate being
then with Lady Skimmilk； at the Breadland； sewing。 It was between the
day and dark； when the shuttle stands still till the lamp is lighted。 But
such a shout of joy and thankfulness as rose from that hearth； when
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Charlie went in！ The very parrot； ye would have thought； was a
participator； for the beast gied a skraik that made my whole head dirl； and
the neighbours came flying and flocking to see what was the matter； for it
was the first parrot ever seen within the bounds of the parish； and some
thought it was but a foreign hawk； with a yellow head and green feathers。
In the midst of all this； Effie Malcolm had run off to the Breadland for
her sister Kate； and the two lassies came flying breathless； with Miss
Girzie Gilchrist； the Lady Skimmilk； pursuing them like desperation； or a
griffin； down the avenue； for Kate； in her hurry； had flung down her seam；
a new printed gown； that she was helping to make； and it had fallen into a
boyne of milk that was ready for the creaming； by which issued a double
misfortune to Miss Girzie； the gown being not only ruined； but licking up
the cream。 For this； poor Kate was not allowed ever to set her face in the
Breadland again。
When Charlie Malcolm had stayed about a week with his mother； he
returned to his berth in the Tobacco trader； and shortly after his brother
Robert was likewise sent to serve his time to the sea； with an owner that
was master of his own bark； in the coal trade at Irville。 Kate； who was
really a surprising lassie for her years； was taken off her mother's hands by
the old Lady Macadam； that lived in her jointure house； which is now the
Cross Keys Inn。 Her ladyship was a woman of high breeding； her
husband having been a great general； and knighted by the king for his
exploits； but she was lame； and could not move about in her dining…room
without help； so hearing from the first Mrs Balwhidder how Kate had done
such an unatonable deed to Miss Girzie Gilchrist； she sent for Kate； and；
finding her sharp and apt； she took her to live with her as a companion。
This was a vast advantage； for the lady was versed in all manner of
accomplishments； and could read and speak French with more ease than
any professor at that time in the College of Glasgow； and she had learnt to
sew flowers on satin； either in a nunnery abroad； or in a boarding…school
in England； and took pleasure in teaching Kate all she knew； and how to
behave herself like a lady。
In the summer of this year； old Mr Patrick Dilworth； that had so long
been doited with the paralytics； died； and it was a great relief to my people；
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for the heritors could no longer refuse to get a proper schoolmaster； so we
took on trial Mr Lorimore； who has ever since the year after； with so much
credit to himself； and usefulness to the parish； been schoolmaster； session
clerk； and precentora man of great mildness and extraordinary
particularity。 He was then a very young man； and some objection was
made； on account of his youth； to his being session…clerk； especially as the
smuggling immorality still gave us much trouble in the making up of
irregular marriages； but his discretion was greater than could have been
hoped for from his years； and； after a twelvemonth's probation in the
capacity of schoolmaster； he was installed in all the offices that had
belonged to his predecessor； old Mr Patrick Dilworth that was。
But the most memorable thing that befell among my people this year；
was the burning of the lint…mill on the Lugton water； which happened； of
all the days of the year； on the very selfsame day that Miss Girzie Gilchrist；
better known as Lady Skimmilk； hired the chaise from Mrs Watts of the
New Inns of Irville； to go with her brother； the major； to consult the faculty
in Edinburgh concerning his complaints。 For； as the chaise was coming
by the mill； William Huckle； the miller that was； came flying out of the
mill like a demented man； crying fire！and it was the driver that brought
the melancholy tidings to the clachanand melancholy they were； for the
mill was utterly destroyed； and in it not a little of all that year's crop of lint
in our parish。 The first Mrs Balwhidder lost upwards of twelve stone；
which we had raised on the glebe with no small pains； watering it in the
drouth； as it was intended for sarking to ourselves； and sheets and napery。
A great loss indeed it was； and the vexation thereof had a visible effect on
Mrs Balwhidder's health； which from the spring had been in a dwining
way。 But for it； I think she might have wrestled through the winter：
however； it was ordered otherwise； and she was removed from mine to
Abraham's bosom on Christmas…day； and buried on Hogmanay； for it was
thought uncanny to have a dead corpse in the house on the new…year's day。
She was a worthy woman； studying with all her capacity to win the hearts
of my people towards mein the which good work she prospered greatly；
so that； when she died； there was not a single soul in the parish that was
not contented with both my walk and conversation。 Nothing could be
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more peaceable than the way we lived together。 Her brother Andrew； a
fine lad； I had sent to the college at Glasgow； at my own cost； and when he
came out to the burial； he stayed with me a month； for the manse after her
decease was very dull； and it was during this visit that he gave me an
inkling of his wish to go out to India as a cadet； but the transactions anent
that fall within the scope of another yearas well as what relates to her
headstone； and the epitaph in metre； which I indicated myself thereon；
John Truel the mason carving the same； as may be seen in the kirkyard；
where it wants a little reparation and setting upright； having settled the
wrong way when the second Mrs Balwhidder was laid by her side。But I
must not here enter upon an anticipation。
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CHAPTER V YEAR 1764
This year well deserved the name of the monumental year in our
parish； for the young laird of the Breadland； that had been my pupil； being
learning to be an advocate among the faculty in Edinburgh； with his lady
mother； who had removed thither with the young ladies her daughters； for
the benefit of education； sent out to be put up in the kirk； under the loft
over the fami