The Annals of the Parish | Page 6

in the kirk on the foregoing day.
Thomas was standing at the door with his green duffle apron, and his
red Kilmarnock nightcap--I mind him as well as if it was but
yesterday--and 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 measles--the poor lassie was very ill--nobody 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