) o' an episcopalian minister, and she keepit a school
in Portcloddie. I saw him first mysel' whan I was aboot twenty--that was
jist the year afore I was merried. He was a gey (considerably) auld man
than, but as straucht as an ellwand, and jist pooerfu' beyon' belief.
His shackle-bane (wrist) was as thick as baith mine; and years and
years efter that, whan he tuik his son, my husband, and his grandson, my
Anerew--'

'What ails ye, grannie? What for dinna ye gang on wi' the story?'

After a somewhat lengthened pause, Mrs. Falconer resumed as if she had
not stopped at all.

'Ane in ilka han', jist for the fun o' 't, he kneipit their heids
thegither, as gin they hed been twa carldoddies (stalks of ribgrass).
But maybe it was the lauchin' o' the twa lads, for they thocht it unco
fun. They were maist killed wi' lauchin'. But the last time he did it,
the puir auld man hostit (coughed) sair efterhin, and had to gang and
lie doon. He didna live lang efter that. But it wasna that 'at killed
him, ye ken.'

'But hoo cam he to play the pipes?'

'He likit the pipes. And yer grandfather, he tuik to the fiddle.'

'But what for did they ca' him the blin' piper o' Portcloddie?'

'Because he turned blin' lang afore his en' cam, and there was naething
ither he cud do. And he wad aye mak an honest baubee whan he cud; for
siller was fell scarce at that time o' day amo' the Falconers. Sae he
gaed throu the toon at five o'clock ilka mornin' playin' his pipes, to
lat them 'at war up ken they war up in time, and them 'at warna, that it
was time to rise. And syne he played them again aboot aucht o'clock at
nicht, to lat them ken 'at it was time for dacent fowk to gang to their
beds. Ye see, there wasna sae mony clocks and watches by half than as
there is noo.'

'Was he a guid piper, grannie?'

'What for speir ye that?'

'Because I tauld that sunk, Lumley--'

'Ca' naebody names, Robert. But what richt had ye to be speikin' to a
man like that?'

'He spak to me first.'

'Whaur saw ye him?'

'At The Boar's Heid.'

'And what richt had ye to gang stan'in' aboot? Ye oucht to ha' gane in
at ance.'

'There was a half-dizzen o' fowk stan'in' aboot, and I bude (behoved) to
speik whan I was spoken till.'

'But ye budena stop an' mak' ae fule mair.'

'Isna that ca'in' names, grannie?'

''Deed, laddie, I doobt ye hae me there. But what said the fallow Lumley
to ye?'

'He cast up to me that my grandfather was naething but a blin' p