ing line.

"Ye should make your son ane, then," said I, "if ye think so. Have ye
any bairns?"

"Ye've hit the nail on the head.--'Od, man, if ye wasna so far away, I
would bind our auldest callant to yoursell, I'm sae weel pleased wi' your
gentlemanly manners. But I'm speaking havers."

"Havers here or havers there, what," said I, "is to prevent ye boarding
him, at a cheap rate, either with our friend Mrs Grassie, or with the
wife? Either of the two would be a sort of mother to him."

'"Deed I daur say would they," answered Maister Glen, stroking his chin,
which was gey rough, and had not got a clean since Sunday, having had
four days of sheer growth--our meeting, you will observe by this, being
on the Thursday afternoon--"'Deed would they.--'Od, I maun speak to the
mistress about it."

On the head of this we had another jug, three being cannie, after which
we were both a wee tozy-mozy; and I daresay Mrs Grassie saw plainly that
we were getting into a state where we would not easily make a halt; so,
without letting on, she brought in the tea-things before us, and showed
us a playbill, to tell us that a company of strolling playactors had come
in a body in the morning, with a whole cartful of scenery and grand
dresses; and were to make an exhibition at seven o'clock, at the ransom
of a shilling a-head, in Laird Wheatley's barn.

Many a time and often had I heard of playacting; and of players making
themselves kings and queens, and saying a great many wonderful things;
but I had never before an opportunity of making myself a witness to the
truth of these hearsays. So Maister Glen, being as full of nonsense, and
as fain to have his curiosity gratified as myself, we took upon us the
stout resolution to go out together, he offering to treat me; and I
determined to run the risk of Maister Wiggie, our minister's rebuke, for
the transgression, hoping it would make no lasting impression on his
mind, being for the first and only time. Folks should not on all
occasions be over scrupulous.

After paying our money at the door, never, while I live and breathe, will
I forget what we saw and heard that night; it just looks to me, by all
the world, when I think on it, like a fairy dream. The place was crowded
to the full; Maister Glen and me having nearly got our ribs dung in
before we found a seat, the folks behind being obliged to mount the back
benches to get a sight. Right to the forehand of us was a large green
curta