when he had set the little still-a-going--giving
them a terrible fright, as they all took it first for the devil, and then
for an exciseman--and fell with a great cloud of soot, and a loud
skraigh, into the empty kail-pot.

The first thing that I have any clear memory of, was my being carried out
on my auntie's shoulder, with a leather cap tied under my chin, to see
the Fair Race. Oh! but it was a grand sight! I have read since then the
story of Aladdin's Wonderful Lamp, but this beat it all to sticks. There
was a long row of tables covered with carpets of bonny patterns, heaped
from one end to the other with shoes of every kind and size, some with
polished soles, and some glittering with sparribles and cuddy-heels; and
little red worsted boots for bairns, with blue and white edgings, hanging
like strings of flowers up the posts at each end;--and then what a
collection of luggies! the whole meal in the market-sacks on a Thursday
did not seem able to fill them;--and horn-spoons, green and black
freckled, with shanks clear as amber,--and timber caups,--and ivory
egg-cups of every pattern. Have a care of us! all the eggs in Smeaton
dairy might have found resting places for their doups in a row. As for
the gingerbread, I shall not attempt a description. Sixpenny and
shilling cakes, in paper, tied with skinie; and roundabouts, and snaps,
brown and white quality, and parliaments, on stands covered with
calendered linen, clean from the fold. To pass it was just impossible;
it set my teeth a-watering, and I skirled like mad, until I had a gilded
lady thrust into my little nieve; the which, after admiring for a minute,
I applied my teeth to, and of the head I made no bones; so that in less
than no time she had vanished, petticoats and all, no trace of her being
to the fore, save and except long treacly daubs, extending east and west
from ear to ear, and north and south from cape neb of the nose to the
extremity of beardy-land.

But what, of all things, attracted my attention on that memorable day,
was the show of cows, sheep, and horses, mooing, baaing and neighering;
and the race--that was best! Od, what a sight!--we were jammed in the
crowd of old wives, with their toys and shining ribands; and carter lads,
with their blue bonnets; and young wenches, carrying home their fairings
in napkins, as muckle as would hold their teeth going for a month;--there
scarcely could be much for love, when there was so much for the
sto