a word that Mr
Pawkie's saying, for that was the very way my friend that's no more laid
himself out to be fleeched to tak what he was greenan for; so get him
intill the council when ye can: we a' ken he'll be a credit to the
place," and "so here's to the health of Bailie Pawkie that is to be,"
cried Mrs Sprowl. All present pledged her in the toast, by which we had
a wonderful share of diversion. Nothing, however, immediately rose out
of this, but it set men's minds a-barming and working; so that, before
there was any vacancy in the council, I was considered in a manner as the
natural successor to the first of the counsellors that might happen to
depart this life.

CHAPTER III--A DIRGIE

In the course of the summer following the baptism, of which I have
rehearsed the particulars in the foregoing chapter, Bailie Mucklehose
happened to die, and as he was a man long and well respected, he had a
great funeral. All the rooms in his house were filled with company; and
it so fell out that, in the confusion, there was neither minister nor
elder to give the blessing sent into that wherein I was, by which, when
Mr Shavings the wright, with his men, came in with the service of bread
and wine as usual, there was a demur, and one after another of those
present was asked to say grace; but none of them being exercised in
public prayer, all declined, when Mr Shavings said to me, "Mr Pawkie, I
hope ye'll no refuse."

I had seen in the process, that not a few of the declinations were more
out of the awkward shame of blateness, than any inherent modesty of
nature, or diffidence of talent; so, without making a phrase about the
matter, I said the grace, and in such a manner that I could see it made
an impression. Mr Shavings was at that time deacon of the wrights, and
being well pleased with my conduct on this occasion, when he, the same
night, met the craft, he spoke of it in a commendable manner; and as I
understood thereafter, it was thought by them that the council could not
do better than make choice of me to the vacancy. In short, not to spin
out the thread of my narration beyond necessity, let it here suffice to
be known, that I was chosen into the council, partly by the strong
handling of Deacon Shavings, and the instrumentality of other friends and
well-wishers, and not a little by the moderation and prudence with which
I had been secretly ettling at the honour.

Having thus reached to a seat in the council, I disce