alled one day on me, in my shop, and said, "That being of a nervous
turn, the din of the school did not agree with him; and that he would,
therefore, be greatly obligated to me if I would get him made a gauger."
There had been something in the carriage of our new member, before he
left the town, that was not satisfactory to me, forbye my part at the
election, the which made me loth to be the first to ask for any grace,
though the master was a most respectable and decent man; so I advised Mr
Scudmyloof to apply to Provost Pickandab, who had been the delegate, as
the person to whose instrumentality the member was most obliged; and to
whose application, he of course would pay the greatest attention.

Whether Provost Pickandab had made any observe similar to mine, I never
could rightly understand, though I had a notion to that effect: he,
however, instead of writing himself, made the application for Mr
Scudmyloof an affair of the council; recommending him as a worthy modest
man, which he really was, and well qualified for the post. Off went this
notable letter, and by return of post from London, we got our answer as
we were all sitting in council; deliberating anent the rebuilding of the
Crosswell, which had been for some time in a sore state of dilapidation;
and surely never was any letter more to the point and less to the purpose
of an applicant. It was very short and pithy, just acknowledging receipt
of ours; and adding thereto, "circumstances do not allow me to pay any
attention to such applications." We all with one accord, in sympathy and
instinct, threw ourselves back in our chairs at the words, looking at
Provost Pickandab, with the pragmatical epistle in his hand, sitting in
his place at the head of the table, with the countenance of
consternation.

When I came to myself, I began to consider that there must have been
something no right in the provost's own letter on the subject, to cause
such an uncourteous rebuff; so after condemning, in very strong terms,
the member's most ungenteel style, in order to procure for myself a
patient hearing, I warily proposed that the provost's application should
be read, a copy thereof being kept, and I had soon a positive
confirmation of my suspicion. For the provost, being fresh in the
dignity of his office, and naturally of a prideful turn, had addressed
the parliament man as if he was under an obligation to him; and as if the
council had a right to command him to get the ga