such things in holes and corners, but to face the public with
them is another sort of thing. For few men can abide to see honours
conferred on their neighbours, though between ourselves, Mr Mucklewheel,
every man in a public trust should, for his own sake, further and promote
the bestowing of public rewards on his predecessors; because looking
forward to the time when he must himself become a predecessor, he should
think how he would feel were he, like me, after a magistracy of near to
fifty years, to sink into the humility of a private station, as if he had
never been any thing in the world. In sooth, Mr Mucklewheel, I'll no
deny that it's a satisfaction to me to think that may be the piece of
plate and the vote of thanks will be forthcoming; at the same time,
unless they are both brought to a bearing in a proper manner, I would
rather nothing was done at all."

"Ye may depend on't," said Mr Mucklewheel, "that it will be done very
properly, and in a manner to do credit both to you and the council. I'll
speak to Bailie Shuttlethrift, the new provost, to propose the thing
himself, and that I'll second it."

"Hooly, hooly, friend," quo' I, with a laugh of jocularity, no
ill-pleased to see to what effect I had worked upon him; "that will never
do; ye're but a greenhorn in public affairs. The provost maun ken
nothing about it, or let on that he doesna ken, which is the same thing,
for folk would say that he was ettling at something of the kind for
himself, and was only eager for a precedent. It would, therefore, ne'er
do to speak to him. But Mr Birky, who is to be elected into the council
in my stead, would be a very proper person. For ye ken coming in as my
successor, it would very naturally fall to him to speak modestly of
himself compared with me, and therefore I think he is the fittest person
to make the proposal, and you, as the next youngest that has been taken
in, might second the same."

Mr Mucklewheel agreed with me, that certainly the thing would come with
the best grace from my successor.

"But I doubt," was my answer, "if he kens aught of the matter; ye might
however enquire. In short, Mr Mucklewheel, ye see it requires a canny
hand to manage public affairs, and a sound discretion to know who are the
fittest to work in them. If the case were not my own, and if I was
speaking for another that had done for the town what I have done, the
task would be easy. For I would just rise in my place, and say a