t
knowing what the bailie, now that he was out of the guildry, might be
saying anent the use and wont that had been practised therein, and never
more than in his own time. At length, the babe was born.

One evening, as I was sitting at home, after closing the shop for the
night, and conversing concerning the augmentation of our worldly affairs
with Mrs Pawkie and the bairns--it was a damp raw night; I mind it just
as well as if it had been only yestreen--who should make his appearance
at the room door but the bailie himself, and a blithe face he had?

"It's a' settled now," cried he, as he entered with a triumphant voice;
"the siller's my ain, and I can keep it in spite of them; I don't value
them now a cutty-spoon; no, not a doit; no the worth of that; nor a'
their sprose about Newgate and the pillory;"--and he snapped his fingers
with an aspect of great courage.

"Hooly, hooly, bailie," said I; "what's a' this for?" and then he
replied, taking his seat beside me at the fireside--"The plea with the
custom-house folk at London is settled, or rather, there canna be a plea
at a', so firm and true is the laws of England on my side, and the
liberty of the subject."

All this was Greek and Hebrew to me; but it was plain that the bailie, in
his jaunt, had been guilty of some notour thing, wherein the custom-house
was concerned, and that he thought all the world was acquaint with the
same. However, no to balk him in any communication he might be disposed
to make me, I said:--

"What ye say, bailie, is great news, and I wish you meikle joy, for I
have had my fears about your situation for some time; but now that the
business is brought to such a happy end, I would like to hear all the
true particulars of the case; and that your tale and tidings sha'na lack
slackening, I'll get in the toddy bowl and the gardevin; and with that, I
winket to the mistress to take the bairns to their bed, and bade Jenny
Hachle, that was then our fee'd servant lass, to gar the kettle boil.
Poor Jenny has long since fallen into a great decay of circumstances, for
she was not overly snod and cleanly in her service; and so, in time, wore
out the endurance of all the houses and families that fee'd her, till
nobody would take her; by which she was in a manner cast on Mrs Pawkie's
hands; who, on account of her kindliness towards the bairns in their
childhood, has given her a howf among us. But, to go on with what I was
rehearsing; the toddy being o