hearted women of many cares who filled the kirk, his ignorance
of all but these theological books, as well as an innocence of the
motives and difficulties of men and women (which would have been
childlike had it not been childish), predoomed him to failure. His
ignorance of modern literature was so appalling that the youngest member
of his Bible-class smiled when he mentioned Tennyson. These and other
qualities went far to make the Reverend Ebenezer Skinner the ministerial
"inefficient" that he undoubtedly was.

But in time he became vaguely conscious that there was something wrong,
yet for the life of him he could not think what it was. He knew that he
had done every task that was ever set him. He had trodden faithfully the
appointed path. He was not without some ability. And yet, though he did
his best, he was sadly aware that he was not successful. Being a modest
fellow, he hoped to improve, and went the right way about it. He knew
that somehow it must be his own fault. He did not count himself a
"Product," and he never blamed the Mill.

PART II

[_Reported by Saunders M'Quhirr of Drumquhat_.]

SKINNER--HALDANE.--On the 25th instant, at the Manse of Kirkmichael, by
the Rev. Alexander Haldane, father of the bride, the Rev. Ebenezer
Skinner, minister of Townend Church, Cairn Edward, to Elizabeth
Catherine Haldane.--_Scotsman_, June 27th.

This was the beginning of it, as some foresaw that it would be. I cut it
out of the _Scotsman_ to keep, and my wife has pasted it at the top of
my paper. But none of us knew it for certain, though there was Robbie
Scott, John Scott's son, that is herd at the Drochills in the head-end
of the parish of Kirkmichael--he wrote home to his father in a letter
that I saw myself: "I hear you're to get our minister's dochter down by
you; she may be trusted to keep you brisk about Cairn Edward."

But we thought that this was just the lad's nonsense, for he was aye at
it. However, we had news of that before she had been a month in the
place. Mr. Skinner used to preach on the Sabbaths leaning over the
pulpit with his nose kittlin' the paper, and near the whole of the
congregation watching the green leaves of the trees waving at the
windows. But, certes, after he brought the mistress home he just
preached once in that fashion. The very next Sabbath morning he stood
straight up in the pulpit and pulled at his cuffs as if he was peeling
for a "fecht"--and so he was. He spoke that day as he ha