d to play ball against the wall of the kirk to hearing
him preach, and gave him insolence on his offering a pious
remonstrance. Whereupon the Davidson of that day, being, like all his
race, short in stature, but mighty in strength, first beat the champion
player one Sabbath morning at his own game to tame an unholy pride, and
then thrashed him with his fist to do good to his soul. This happy
achievement in practical theology secured an immediate congregation,
and produced so salutary an effect on the schismatic ball-player that
he became in due course an elder, and was distinguished for his
severity in dealing with persons absenting themselves from public
worship, or giving themselves overmuch to vain amusements.

At the close of the last century the Doctor's grandfather was minister
of the High Kirk, Muirtown, where he built up the people in loyalty to
Kirk and State, and himself recruited for the Perthshire Fencibles. He
also delivered a sermon entitled "The French Revolution the just
judgment of the Almighty on the spirit of insubordination," for which
he received a vote of thanks from the Lord Provost and Bailies of
Muirtown in council assembled, as well as a jewel from the Earl of
Kilspindie, the grandfather of our lord, which the Doctor inherited and
wore on the third finger of his left hand. Had Carmichael or any other
minister decked himself after this fashion, it had not fared well with
him, but even the Free Kirk appreciated a certain pomp in Dr. Davidson,
and would have resented his being as other men. He was always pleased
to give the history of the ring, and generally told a story of his
ancestor, which he had tasted much more frequently than the sermon. A
famous judge had asked him to dinner as he made his circuit, and they
had disputed about the claret, till at last its excellence compelled
respect at the close of the first bottle.

"'Now, Reverend Sir,' said the judge, 'this wine has been slandered and
its fair fame taken away without reason. I demand that you absolve it
from the scandal.'

"'My Lord,' said my worthy forbear, 'you are a great criminal lawyer,
but you are not well read in Kirk law, for no offender can be absolved
without three appearances.'

"My grandfather," the Doctor used to conclude, "had the best of that
jest besides at least two bottles of claret, for in those days a
clergyman took more wine than we would now think seemly, although, mark
you, the old gentleman always deno