thee, Peter Peebles, what is thy further designation? Thou
knowest, in our country, that some men are distinguished by their craft
and calling, as cordwainers, fishers, weavers, or the like, and some by
their titles as proprietors of land (which savours of vanity)--now, how
may you be distinguished from others of the same name?'

'As Peter Peebles of the great plea of Poor Peter Peebles against
Plainstanes, ET PER CONTRA--if I am laird of naething else, I am ay a
DOMINUS LITIS.'

'It's but a poor lairdship, I doubt,' said Joshua.

'Pray, Mr. Peebles,' said Nanty, interrupting the conversation abruptly,
'were not you once a burgess of Edinburgh?'

'WAS I a burgess!' said Peter indignantly, 'and AM I not a burgess even
now? I have done nothing to forfeit my right, I trow--once provost and
ay my lord.'

'Well, Mr. Burgess, tell me further, have you not some property in the
Gude Town?' continued Ewart.

'Troth have I--that is, before my misfortunes, I had twa or three bonny
bits of mailings amang the closes and wynds, forby the shop and the
story abune it. But Plainstanes has put me to the causeway now. Never
mind though, I will be upsides with him yet.'

'Had not you once a tenement in the Covenant Close?' again demanded
Nanty.

'You have hit it, lad, though ye look not like a Covenanter,' said
Peter; 'we'll drink to its memory--(Hout! the heart's at the mouth o'
that ill-faur'd bit stoup already!)--it brought a rent, reckoning from
the crawstep to the groundsill, that ye might ca' fourteen punds a year,
forby the laigh cellar that was let to Lucky Littleworth.'

'And do you not remember that you had a poor old lady for your tenant,
Mrs. Cantrips of Kittlebasket?' said Nanty, suppressing his emotion with
difficulty.

'Remember! G--d, I have gude cause to remember her,' said Peter, 'for
she turned a dyvour on my hands, the auld besom! and after a' that the
law could do to make me satisfied and paid, in the way of poinding and
distrenzieing and sae forth, as the law will, she ran awa to the charity
workhouse, a matter of twenty punds Scots in my debt--it's a great shame
and oppression that charity workhouse, taking in bankrupt dyvours that
canna, pay their honest creditors.'

'Methinks, friend,' said the Quaker, 'thine own rags might teach thee
compassion for other people's nakedness.'

'Rags!' said Peter, taking Joshua's words literally; 'does ony wise body
put on their best coat when they are travelling, and