neuk," as
if engaged in supplication at the Throne of Grace for the safety of his
wife and child. Thomas drew his chair nearer the door, and upon some
little bustle in the kitchen, he reached the hallen, and was just
emerging into darkness, when the hoarse voice of the angry Burns rung
in the ears of the almost petrified ploughboy, "Where awa', Tam?"

"The auld doure whalp," muttered Tam, as he shut the door and resumed
his stocking; "I was gaun to the door to see if the win' was tirring the
thack aff the riggin."

"Thou needs na gang to look the night," cried the rigid overseer of
Doonholm, "when it is sae mirk, thou coudna' see thy finger afore thee."
It was indeed "a waefu' nicht." Such a night as this might give rise to
these admirable lines of that bard, about to be ushered into the world--

"That night a child might understand
The deil had business on his hand."

It was a little before the now pensive and thoughtful Burns was given to
understand that a son was born unto him, as

"The wind blew as 'twad blawn its last,

that a horrid crash was heard; a shriek rose from the affrighted women,
as they drew their chairs nearer the fire. "The ghaists and howlets that
nightly cry about the ruins o' Alloway's auld haunted kirk" rose on
every imagination. The gudeman rose from his chair, lighted a lantern,
commanded Thomas to follow him, and left the house. The case was
this--the gable of the byre had been blown down, which, as it was of his
own building, was not of the most durable nature.

In due time the joyful father had his first-born son laid in his arms:
his joy knew no bounds. The _bicker_ was now sent round with
increasing rapidity; and Thomas, then in his fourteenth year, was
carried to his bed, to use his own words, "between the late and the
early, in a gude way, for the first time."--Such was the birth-night
of the poet.

How long Thomas Reid remained in the service of William Burns does not
appear. It is certain, however, that he was with him when Robert first
went to plough, as Thomas has repeatedly told, as an instance of Burns's
early addiction to reading, that he has seen him go to, and return from
plough, with a book in his hand, and at meal-times "_supping his
parritch_" with one hand and holding the book in the other.

It would appear that he had, in process of time, got better acquainted
with his sweetheart at Maybole Fair, for he married her. It was on this
occasion that he rente