ndeed, I am anxious to hear from you, for "as
the day of trouble is with me, so shall my strength be." To
be friends _from the teeth forwards_ is common enough; but
it strikes me that there is something still more ludicrous
in the reverse of the picture, and so to be enemies--and why
should I be, _from the teeth forwards_, yours sincerely,

James HOGG?

Scott's reply was, as Hogg says, "a brief note, telling him to think
no more of the business, and come to breakfast next morning." The
misunderstanding being thus closed, they appear to have counselled and
cooperated together in the most cordial fashion, in disciplining their
rural allies for the muster of Carterhaugh--the Duke of Buccleuch's
brother-in-law, the Earl of Home, having appointed the Shepherd his
Lieutenant over the Yarrow Band, while the Sheriff took under his
special cognizance the _Sutors_, i.e., _shoemakers_, of Selkirk--for
so the burgesses of that town have for ages styled themselves, and
under that denomination their warlike prowess in days of yore has been
celebrated in many an old ballad, besides the well-known one which
begins with

{p.084} "'Tis up wi' the Sutors o' Selkirk,
And 'tis down wi' the Earl of Home!"

In order to understand all the allusions in the newspaper record of
this important day, one must be familiar with the notes to the
Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border; but I shall not burden it with
further comment here.

FOOTBALL MATCH.

"On Monday, 4th December, there was played, upon the
extensive plain of Carterhaugh, near the junction of the
Ettrick and Yarrow, the greatest match at the ball which has
taken place for many years. It was held by the people of the
Dale of Yarrow, against those of the parish of Selkirk; the
former being brought to the field by the Right Hon. the Earl
of Home, and the Gallant Sutors by their Chief Magistrate,
Ebenezer Clarkson, Esq. Both sides were joined by many
volunteers from other parishes; and the appearance of the
various parties marching from their different glens to the
place of rendezvous, with pipes playing and loud
acclamations, carried back the coldest imagination to the
old times when the Foresters assembled with the less
peaceable purpose of invading the English territory, or
defending their own. The romantic character of the scen