an autobiography-第17节
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n market price。 After a stormy night； during which the husbands and sons had toiled to catch the fish； on the usual question being asked； 〃Weel； Janet； hoo's haddies the day！〃 〃Haddies； mem？ Ou； haddies is men's lives the day！〃 which was often true； as haddocks were often caught at the risk of their husbands' lives。 After the usual amount of higgling； the haddies were brought down to their proper market price； sometimes a penny for a good haddock； or； when herrings were rife； a dozen herrings for twopence； crabs for a penny； and lobsters for threepence。 For there were no railways then to convey the fish to England； and thus equalise the price for all classes of the community。
Let me mention here a controversy between a fishwife and a buyer called Thomson。 the buyer offered a price so ridiculously small for a parcel of fish that the seller became quite indignant； and she terminated at once all further higgling。 Looking up to him； she said； 〃Lord help yer e'e…sight； Maister Tamson！〃 〃Lord help my e'e…sight； woman！ What has that to do with it？〃 〃Ou；〃 said she； 〃because ye ha'e nae nose to put spectacles on！〃 As it happened； poor Mr。 Thomson had； by some accident or disease； so little of a nose left； if any at all； that the bridge of the nose for holding up the spectacles was almost entirely wanting。 And thus did the fishwife retaliate on her niggardly customer。
When my mother had got her fish laid at the bottom of the creel； she next went to the 〃flesher〃 for her butcher…meat。 There was no higgling here； for the meat was sold at the ordinary market price。 Then came the poultry stratum； then the vegetables； or fruits in their season； and； finally； there was 〃the floore〃a bunch of flowers； not a costly bouquet； but a； large assortment of wallflowers； daffodils （with their early spring fragrance）； polyanthuses； lilacs； gilly…flowers； and the glorious old…fashioned cabbage rose； as well as the even more gloriously fragrant moss rose。 The caddy's creel was then topped up； and the marketing was completed。 The lady was followed home； the contents were placed in the larder； and the flowers distributed all over the house。
I have many curious traditional evidences of the great fondness for cats which distinguished the Nasmyth family for several generations。 My father had always one or two of such domestic favourites； who were； in the best sense； his 〃familiars。〃 Their quiet； companionable habits rendered them very acceptable company when engaged in his artistic work。 I know of no sound so pleasantly tranquillising as the purring of a cat； or of anything more worthy of admiration in animal habit as the neat； compact； and elegant manner in which the cat adjusts itself at the fireside； or in a snug； cosy place； when it settles down for a long quiet sleep。 Every spare moment that a cat has before lying down to rest is occupied in carefully cleaning itself； even under adverse circumstances。 The cat is the true original inventor of a sanitary process； which has lately been patented and paraded before the public as a sanitary novelty； and yet it has been in practice ever since cats were created。 Would that men and women were more alive to habitual cleanlinesseven the cleanliness of cats。 The kindly and gentle animal gives us all a lesson in these respects。
Then； nothing can be more beautiful in animal action than the exquisitely precise and graceful manner in which the cat exerts the exact amount of effort requisite to land it at the height and spot it wishes to reach at one bound。 The neat and delicately precise manner in which cats use their paws when playing with those who habitually treat them with gentle kindness is truly admirable。 In these respects cats are entitled to the most kindly regard。 There are； unfortunately； many who entertain a strong prejudice against this most perfect and beautiful member of the animal creation； and who abuse them because they resist ill…treatment； occasioned by their innate feeling of independence。 Cats have no doubt less personal attachment than dogs； but when kindly treated they become in many respects attached and affectionate animals。
My father； when a boy； made occasional visits to Hamilton； in the West of Scotland； where the descendants of his Covenanting ancestors still lived。 One of them was an old bachelora recluse sort of man； and yet he had the Nasmyth love of cats。 Being of pious pedigree and habits； he always ended the day by a long and audible prayer。 My father and his companions used to go to the door of his house to listen to him； but especially to hear his culminating finale。 He prayed that the Lord would help him to forgive his enemies and all those who had done him injury； and then； with a loud burst； he concluded； 〃Except John Anderson o' the Toonhead； for he killed my cat； and him I'll ne'er forgie！ In conclusion； I may again refer to Elspeth Nasmyth； who was burnt alive for witchcraft； because she had four black cats； and read her Bible through two Pairs of spectacles！
CHAPTER 5。 My School…days。
Before I went to school it was my good fortune to be placed under the special care of my eldest sister； Jane。 She was twenty years older than myself； and had acquired much practical experience in the management of the younger members of the family。 I could not have had a more careful teacher。 She initiated me into the difficulties of A B C； and by learning me to read she gave me a key to the thoughts of the greatest thinkers who have ever lived。
But all this was accomplished at first in a humdrum and tentative way。 About seventy years ago children's books were very uninteresting。 In the little stories manufactured for children； the good boy ended in a Coach…and…four； and the bad boy in a ride to Tyburn。 The good boys must have been a set of little snobs and prigs； and I could scarcely imagine that they could ever have lived as they were represented in these goody books。 If so； they must have been the most tiresome and uninteresting vermin that can possibly be imagined。 After my sister had done what she could for me； I was sent to school to learn 〃English。〃 I was placed under the tuition of a leading teacher called Knight； whose school…room was in the upper storey of a house in George Street。 Here I learned to read with ease。 But my primitive habit of spelling by ear； in accordance with the simple sound of the letters of the alphabet （phonetically； so to speak） brought me into collision with my teacher。 I got many a cuff on the side of the head； and many a 〃palmy〃 on my hands with a thick strap of hard leather； which did not give me very inviting views as to the pleasures of learning。 The master was vicious and vindictive。 I think it a cowardly way to deal with a little boy in so cruel a manner； and to send him home with his back and fingers tingling and sometimes bleeding； because he cannot learn so quickly as his fellows。
On one occasion Knight got out of temper with my stupidity or dulness in not comprehending something about 'a preter…pluperfect tense；' or some mystery of that sort。 He seized me by the ears； and beat my head against the wall behind me with such savage violence that when he let me go； stunned and unable to stand； I fell forward on the floor bleeding violently at the nose； and with a terrific headache。 The wretch might have ruined my brain for life。 I was carried home and put to bed； where I lay helpless for more than a week。 My father threatened to summon the teacher before the magistrates for what might have been a fatal assault on poor little me； but on making a humble apology for his brutal usage he was let off。 Of course I was not sent back to his school。 I have ever since entertained a hatred against grammatical rules。
There was at that time an excellent system of teaching young folks the value of thrift。 This consisted in saving for some purpose or another the Saturdays pennyone penny being our weekly allowance of pocket…money。 The feats we could perform in the way of procuring toys； picture…books； or the materials for constructing flying kites； would amaze the youngsters of the present day； who are generally spoiled by extravagance。 And yet we obtained far more pleasure from our purchases。 We had in my time 〃penny pigs；〃 or thrift boxes。 They were made in a vase form； of brown glazed earthenware； the only entrance to which was a slitenough to give entrance to a penny。 When the Saturday's penny was not required for any immediate purposes； it was dropped through the slit； and remained there until the box was full。 The maximum of pennies it could contain was about forty…eight。 When that was accomplished； the penny pig was broken with a hammer； and its rich contents flowed forth。 The breaking of the pig was quite an event。 The fine fat old George the Third penny pieces looked thoroughly substantial in our eyes。 And then there was the spending of the money；for some long…looked…for toy； or pencils； or book； or painting materials。
One of the ways in which I used my Saturday pennies was in going with some of my companions into the country to have a picnic。 We used to light a fire behind a hedge or a dyke； or in the corner of some ruin； and there roast our potatoes； or broil a red herring on an extempore gridir
