annals of the parish(教区年鉴)-第8节
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one； till the whole twelve months and a day； from the date of the first Mrs
Balwhidder's interment； had run out。
In this the hand of Providence was very visible； and lucky for me it
was that I had sent for Mr Auld when I did send； as the very week
following； a sound began to spread in the parish； that one of my lassies
had got herself with bairn； which was an awful thing to think had
happened in the house of her master； and that master a minister of the
gospel。 Some there were； for backbiting appertaineth to all conditions；
that jealoused and wondered if I had not a finger in the pie； which； when
Mr Auld heard； he bestirred himself in such a manful and godly way in my
defence； as silenced the clash； telling that I was utterly incapable of any
such thing； being a man of a guileless heart； and a spiritual simplicity； that
would be ornamental in a child。 We then had the latheron summoned
before the session； and was not long of making her confess that the father
was Nichol Snipe； Lord Glencairn's gamekeeper； and both her and Nichol
were obligated to stand in the kirk： but Nichol was a graceless reprobate；
for he came with two coats； one buttoned behind him； and another
buttoned before him； and two wigs of my lord's； lent him by the valet…de…
chamer； the one over his face； and the other in the right way； and he stood
with his face to the church… wall。 When I saw him from the poopit； I said
to him〃Nichol； you must turn your face towards me！〃 At the which； he
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turned round to be sure； but there he presented the same show as his back。
I was confounded； and did not know what to say； but cried out with a
voice of anger〃Nichol； Nichol！ if ye had been a' back； ye wouldna hae
been there this day；〃 which had such an effect on the whole congregation；
that the poor fellow suffered afterwards more derision； than if I had
rebuked him in the manner prescribed by the session。
This affair； with the previous advice of Mr Auld； was； however； a
warning to me； that no pastor of his parish should be long without a
helpmate。 Accordingly； as soon as the year was out； I set myself
earnestly about the search for one； but as the particulars fall properly
within the scope and chronicle of the next year； I must reserve them for it；
and I do not recollect that any thing more particular befell in this；
excepting that William Mutchkins； the father of Mr Mutchkins； the great
spirit…dealer in Glasgow； set up a change…house in the clachan； which was
the first in the parish； and which； if I could have helped； would have been
the last； for it was opening a howf to all manner of wickedness； and was
an immediate get and offspring of the smuggling trade； against which I
had so set my countenance。 But William Mutchkins himself was a
respectable man； and no house could be better ordered than his change。
At a stated hour he made family worship； for he brought up his children in
the fear of God and the Christian religion； and although the house was full；
he would go in to the customers； and ask them if they would want
anything for half an hour； for that he was going to make exercise with his
family； and many a wayfaring traveller has joined in the prayer。 There is
no such thing； I fear； nowadays； of publicans entertaining travellers in this
manner。
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CHAPTER VI YEAR 1765
As there was little in the last year that concerned the parish； but only
myself； so in this the like fortune continued； and saving a rise in the price
of barley； occasioned； as was thought； by the establishment of a house for
brewing whisky in a neighbouring parish； it could not be said that my
people were exposed to the mutations and influences of the stars； which
ruled in the seasons of Ann。 Dom。 1765。 In the winter there was a dearth
of fuel； such as has not been since； for when the spring loosened the bonds
of the ice； three new coal…heughs were shanked in the Douray moor； and
ever since there has been a great plenty of that necessary article。 Truly； it is
very wonderful to see how things come round。 When the talk was about
the shanking of their heughs； and a paper to get folk to take shares in them；
was carried through the circumjacent parishes； it was thought a gowk's
errand； but no sooner was the coal reached； but up sprung such a traffic；
that it was a godsend to the parish； and the opening of a trade and
commerce； that has； to use an old byword； brought gold in gowpins amang
us。 From that time my stipend has been on the regular increase； and
therefore I think that the incoming of the heritors must have been in like
manner augmented。
Soon after this； the time was drawing near for my second marriage。 I
had placed my affections； with due consideration； on Miss Lizy Kibbock；
the well brought…up daughter of Mr Joseph Kibbock of the Gorbyholm；
who was the first that made a speculation in the farming way in Ayrshire；
and whose cheese were of such an excellent quality； that they have； under
the name of Delap…cheese； spread far and wide over the civilized world。
Miss Lizy and me were married on the 29th day of April； with some
inconvenience to both sides； on account of the dread that we had of being
married in May； for it is said …
〃Of the marriages in May； The bairns die of a decay。〃
However； married we were； and we hired the Irville chaise； and with
Miss Jenny her sister； and Becky Cairns her niece； who sat on a portmanty
at our feet； we went on a pleasure jaunt to Glasgow； where we bought a
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miracle of useful things for the manse； that neither the first Mrs
Balwhidder nor me ever thought of； but the second Mrs Balwhidder that
was； had a geni for management； and it was extraordinary what she could
go through。 Well may I speak of her with commendations； for she was
the bee that made my honey； although at first things did not go so clear
with us。 For she found the manse rookit and herrit； and there was such a
supply of plenishing of all sort wanted； that I thought myself ruined and
undone by her care and industry。 There was such a buying of wool to
make blankets； with a booming of the meikle wheel to spin the same； and
such birring of the little wheel for sheets and napery； that the manse was
for many a day like an organ kist。 Then we had milk cows； and the
calves to bring up； and a kirning of butter； and a making of cheese； in short；
I was almost by myself with the jangle and din； which prevented me from
writing a book as I had proposed； and I for a time thought of the peaceful
and kindly nature of the first Mrs Balwhidder with a sigh； but the
outcoming was soon manifest。 The second Mrs Balwhidder sent her
butter on the market…days to Irville； and her cheese from time to time to
Glasgow； to Mrs Firlot； that kept the huxtry in the Saltmarket； and they
were both so well made； that our dairy was just a coining of money；
insomuch that； after the first year； we had the whole tot of my stipend to
put untouched into the bank。
But I must say； that although we were thus making siller like sclate
stones； I was not satisfied in my own mind that I had got the manse merely
to be a factory of butter and cheese； and to breed up veal calves for the
slaughter； so I spoke to the second Mrs Balwhidder； and pointed out to her
what I thought the error of our way； but she had been so ingrained with the
profitable management of cows and grumphies in her father's house； that
she could not desist； at the which I was greatly grieved。 By…and…by；
however； I began to discern that there was something as good in her
example； a
