SETTLEMENT AT NETHERTON. 



by the absurd but striking name of " whip-the-cat." Such 

 tailors travelled over the country, to sew in the houses of 

 those who employed them, carrying with them " the goose 

 and the lap-board," * and receiving as wages two shillings 

 a day and their food. Sandy, having a house and croft 

 at Netherton, always returned home at night when he 

 could, and frequented the workshops of Marnock and 

 Hunter. Like many of his wandering class, he had a 

 wonderful flow of language, but, unlike most of his 

 compeers, who used old Scotch, he discoursed in a high- 

 flown English style that sounded pulpit-like and impressive. 

 It was certainly overpowering in volume, if not in substance, 

 and was poured forth,, as one of his auditors says, in "a 

 harangue of high-sounding words that seemed to have 

 no end." As John and he took opposite sides in church 

 politics, the tailor defending the " auld Kirk," and the 

 weaver championing the Free, the wordy war at times 

 became fast and furious at least to the ear and the tailor 

 perorated so volubly, that his opponent could not get a 

 word in even edgeways. John, who was less fluent but 

 equally strenuous, would stand in front of the loquacious 

 defender of the ancient church in perturbed confusion, 

 scratching his head, twitching his mouth, as his custom 

 was at such times, and waiting in vain for a break in the 

 flood ; till his patience at last gave way, and in tones that 

 scarcely drowned the other polemic's, he cried out in sheer 

 desperation, " Nane o' yer English to me, man ; I want 

 nane o't. And stick to the pint, stick to the pint ! " 



* The first is the iron instrument, with the bent handle which gave 

 it its expressive name, for ironing cloth ; and the second, the long flat 

 board on which that is done. 



K 



