VISITS TO ABERDEEN ECCENTRICITY. 367 



It was with great difficulty, also, that he was prevailed upon 

 to accept James's fine umbrella, having a lurking fear, 

 regardless of appearances though he outwardly seemed of 

 being made " a sicht o', " and only did so on being assured 

 that it was absolutely necessary " to please Charlie." 



They entered the studio. There John had to be re- 

 assured as to his looking decent and in order, and insisted 

 on his friend tying his neckerchief in a better fashion than 

 he could himself, a thing James was very Joth to do, as 

 he wished to have him taken as naturally as possible. All 

 was at length duly prepared ; but now came the ordeal. 

 The poor man had no idea whatever of the nature and 

 meaning of photography, but would, of course, never confess 

 his absolute ignorance. With great difficulty, James got 

 him properly posed by the wall, his head fixed in an iron 

 support. He stood erect, with umbrella in one hand, bundle 

 in the other, resting on the edge of a writing-table, on which 

 was placed his long hat ; his hair hanging over his brows 

 somewhat in its usual fashion, though less rough than 

 desirable. John stood, as he wrote to Charles afterwards, 

 " in heavy marching order ; " his regret being, he said, that 

 he was tired, having travelled a great deal that day, and that 

 his shoes were brown with the dust of the street ! The 

 dear, good creature ! he desired to appear to the very best 

 advantage before his distant friend. 



When the artist began to settle his apparatus in front 

 of his subject, John became deadly pale from what seemed 

 real apprehension. He evidently took the instrument for 

 a kind of cannon or other deadly weapon ; for the position 

 no doubt suggested to the old man that of a soldier 

 before the cannon's mouth. He winked inordinately as he 



