Village Heathen 189 



them ; but they were fed sometimes, they had a share 

 of such food and clothes as were in the family, and 

 learned to fight, and drink, and swear, sooner than 

 any of their contemporaries. 



Talking of clothes reminds me of old Isaac Hall, 

 who certainly was as typical an example as could be 

 found of the village heathen. Unlike the rest, how- 

 ever, he had never formed any feminine tie, but lived 

 all by himself in a dilapidated hut beside the stable, 

 his livelihood being made with a horse and cart, with 

 which he led coals, and lime, and one thing and 

 another. He confessed to being no hand at the 

 needJe, and when his coat, as would happen at times, 

 grew so ragged that the wind threatened to blow the 

 pieces asunder, he would offer a ' lift ' to any ancient 

 dame desirous of reaching the little market town, on 

 condition that she would mend his garment by the 

 way. How we children used to laugh as they went 

 past Isaac on the ' limmer,' driving the slow and 

 aged black horse, the old woman, in spectacles, sitting 

 on a bunch of straw, industriously stitching away at 

 his coat. Everybody used to laugh at his unconsci- 

 ously droll sayings. When he and a few boon 

 companions, after much deliberation, ventured on a 

 first ride in a railway train, ' Sit fair in the middle, 

 lads, or then she's sure to cowp,' was his grave warn- 

 ing. Although he did not live more than twelve 

 miles from the sea, he was at least fifty before he 

 -ever got a view of it. ' Like a muckle green field o' 



