CHAP. II.] GLENLAIE CHILDHOOD. 27 



Mr. Clerk Maxwell writes to Jane Cay, his sister-in- 

 law, in Edinburgh : 



To Miss CAY, 6 Great Stuart Street, Edinburgh. 



Corsock, 25th April 1834. 



This has been a great day in Parton. Your humble 

 servant and his better half, Ned, 1 and Davie took their 

 departure an hour and a half after screigh 2 for Parton, to 

 appropriate the seats of the new kirk, which was successfully 

 atchieved in four hours' work to the satisfaction of all con- 

 cerned, by a grand assemblage of the Magnates of the 

 Parochin, who adjourned to a feast at the Manse. Master 

 James is in great go, but on this subject I must surrender 

 the pen to abler hands to do justice to the subject. 



Instead of attempting to paraphrase a mode of 

 speech which must be studied in and for itself, I will 

 now give the continuation, written on the same sheet 

 of paper by the " abler pen." 



He is a very happy man, and has improved much since 

 the weather got moderate ; he has great work with doors, 

 locks, keys, etc., and " Show me how it doos " is never out of 

 his mouth. He also investigates the hidden course of streams 

 and bell-wires, the way the water gets from the pond 

 through the wall and a pend or small bridge and down a 

 drain into "Water Orr, then past the smiddy and down to the 

 sea, where Maggy's ships sail. As to the bells, they will not 

 rust; he stands sentry in the kitchen, and Mag runs thro' 

 the house ringing them all by turns, or he rings, and sends 

 Bessy to see and shout to let him know, and he drags papa 

 all over to show him the holes where the wires go through. 

 We went to the shop and ordered hats and bonnets, and as 

 he was freckling with the sun I got him a black and white 

 straw till the other was ready, and as an apology to Meg 



1 The laird's horse. 

 2 i.e. Daybreak ; hut in the laird's vocabulary, 9 A.M. 



