MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 27 



direction, and at full speed ran home. He pur- 

 sued me nearly to the door, but I beat him in 

 the race. I had always understood that any per- 

 son who had seen a ghost, or evil spirit, would 

 faint on coming" into a house with a fire in it. I 

 feared this, but I fainted none ! and when my 

 father asked me what was the matter, I told him 

 I had seen the devil. He, perhaps without think- 

 ing, gave me a slap on the head. It was not 

 long, however, till the following affair transpired. 

 The man who personated the devil, when he met 

 me, had been on his way to a " kirn supper," and 

 was going in what was called " a guising." When 

 my father heard the whole transaction, he wrought 

 himself up into a great rage ; and very shortly 

 after, meeting the man, (Tom Usher,) in the street 

 at Corbridge, who had frightened me, he instantly 

 paid him off by giving him a sound beating. 

 When the people, who always considered my 

 father as a remarkably peaceable man, saw him 

 thus engaged, they expressed their surprise ; but, 

 as soon as they heard the reason for what had 

 been done, they were also exasperated, and, I 

 was given to understand, the man was obliged to 

 leave the village. 



The first time I took notice of any of my female 

 school-fellows arose from a reproof I met with, and 

 the manner it was given, from one of them. The 

 amiable person alluded to, was Miss Betty Greg- 

 son,* my preceptor's daughter, and somewhere 

 about my own age. She kept a messet dog,f and 



* Betty Gregson, died 2oth April, iy[y6] and was buried at 

 Ovingham Church. 



[f A " messet-dog" is here a pet-dog or lap-dog.] 



