154 ULPHA KIRKi 



inn at which the horses can rest if the party are 

 disposed for a walk to the scene of Robert Walker's 

 life and labours. Ulpha Kirk itself is one of the 

 primitive places where the old manners of the 

 district may yet be traced more clearly than in 

 most road-side settlements. The people still think 

 it no sin to do their farm- work on Sundays, when 

 the weather, — so precarious here, — is favourable ; 

 and the familiar style of "the priest/' in these 

 parts, makes the transition from work to worship 

 very natural. Some time since there was a blind 

 " priest " settled there. One Sunday morning, the 

 bell rang before the people were all ready ; and 

 especially the stoutest farmer in the neighbourhood, 

 who, detained by some cow, pig, or sheep, entered 

 the church last of all, " thunnerin' down the aisle." 

 " Wha's comin' now ? " asked the blind priest ; and 



being informed that it was John T , he inquired 



further, " a-foot or a-horseback ? " Odd sprink- 

 lings of learning are found in these by-places, as in 

 Scotland. Some students staying at this same 

 little inn, and wanting to settle their account, 

 wrote a note in Latin to the landlord, asking for 

 the bill, and sent it by the girl who waited. Mr. 

 Gunson, the landlord — from whom the present 

 landlord is descended — immediately sent in the 

 bill in Greek. It was too much for the students, 

 who were obliged to ask to have it in English. 

 There was a " heigh-larn'd " woman, not far from 

 hence, who married a farmer on the moor. When 

 every body was lamenting the hard times, she 

 declared that, for her part, she would be contented 

 if she could obtain food and raiment; whereupon 

 her husband rebuked her presumption. "Thoo 



