Oor ain folk times

DONAU AND THE BEES 9
He was an excellent farmer, and introduced for the
first time into the Glen many applications of science to
agriculture, which at the time were much in advance of
the rather slovenly ideas of the primitive race of farmers
amongst whom he ministered. Amongst other minor
industries he kept a famous breed of bees, and the
sale of hives and honey formed no inconsiderable por-
tion of the manse income.
On one occasion, it seems, he had sent off his man to
Edzell market to dispose of a ' skep ' of bees ; the seduc-
tions of the village fair, however, proved too much for
DonaP, and under the twin temptations of whisky-
toddy and congenial company Donal's honesty and
fidelity went by the board, and he deposited the pro-
ceeds of the skep of bees in the village alehouse, with
the result that he arrived home nearly ' blin' f ou ' and
almost unintelligible.
My grandfather, in spite of his queries, could get
nothing out of Donal', but a long, rambling rigmarole of
the most imaginative character about the lost siller.
Seeing clearly, however, what had happened, the old
minister in great irritation cut him short with the
following outburst of broadest vernacular : ' Hoots ! ye
leein' sumph, ye've drucken the haill hypothec ; I can
hear the vera bees bizzin i' yer wame ! '
I may give another of his favourite anecdotes, and
one which is characteristic of the rude outspokenness
of the time : —
A kindly old minister in the neighbouring parish
had taken to himself a second wife, his first having
died. Being a delicate little lady but very amiable,
she had won the affections of all the rude shepherds in