Scotland/Scots > Wilson's tales of the Borders and of Scotland > Volume 3

RATTLING, ROARING WILLIE.
71
Here’s to ye again, sir, and lang may ye be spared to
amuse yersel and ither folk too!” Saying this, the laird,
who was already within a trifle of being floored, turned
over such another quantity of liquor as threatened to con¬
summate the catastrophe.
His example was immediately followed by Willie, who,
though far from being in a perfectly sound condition, was
yet, from long practice, better able to stand his drink
than his host. Still both were in such a state that it was
impossible their carouse could go on much longer; and
accordingly, by common consent, it soon after came to a
close, but not, it must be observed, before they had fin¬
ished every drop of drinkable liquor that stood before
them. This accomplished, the laird, though his way was
but a devious one, conducted the minstrel to his sleeping
apartment, where he left him for the night; and here
again the latter’s surprise was excited, by finding that he
had been shown into what was evidently the best bed¬
room in the house. The sheets were as white as a wreath
of snow, while the bed itself was of the softest down, pre¬
senting to Willie a very striking contrast to the bundles
of straw and coarse ragged mats winch formed his usual
couch during his peregrinations.
On observing this climax to the singularly kind treat¬
ment which he had met with in his present quarters, Wil¬
lie flung himself down into a chair, and endeavoured to
think as well as he could over the events of the night, and
to see if he could hit upon any plausible conjecture re¬
garding the cause of the extraordinary hospitality that
had been shown him; and, with a look of drunken gra¬
vity, he began thus to cogitate within himself.
“ The deil hae me, but this beats a’! I’ve often heard
the folk o’ Fife were queer folk, and, by my faith, I find
it true. But it’s a’ on the richt side. I wish I could find
Buch queer folk everywhar I gaed to. Nae queer folk o’