Oor ain folk times

20 TURNING THE TABLES ON THE MINISTER
at the same time smacking his lips in pleased antici-
pation.
The good lady produced a big-bellied bottle and
ample glass, and pouring out a full measure of the
mellow nectar, she handed it to the expectant carrier,
who took off his cap and devoutly wiped his lips, as if
he was saying a mental grace over the expected treat.
Gently poising the glass in his fingers, he looked at it
with loving eyes, slowly threw his head back, reverently
raised the glass to his lips, and then with a sudden
jerk the mellow fluid gurgled down the gratefully-
receptive thrapple. A long, deep sigh of exquisite con-
tent followed, and then with a tremulous voice, pregnant
with the deepest feeling, he murmured to the good lady :
' Losh, mem, I wonder ye can hae't i' the hoose an' no
tak' it ! ' A similar eulogium is mentioned by Dean
Ramsay in one of his inimitable stories. Another good
story, I believe of the same carrier, is told : that on one
occasion he had just been the recipient of rather a
pompous and long-winded reproof from the minister of
a certain parish in these parts, who had been lecturing
him on his intemperate habits. The divine, who was
in truth rather fond of a dram himself, and whose nasal
organ bore ample testimony to the frequency of his
libations, received the quite unexpected and rather dis-
concerting reply : —
' Weel, meenister, there are mair broon pigs comes
tae the manse than tae ony ither hoose i' the pairish.'
The rather crestfallen cleric had nothing more to
say, as in his conscience he was forced to acknowledge
the truth of the old carrier's rejoinder. For the benefit
of any poor benighted foreigner from ' South of Tweed,'