Oor ain folk times

FLAYING AND SHAVING 225
been in print, of the famous Wattie Dunlop and a village
barber. This witty and eccentric divine has been the
hero of numberless anecdotes, but the scene of the
following is in the hamlet of Grlencairn, in Dumfries-
shire. The village barber there was an original oddity
who went generally by the name of Shaver Morton.
The Reverend Wattie had an engagement to preach
at Glencairn, and as he arrived late on the Saturday
night, after somewhat long and weary travel, some
thoughtful soul suggested that Morton should be sent
for to shave the tired minister, so that he might get up
fresh on Sunday morning and be spared a lot of tedious
toilet preparations. The kindly suggestion was acted
on at once, and, late as was the hour, Shaver Morton
was sent for. Being taken from his Saturday night's
toddy, the worthy barber was not in a particularly
gracious mood, and he certainly had not provided him-
self with a properly-prepared razor. The razor, in fact,
was direfully blunt. However, he proceeded to operate
on Mr. Dunlop's chin, and the first sweep of the weapon
drew certain tiny little streaks on the tender flesh,
accompanied by an involuntary start and smothered
exclamation from the victim. With much assumed
solicitude, the shaver asked Wattie, as he bent over
him :
' Is't sair, sir 1 '
' Week' responded Wattie, who now thoroughly
apprehended the situation, ' it's sair, an' it's no sair.
If it's flayin', it's no sair; but if it's shavin', it's just
awfu ! '
As an instance of my father's manner with boys,
and his sense of fairness, I may narrate an incident