Oor ain folk times

228 STRAITENED MEANS
It must have been seen from the foregoing, and I
could multiply instances indefinitely, that both my
father and mother had a keen sense of humour and a
happy philosophy which led them to look generally on
the brighter side of things ; and though times must
have often been very hard for them, they had such
perfect love for and confidence in each other, that I do
not believe in all the long course of their married life
there was ever a serious difference of opinion between
them, and I do not think even a harsh word was said
by the one to the other. My mother was active both in
mind and body — full of nervous energy — capable of
long-sustained effort, and she was a wonderful manager.
How could she have been otherwise, to bring up her
large family of nine boys and one daughter on the
slender stipend of a Free Kirk minister 1 When I was
born my dear father was only in receipt of some £130
per annum, afterwards reduced on account of the
appointment of a colleague to £90 ; and even when the
Sustentation Fund — that noble evidence of the liberality
and loyalty to conscience of the Scottish Free Church-
men — was in full working order, his annual income
could not have exceeded some £150. In all his straits
and difficulties he managed to keep up the payments
of his Life Insurance policy, the only provision he could
make for his life's partner. He managed to keep
out of debt, although at the sacrifice of many little
comforts, which by most men in his station would be
looked on as necessaries. His family were well edu-
cated, and, thanks to mother's clever management, we
were always well fed — with homely fare, it is true, but
meal, potatoes, and herrings have been the provender