Lairds of Glenlyon

288 THE LAIRDS OF GLENLYON.
among the tenantry of the Breadalbane estate in Lome.
Their highest idea of "the good old times "was derived
almost solely, from the period of Caiptein Ruadh Glilean-
iiliomhunn's chamberlainship. They had many stories
about his official goodness and personal liberality. One of
these stories told how he punished a miserly man who
tried to take his brother's farm underhand. Here it is : —
Two brothers lived side by side on farms of unequal value,
although they were let at the same rents. Both brothers
were married. The elder brother, who had the better farm,
was without children. The younger brother, with the
worse farm, had many children too young yet to help him.
It was a struggle to him, therefore, to pay his rent and
maintain his family ; and in a bad year he fell behind in
his accounting with the chamberlain. Now his miserly
elder brother, knowing this, went to the Caiptein Ruadh
and offered to take his brother's farm at the old rent, and
pay, too, his brother's arrears. And the Caiptein Ruadh
let him have the farm on the said terms. Now when the
struggling brother heard of the affair, he was in a great
strait, and sore perplexed; but his wife said to him — "Take
heart and go to the Caiptein Ruadh yourself. He is a just
man, and he will not see honest hard-working people
ruined." And the man went and asked the Caiptein if he
had really given his farm to his unkind brother ? The
Caiptein laughed merrily and said : — " Yes, indeed, your
brother has got your farm and paid your arrears ; but he
forgot to take his own farm at the same time. So if you
wish to have his farm, you can have it." And so it was
settled. The bad brother was punished as he deserved,
and the struggling brother prospered ever afterwards.