Memorials of John Geddes

memorials of joton eeddes.
of Gordons, who were notable as Glass characters, a some-
what queer and, some thought, " nae canny " group of folk ;
generally big tall men like the Gaulds, but with a touch of
"diablerie" about them. They were distinguished by
wearing red worsted night-caps with drooping tip, and they
had some knowledge of plant-nature, whence they dealt in
simples for diseases, whether of men or beasts. One of
them was supposed to be the best cow-doctor and horse-
healer for miles around ; he was generally known as
" Cotties," from living at one time at the place called
" Cot-town." On one occasion, when my father was about
to be married, he had called in the services of " Cotties " to
attend some ailing creature, and when he arrived my father
happened to be busy plastering or fitting up some non-
descript addition to the house at Bodylair, where " Cotties "
found him standing trowel in hand. "An what kin' o' a
place div ye mean this furlygig to be ? " said " Cotties."
" We're gaun to make it, maybe, a norsery " was my father's
reply, with a twinkle in his eye. " Aye, aye, my lawd,"
was the quick rejoinder, "it'll be time eneuch to cry
' tickie ' when the chuckies [chickens] come." It was clear
that there was no getting behind " Cotties " in repartee.*
* In the early stages of the Williamson lawsuit, " Cotties " got imprisoned
for wrongous resistance to the execution of the reputedly fraudulent Will. The
cool fellow kept his equanimity square, and succeeded in getting fun out of his
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