Three generations

78 A YOUNG COUPLE
At the head of these men of law was the " Shirra "
(Sheriff Substitute), who happened to be the grand-
father of the late Mrs. Millais, a widower with his
family scattered abroad. He was the kindest and
cheeriest of men, so entirely on the same footing with
his fellow-townsmen that he was reckoned one of the
three " Merry Andrews " — Andrew Jamieson, the said
Shirra ; Andrew Welch, a notary in the town ; and
Andrew Gibb, my uncle, the youngest son of old
Harry Gibb and the sole survivor of his brothers,
himself a land agent and auctioneer. These Merry
Andrews were content to make sport for those of
their acquaintances less endowed with the spirit of
drollery in the famous three. Many were the stories
told of the Shirra, with his boyish love of fun, which
took no obstacle into account, and must be indulged
whatever the consequences, and of the utter absence
of false or, for that matter, genuine dignity incumbent
on a man in office.
The Shirra had a person in his employment as
part groom, part gardener. The man was half-witted,
and his oddities were irresistible to his light-hearted
master. The servant had very bent legs, which
brought upon him the name of " Bowsie." This term,
in unison with his absence of self-control and violent
demonstrations of temper, caused the street boys to
run after him with mocking cries. These attacks were
met with wild runs on Bowsie's part, in futile attempts
to catch and punish the insulting offenders. The
Shirra had often witnessed, and, in spite of his
thorough good-nature, been unable to help relishing
the absurdity of, the scene.
Walking in the garden one day, with Bowsie work-
ing at a little distance, temptation overtook and over-