There used to be a waggish ostler at one of the chief inns at Hertford, who delighted to make merry at the expense of any guests who gave themselves airs. The manner of the ostler was extremely deferential, and only those who knew him well were aware of the humor which almost always lurked beneath his civil replies to the questions put to him. One day a commercial traveler, a complete prig, who wanted to play the fine gentleman, entered the inn, and having despatched his dinner, rang the bell of the commercial room for "boots," who presently made his appearance, when the following colloquy took place:
_Commercial_: "Dull town, this. Any amus.e.m.e.nts, Boots?"
_Boots_: "Yes, sir, please, sir; Musical Conversazione over the way at the Shire Hall, sir. Half-a-crown admission, sir. Very nice, sir."
_Commercial_: "Ah, nice music, I dare say; I don"t care for such things.
Is there nothing else, Boots?"
_Boots_: "Yes, sir, please, sir; Popular Entertainment at Corn Exchange, admission one penny; gentlemen pay sixpence to front seats, sir, if they please, sir."
_Commercial_: "Intensely vulgar! Are there no other amus.e.m.e.nts in this confoundedly dull town?"
_Boots_: "Yes, sir, please sir; railway station at each end of the town--walk down and see the trains come in."
=A Descriptive Hymn=
A minister in Orkney having been asked by the Rev. Mr. Spark, minister of St. Magnus, to conduct service in his church, and also to baptize his infant daughter, gave out for singing, before the baptismal service, a portion of the fifth paraphrase, beginning:
"As _sparks_ in quick succession rise."
As Mr. Spark"s help-mate was a fruitful vine, and presented him with a pledge of her affection every year, the t.i.tter among the congregation was unmistakable and irresistible.
=A Vigorous Translation=
"What is the meaning of _ex nihilo nihil fit_?" asked a Highlander of a village schoolmaster.
"Weel, Donald," answered the dominie, "I dinna mind the literal translation; but it just means that ye canna tak" the breeks aff a Highland-man."
="Before the Provost!"=
The magistrates of the Scottish burghs, though respectable men, are generally not the wealthiest in their respective communities. And it sometimes happens, in the case of very poor and remote burghs, that persons of a very inferior station alone can be induced to accept the uneasy dignity of the munic.i.p.al chair.
An amusing story is told regarding the town of L----, in B----shire, which is generally considered as a peculiarly miserable specimen of these privileged townships. An English gentleman approaching L---- one day in a gig, his horse started at a heap of dry wood and decayed branches of trees, which a very poor-looking old man was acc.u.mulating upon the road, apparently with the intention of conveying them to town for sale as firewood. The stranger immediately cried to the old man, desiring him in no very civil terms, to clear the road that his horse might pa.s.s. The old man, offended at the disrespectful language of the complainant, took no notice of him, but continued to hew away at the trees.
"You old dog," the gentleman then exclaimed, "I"ll have you brought before the provost, and put into prison for your disregard of the laws of the road."
"Gang to the de"il, man, wi" your provost!" the woodcutter contemptuously replied; "I"m provost mysel"."
=Denominational Graves=
For a short time after the disruption, an unkindly feeling existed between the ministers of the Established Church and their protesting brethren. Several "free" parishioners of Blackford, Perthshire, waited on Mr. Clark, the established minister, and requested that they might have the services of a non-Erastian s.e.xton.
"Will you allow us, sir," said one of the deputation, "to dig our own graves?"
"Certainly, gentlemen," said Mr. Clark, "you are most welcome; and the sooner the better!"
=Escaping Punishment=
An active-looking boy, aged about twelve years, was brought up before Provost Baker, at the Rutherglen Burgh Court, charged with breaking into gardens and stealing fruit therefrom. The charge having been substantiated, the magistrate, addressing the juvenile offender, said in his gravest manner: "If you had a garden, and pilfering boys were to break into and steal your property, in what way would you like to have them punished?"
"Aweel, sir," replied the prisoner, "I think I would let them awa" for first time."
It is needless to add that the worthy provost was mollified, and that the little fellow was dismissed with an admonition.
=Pa.s.sing Remarks=
"There she goes," sneered an Englishman, as a Highlander marched past in his tartans at a fair.
"There she lies," retorted Duncan, as he knocked the scorner down at a blow.
=Scottish Vision and c.o.c.kney Chaff=
Two sharp youths from London, while enjoying themselves among the heather in Argylshire, met with a decent-looking shepherd upon the top of a hill. They accosted him by remarking: "You have a fine view here, friend; you will be able to see a great way."
"Ou, ay, ou, ay, a ferry great way."
"Ah! you will see America from here?"
"Farther than that," said Donald.
"Ah! how"s that?"
"Ou, juist wait till the mists gang awa", an" you"ll see the mune!"
="The," and "The Other"=
When the chief of the Scottish clan, Macnab, emigrated to Canada with a hundred clansmen, he, on arriving at Toronto, called on his namesake, the late Sir Allen, and left his card as "_The_ Macnab." Sir Allen returned his visit, leaving as his card, "The _other_ Macnab."
="Old Clo""=
Christopher North had a great hatred of the "old clo"" men who infest the streets. Coming from his cla.s.s one day, a shabby Irishman asked him in the usual confidential manner, "Any old clo", sir?"
"No;" replied the professor, imitating the whisper; "no, my dear fellow,--have you?"
=Church Popularity=
"How is it, John," said a minister to his man, "that you never go a message for me anywhere in the parish but you contrive to take too much spirits? People don"t offer _me_ spirits when I"m making visits in the parish."
"Weel, sir," said John, "I canna precisely explain it, unless on the supposition that I"m a wee bit mair popular wi" some o" the folks maybe than you are."