“Everything; a man without honour is not a man––he is just ‘a body’; he has no soul. Robert Burns told Andrew Horner how such men were made!” replied Thora.
“How was that? Tell me! A Burns’ anecdote will put grandfather in his finest temper, and I want him in that condition for I have a great favour to ask from him.”
“The tale tells that when Burns was beginning to write, he had a rival in a man called Andrew Horner. One day they met at the same club dinner, and they were challenged to each write a verse within five minutes. The gentlemen guests took out their watches, the poets were furnished with pencils and paper. When time was up Andrew Horner had not written the first line but Burns handed to the chairman his verse complete.”
“Tell me. If you know it, tell me, Thora!”
“Yes, I know it. If you hear it once you do not forget it.”
“Well then?”
“It runs thus:
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“‘Once on a time The Deil gat stuff to mak’ a swine And put it in a corner; But afterward he changed his plan And made it summat like a man, And ca’ed it Andrew Horner.’” |
“That is good! It will delight grandfather.”