Next day Domsie left to make his pious pilgrimage, and on the Sabbath there was only one subject in the kirkyard.
“Div ye no think, neebours,” said Hillocks, after a tribute had been paid to Domsie's services, “that he oucht tae get some bit testimonial? It wudna be wiselike tae let him slip oot o' the schule withoot a word frae the Glen.”
Hillocks paused, but the fathers were so much astonished at Hillocks taking the initiative in expenditure that they waited for further speech.
“Noo, Pitscothrie is no a pairish tae pit beside Drumtochty for ae meenut, but when their Dominie gied up his post, if the bodies didna gather fifty pund for him; they ca'd it a purse o' sovereigns in the Advertiser, but that was juist a genteel name for't.
“A'm no sayin*,” continued Hillocks, “that it wud be safe tae trust Domsie wi' as mickle siller at a time; he wud be off tae Edinburgh an' spend it on auld bukes, or may be divide it up amang his students. He's careless, is Domsie, an' inclined to be wastefu'; but we micht gie him somethin' tae keep.”
“What wud ye say,” suggested Whinnie, when the kirkyard was revolving the matter, “if we got him a coo 'at wud gie him milk and be a bit troke tae occupy his time? What he didna need cud be made into butter and sent tae Muirtown; it wud be a help.”
“Ye have an oreeginal mind,” said Jamie, who always on those occasions pitied the woman that was married to Whinnie, “an' a'm sure yir perposal 'll be remembered. Domsie feedin' his coo on the road-side, wi' a Latin buke in his hand, wud be interestin'.”
“It's most aggravatin',” broke in Hillocks, who was much annoyed at the turn things had taken, “that ye winna gie me time tae feenish, an' 'ill set Domsie stravaging the roads at the tail o' a coo for his last days.”
“It was Jamie,” remonstrated Whinnie.
“Haud yir tongue.” Hillocks felt the time was short, and he had an idea that must be ventilated. “A was considerin' that Domsie's snuff-box is gey far thro' wi't A'm judjin' it has seen thirty years, at on y rate, and it was naethin tae boast o' at the beginnin'. A've seen fresh hinges pit on it twice masel.