He got the “wee” fiddle down from its peg in the study, and marched up and down playing almost furiously several old Scotch tunes, and occasionally singing a line or a few words of some of them, such as “A thrifty queen was Kate Dalrymple,” “We’re a’ gaun to the waddin’, Lassie, will ye gae?” “Hey the bonnie! ho the bonnie! hey the bonnie breastknots!” “Dainty Davie,” “Fy, let us a’ to the bridal,” etc., and he ended by playing “Auld langsyne,” with exquisite feeling.
Not many days after this Mr. Walker called on Bell, and offered to “give her away.” He was accepted with becoming thanks, Bell declaring “that it was far ower kind,—that she never could have expected to hae been countenanced in the way she had been by a’body, but really this was the crowner.” And when all the wedding guests had met in Knowe Park, in stalked worthy Mr. Walker, his sonsy face beaming with delight, arm in arm with Bell, whom he delivered with quite a “Sir Roger de Coverley” grace by the side of David. Bell, when referring to this memorable act of attention on Mr. Walker’s part, used to say, “Mr. Walker oxtered me in his ainsel’, and he was a fine buirdly man to cleek.”
The knot was soon tied by Mr. Barrie, “assisted by Mr. Walker;” and Mr. Barrie, whose prerogative it was to be the first to congratulate the happy couple immediately at the close of the ceremony shook hands with the young wife, and said: “Mrs. Tait, I wish you very much happiness, and every blessing in your married life.”
Bell was demure till now, and had not lifted her eyes from the ground, but this roused her, and she said:
“Oh! Mr. Barrie, ca’ me Bell, dinna ca’ me Mrs. Tait,”—looking earnestly into Mr. Barrie’s face.
Mrs. Barrie followed, and also said “Mrs. Tait,” etc.
“Mrs. Barrie,” said Bell softly and imploringly, “if you please, mem, dinna you ca’ me Mrs. Tait.”
Mr. Walker was number three who called her Mrs. Tait, and she remonstrated with him likewise:
“Oh, Maister Walker, Maister Walker, dinna Mrs. Tait me—I canna thole’t.”
He made one of his little jokes—“To-night be Mrs. Tait, but seeing you rebel, we will re-Bell you to-morrow.”