“Speakin’ about denners,” continued Peggy, “Miss Park got a terrible fricht last Saturday nicht. The flesher’s laddie was takin’ a sheep’s heid to the Mathiesons, but as there was naebody in the house, he raps on Miss Park’s door,—she stops next them. Weel, her servant was out, an’ she answers the door hersel’. She’s an awfu’ nervish craitur’, so she opens a wee bit o’ the door, a’ shakin’, and disna the laddie shove the sheep’s heid bang in? The door was that little open that the neck rubbit against her hands; and he bawls out, ‘Mathieson’s heid,’ an’ let it fa’ in the lobby an’ awa’ in a moment. She was that fear’d that she couldna move, but keepit starin’ awa’ at the ugly black head, thinking a’ sorts o’ things. When her servant cam’ in she was fair chitterin’ wi’ fear. It was real thochtless o’ the laddie.”
Blinkbonny had its events and “foys” (i.e. entertainments), but nothing of special interest occurred until the Disruption of 1843, of which I will treat in my next chapter.
CHAPTER IV.
THE TWO SIDES OF THE CHURCH QUESTION.
“They lay aside their private cares
To mind the Kirk and State affairs;
They’ll talk o’ patronage and priests
Wi’ kindling fury in their breasts,
Or tell what new taxation ’s comin’,
And ferlie at the folk in Lon’on.”—Burns.