Several children were amusing themselves (proh pudor!), in a corner of Calton Hill Park, by piling up a heap of stones.
When the heap was a few inches high, the children retreated two or three yards and, each armed with a stone, began to try and knock down their little construction.
Up came a gentleman, indignant.
"Little scamps!" he began, "are you not ashamed of yourselves? Don't you know you are breaking the Sabbath?"
This impressive exhortation produced small effect upon the little arabs, who went on aiming at the heap, but without success, however.
By the movements of the man every time a stone missed its aim, I could see that if the worthy Scot was indignant at the scandalous conduct of the boys, their awkwardness inspired him with the most profound contempt.
Stone followed stone, but the heap remained intact.
The Scotchman could bear it no longer.
"Duffers!" he cried.
And picking up a stone, he aimed it at the heap, scattering it in all directions; then, with a last pitying glance at the young admiring troop, quietly resumed his walk.