“Mr. Dunlop, hae ye heard the news?”
“What news?”
“Oh, the deil’s dead.”
“Is he?” quoth Mr. Dunlop; “then I maun pray for twa faitherless bairns.”
On another occasion, Mr. Dunlop met, with characteristic humour, an attempt to play off a trick on him. It was known that he was to dine with a minister whose house was situated close to the church, so that his return walk must be through the churchyard. Accordingly, some idle and mischievous fellows waited for him in the middle of the kirkyard, dressed in the popularly accredited habiliments of a ghost, hoping to put him in a terrible fright. “Is’t a general risin’?” inquired Watty, as he leisurely passed by the unco figure, “or are ye just takin’ a daunder yer lane?”
The celebrated Edward Irving had been lecturing at Dumfries, and a man who passed as a wag in the locality had been to hear him. He met Watty Dunlop the following day, who said—
“Weel, Willie, man, an’ what do you think o’ Mr. Irving?”
“Oh,” said Willie, contemptuously, “the man’s crackit.”
“Ah, Willie,” rejoined Dunlop, patting the man quietly on the shoulder, “but ye’ll aften see a bright light shinin’ through a crack.” No rejoinder was ever more pat.
Of similar grit with the facetious Watty Dunlop was another Watty: to wit, the Rev. Walter Morrison, a well-known north country divine. It is told of this worthy that when he was entreating the commanding officer of a regiment at Fort-George to pardon a poor fellow who had been sent to the halberts, the officer declared he would grant the culprit a free pardon on the condition that Mr. Morrison should accord with the first favour he (the officer) asked. The preacher at once agreed. The favour was to perform the ceremony of baptism for his young puppy. A merry party was invited to the christening, and much fun was expected at the minister’s expense. But they had been reckoning without their host. On his arrival, Mr. Morrison desired the officer to hold up the pup. “As I am a minister of the Kirk of Scotland,” said he, “I must proceed accordingly.” The Major said he asked no more. “Well then, Major, I begin with the usual question—You acknowledge yourself the father of this puppy?” The Major saw he had been over-reached, and threw away the animal amid the loud laughter of his brother officers.