Page:History of Buchaven (sic) in Fifeshire (2).pdf/15

 just like its ain father, lang Sandy Tason (or Thomson), we ken by his lang nose; for Sandy had a great muckle red nose, like a labster's tae, bowed at the point like a lawk's neb, and Sandy himself said that it was surely his, or some other body's; but he had used a' his bir at the getting o't to try his abilities, being the first time ever he was at sic a business before; and when he had done a' that man could do at it, the said it was nonsense; and shame fa' him, but he would rather row his boat round the Bass and back again, or he'd to the like again; for Wise Willie gade wude at the bairn, and said it had mair ill nature than the auldest wife in the town, for it pissed the bed, skirl'd like a wild cat, & kept him frae his night's rest; the auld hags about the town ca'd him Sandy the bairn's daddy; and a' the young gillie-gaukies o' lasses held out their fingers and cried, Ti hi hi, Sandy, the Kirk will kittle your hips for that: And after a' the blear-eye'd bell-man came bladering about the buttock meal, summoned him and her before the haly band—a court that was held in the Kirk on Saturday morning—and all the herd