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 as I was saying, I stappit ben to Andrew’s, to ask his advice, but odds, if ye ever saw a man in sic a desperate passion as he was in, when I tauld him how I had been used by my wife and dochter.

“ William M‘Ghee,” said he, raising his voice——— it was a geyan strong ane——— “ye’re an absolute gomeril. O, man, but ye’re a henpickit sumph! I tell ye ye’re a gawpus, and a lauching stock, and no worth the name of a man. Do ye hear that?”

O ay, I hear’t very weel,” quo’ I, no that pleased at being sae spoken to, even by Andrew Brand, who was a man I could stamach a guid deal frae, in the way of reproof——— “I hear’t a’ weel eneuch, and am mucklo obleged to ye, nae doubt, for your consolation.”

“Hooly and fairly, William,” said he in a kinder tone, for he saw I was a degree hurt by his speech. “Come, I was only joking ye, man, and you maunua tak onything amiss I hae said. But really, William, I speak to ye as a frien’, aud tell ye that ye are submitting to a tyranny which no man of common understanding ought to submit to. Is this no the land of liberty? Are we no just as free as the Duke in his grand palace down by; and has ony body a richt—tell me that, William McGee—to tyranneeze ower anither as your wife does ower you! I’ll no tell ye what to do, but I’ll just tell you what I would do, if my wife and dochter treated me as yours have treated you——— lord, man, I would ding their harns about, and knock their heads thegither like twa curling stanes. I would aye be master in my ain house.”

This was Andrew’s advice, and I thocht it sounded geyan rational, only no very easy to put in practice. Hoosomever, thinks I to mysell, I’ll consider about it, and gin I could only bring mysell