A History of the Gipsies: with Specimens of the Gipsy LanguageSimson, Walter
History
A History of the Gipsies: with Specimens of the Gipsy Language
Simson, Walter
Romanies; Romanies -- Languages
"The widow, however, kept the farm, paid off all old debts, and brought
up her family decently; but still, it grieved her that she did not know
who was her benefactor. She never told any person till about ten years
afterwards, when she told a friend who came to see her, when she was
rather poorly in health. After hearing the story, he asked her what sort
of a man he was who gave her the money. She said their interview was so
short, and it was so long past, that she could recollect little of him,
but only remembered well that he had the scar of a cut across his nose.
On which, her friend immediately exclaimed, 'Then Will Baillie was the
man.'
"Before the year 1740, the roads were bad through all the country. Carts
were not then in use, and all the merchants' goods were conveyed in
packs, on horseback. Among others, the farmers on the water of Ae, in
Dumfries-shire, were almost all pack-carriers. As there was little
improvement of land then, they had little to do at home, and so they
made their rents mostly by carrying. Among others, there was an uncle of
my father, whose name was Robert McVitie, who used to be a great
carrier. This man, once, in returning from Edinburgh, stopt at
Broughton, and in coming out of the stable, he met a man, who asked him
if he knew him. Robert, after looking at him for a little, said: 'I
think you are Mr. Baillie.' He said, I am, and asked if Robert could
lend him two guineas, and it should be faithfully repaid. As there were
few people who wished to differ with Baillie, Robert told him he was
welcome to two guineas, or more if he wanted it. He said that would just
do; on which Robert gave them to him, and he put them into his pocket.
Baillie then asked, if ever he was molested by any person, when he was
travelling late with his packs. He said he never was, although he was
sometimes a little afraid. Baillie then gave him a kind of brass token,
about the size of a half-crown, with some marks upon it, which he
desired him to carry in his purse, and it might be of use to him some
time, as he was to show it, if any person offered to rob him. Baillie
then mounted his horse and rode off.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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