_Expense of a Wife._
An old bachelor who lived in a very economical style, both as regards
food and clothing, and not altogether so very trig as some bachelors
sometimes appear, was frequently attacked by his acquaintances on the
propriety of taking a wife. He was very smartly set upon one day, and
told how snod a wife would keep him, and many other fine things to
induce him to take a wife, and among the rest, what a comfort it would
be to him, if it was for naething else but to make his parritch in the
morning. Says he, "I dinna doubt but she wad mak my parritch, but the
plague is, she wad be fair to sup the hauf o' them."
_An Honest M'Gregor._
Donald M'Gregor, a notorious sheep-lifter (alias sheep-stealer), in the
north Highlands, being at last overtaken by the grim tyrant of the human
race, was visited by the minister of the parish, whose appearance,
however, was by no means agreeable to Donald. The holy man warmly
exhorted the dying Highlander to reflect upon the long and black
catalogue of his sins, before it was too late, otherwise he would have a
tremendous account to give at the great day of retribution, when all the
crimes he had committed in this world would appear in dreadful array, as
evidence of his guilt. "Och! sir," cries the dying man, "an' will a' the
sheeps an' the cows, an' ilka thing Tonal has helped hersel to, be
there?" "Undoubtedly," replied the parson. "Then let ilka shentleman tak
her nain, an' Tonal will be an honest man again."
_Negro and the Musquito._
A West Indian who had a remarkably fiery nose, having fallen asleep in
his chair, a negro boy who was waiting, observed a musquito hovering
round his face. Quasi eyed the insect very attentively; at last he saw
him alight on his master's nose, and immediately fly off. "Ah! bless
your heart," exclaimed the negro, "me right glad see you burn your
foot."
_A Brush for the Barber._
A Highlander who sold brooms, went into a barber's shop in Glasgow a few
days since to get shaved. The barber bought one of his brooms, and after
having shaved him, asked the price of it. "Twopence," said the
Highlander. "No, no," said the barber, "I'll give you a penny, if that
does not satisfy you take your broom again." The Highlander took it, and
asked what he had got to pay? "A penny," said strap. "I'll gie you a
bawbee," said Duncan, "an' if that dinna satisfy ye, put on my beard
again."
_The Kellochsyde Grace._
The following is preserved traditionally as the grace of the farmer of
Kellochsyde, or Killocsyde, in Clydesdale:--"O Lord, we'r ay gangan, an
we'r ay gettan. We soud ay be coman to thee, but we'r ay forgettan. We
leive in the gude mailen o' Kellochsyde, suppan thy gude peisie kale,
puir sinfou sons of evil that we are. Monie mercies we receive gude
trowth; and we're little thankfou for them, gude feth Janet, rax by the
spunes, and a' praise and glory sall be thine. Amen."
_New Method of Teaching Music._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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