But Maggy grew better the next day, and was able to muck the byre; yet there gaed sic a tittle-tattlin through the town, every auld wife tell’d anither o’t, and a’ the light-hippet hissies that rins between towns at e’en tugging at their tow rocks, spread it round the kintry, and every body’s mouth was filled wi’ Jockey and Jenny and how Maggy had parted with bairn. At last Mess John Hill hears of the foul fact, and sends the Elder of that quarter, and Clinkum-Bell, the grave-maker to summon Jockey and Jenny, to the Session, and to see how the stool of repentance wad set them. No sooner had they entered the door, but Maggy fa’s a greeting and wringing her hands! Jockey’s mither fell a-flyting, and he himself a-rubbing his lugs, and riving his hair, crying out, O gin I were but half an ell higher, I sud be a sodger or it be lang; and gie me a good flail or a corn fork, I sud kill Frenchmen anew, before I gade to face yen flyting Ministers, and be set up like a warld’s wonder, on their cock-stool, or black stool; and wha can hide the shame when every body looks to them, wi’ their sacken sarks, or gowns, on them, like a piece of auld canvas prickt about a body, for naething but what every body does amaist or they are married; as well as me. Mith. My man, Johnnie, ye’re no the first that has done it, and ye’ll no be the last; e’en mony of the ministers hae done it themselves; hout aye, e’en your father and I did it mony a time. Mag. Aye, aye, and that gars your son be so good o’t as he is; the thing that’s bred in the flesh, is ill to pit out of the bane. Mith. Daft woman, what way wad the warld stand if folks wadna mak use of ither; ’Tis the thing that’s natural bairns getting; therefore it’s no to be scunner’d at. Mag. Aye, aye, but an they be for the like of that, they should marry. Mith. But I think there’s little ill though they try it ance or twice or they be married; ’tis an unco thing for a body to be bound to a business or they ken whether they be able for it or no. Mag. Aye, aye, that’s your way of doing and his, but it’s no the way of ither honest fouk; see what the Minister will say to it. Mith. The Minister is but a mortal man, and there’s defections in his members as well as in mine. Mag. Aye, but fouk should aye strive to mortify their members.