Having, though I say it myself, the word of being a canny maister, more than one brought their callants to me, on reading the bill of "An apprentice wanted," pasted on my shop-window. Offering to bind them for the regular time, yet not wishing to take but one, I thought best not to fix in a hurry, and make choice of him that seemed more exactly cut out for my purpose. In the course of a few weeks three or four cast up, among whom was a laddie of Ben Aits the mealmonger, and a son of William Burlings the baker; to say little of the callant of Saunders Broom the sweep, that would fain have put his blackit- looking bit creature with the one eye and the wooden leg under my wing; but I aye looked to respectability in these matters; so glad was I when I got the offer of Mungo Glen.--But more of this in half a minute. I must say I was glad of any feasible excuse to make to the sweep, to get quit of him and his laddie, the father being a drucken ne'er-do weel, that I wonder did not fall long ere this time of day from some chimney- head, and get his neck broken. So I told him at long and last, when he came papping into my shop, plaguing me every time he passed, that I had fitted myself; and that there would be no need of his taking the trouble to call again. Upon which he gave his blacked nieve a desperate thump on the counter, making the observation, that out of respect for him I might have given his son the preference. Though I was a wee puzzled for an answer, I said to him for want of a better, that having a timber leg, he could not well creuk his hough to the shop-board for our trade. "Hout, touts," said Saunders, giving his lips a smack--"Creuk his hough, ye body you! Do you think his timber leg canna screw off?--That'll no pass." I was a little dumfoundered at this cleverness. So I said, more on my guard--"True, true, Saunders, but he's ower little." "Ower little, and be hanged to ye!" cried the disrespectful follow, wheeling about on his heel, as he grasped the sneck of the shop-door, and gave a girn that showed the only clean parts of his body--to wit the whites of his eyes, and his sharp teeth:--"Ower little!--Pu, pu!--He's like the blackamoor's pig, then, Maister Wauch--he's like the blackamoor's pig--he may be ver' leetle, but he be tam ould;" and with this he showed his back, clapping the door at his tail without wishing a good-day; and I am scarcely sorry when I confess, that I never cut cloth for either father or son from that hour to this one, the losing of such a customer being no great matter at best, and almost clear gain compared with saddling myself with a callant with only one eye and one leg; the one having fallen a victim to the dregs of the measles, and the other having been harled off by a farmer's threshing-mill. However, I got myself properly suited;--but ye shall hear.