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stained with tar； and observed an air of deference and respect towards his
companion； but without any of those indications of precedence and
punctilio which are preserved between the gentry and their domestics。
On the contrary； the two travellers entered the court…yard abreast； and the
concluding sentence of the conversation which had been carrying on
betwixt them was a joint ejaculation； 〃Lord guide us； an this weather last；
what will come o' the lambs！〃 The hint was sufficient for my Landlord；
who； advancing to take the horse of the principal person； and holding him
by the reins as he dismounted； while his ostler rendered the same service
to the attendant； welcomed the stranger to Gandercleugh； and； in the same
breath； enquired； 〃What news from the south hielands？〃
〃News？〃 said the farmer； 〃bad eneugh news； I think；an we can
carry through the yowes； it will be a' we can do； we maun e'en leave the
lambs to the Black Dwarfs care。〃
〃Ay； ay；〃 subjoined the old shepherd （for such he was）； shaking his
head； 〃he'll be unco busy amang the morts this season。〃 〃The Black
Dwarf！〃 said MY LEARNED FRIEND AND PATRON； Mr。 Jedediah
Cleishbotham； 〃and what sort of a personage may he be？〃
＇We have； in this and other instances； printed in italics （CAPITALS in
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this etext） some few words which the worthy editor； Mr。 Jedediah
Cleishbotham； seems to have interpolated upon the text of his deceased
friend； Mr。 Pattieson。 We must observe； once for all； that such liberties
seem only to have been taken by the learned gentleman where his own
character and conduct are concerned； and surely he must be the best judge
of the style in which his own character and conduct should be treated of。＇
〃Hout awa； man；〃 answered the farmer； 〃ye'll hae heard o' Canny
Elshie the Black Dwarf； or I am muckle mistaenA' the warld tells tales
about him； but it's but daft nonsense after a'I dinna believe a word o't
frae beginning to end。〃
〃Your father believed it unco stievely； though；〃 said the old man； to
whom the scepticism of his master gave obvious displeasure。
〃Ay； very true； Bauldie； but that was in the time o' the blackfacesthey
believed a hantle queer things in thae days； that naebody heeds since the
lang sheep cam in。〃
〃The mair's the pity； the mair's the pity；〃 said the old man。 〃Your father；
and sae I have aften tell'd ye； maister； wad hae been sair vexed to hae seen
the auld peel…house wa's pu'd down to make park dykes； and the bonny
broomy knowe； where he liked sae weel to sit at e'en； wi' his plaid about
him； and look at the kye as they cam down the loaning； ill wad he hae
liked to hae seen that braw sunny knowe a' riven out wi' the pleugh in the
fashion it is at this day。〃
〃Hout； Bauldie；〃 replied the principal； 〃tak ye that dram the landlord's
offering ye； and never fash your head about the changes o' the warld； sae
lang as ye're blithe and bien yoursell。〃
〃Wussing your health； sirs；〃 said the shepherd； and having taken off
his glass； and observed the whisky was the right thing； he continued； 〃It's
no for the like o' us to be judging； to be sure； but it was a bonny knowe
that broomy knowe； and an unco braw shelter for the lambs in a severe
morning like this。〃
〃Ay；〃 said his patron； 〃but ye ken we maun hae turnips for the lang
sheep； billie； and muckle hard wark to get them； baith wi' the pleugh and
the howe； and that wad sort ill wi' sitting on the broomy knowe； and
cracking about Black Dwarfs； and siccan clavers； as was the gate lang
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syne； when the short sheep were in the fashion。〃
〃Aweel； aweel； maister；〃 said the attendant； 〃short sheep had short
rents； I'm thinking。〃
Here my WORTHY AND LEARNED patron again interposed； and
observed； 〃that he could never perceive any material difference； in point of
longitude； between one sheep and another。〃
This occasioned a loud hoarse laugh on the part of the farmer； and an
astonished stare on the part of the shepherd。
〃It's the woo'； man；it's the woo'； and no the beasts themsells； that
makes them be ca'd lang or short。 I believe if ye were to measure their
backs； the short sheep wad be rather the langer… bodied o' the twa； but it's
the woo' that pays the rent in thae days； and it had muckle need。〃
〃Odd； Bauldie says very true；short sheep did make short rents my
father paid for our steading just threescore punds； and it stands me in three
hundred； plack and bawbee。And that's very trueI hae nae time to be
standing here claveringLandlord； get us our breakfast； and see an' get the
yauds fedI am for doun to Christy Wilson's； to see if him and me can
gree about the luckpenny I am to gie him for his year…aulds。 We had
drank sax mutchkins to the making the bargain at St。 Boswell's fair； and
some gate we canna gree upon the particulars preceesely； for as muckle
time as we took about itI doubt we draw to a pleaBut hear ye；
neighbour；〃 addressing my WORTHY AND LEARNED patron； 〃if ye
want to hear onything about lang or short sheep； I will be back here to my
kail against ane o'clock； or； if ye want ony auld…warld stories about the
Black Dwarf； and sic…like； if ye'll ware a half mutchkin upon Bauldie there；
he'll crack t'ye like a pen…gun。 And I'se gie ye a mutchkin mysell； man； if
I can settle weel wi' Christy Wilson。〃
The farmer returned at the hour appointed； and with him came Christy
Wilson； their difference having been fortunately settled without an appeal
to the gentlemen of the long robe。 My LEARNED AND WORTHY
patron failed not to attend； both on account of the refreshment promised to
the mind and to the body； ALTHOUGH HE IS KNOWN TO PARTAKE
OF THE LATTER IN A VERY MODERATE DEGREE； and the party；
with which my Landlord was associated； continued to sit late in the
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