The humour of the Scot 'neath northern lights and ... - Electric Scotland

306 THE SCOT ABROAD
As it was told me in Australia, I
may be permitted to
introduce it here. Mr. Swales was a young Englishman
who had crossed the Border and settled in Dunbar,
where an opening existed for an energetic young fellow
as a shopkeeper. The provost of the town was also the
local banker, and as Mr. Swales was a customer of the
bank, the provost took quite a kindly interest in the
young trader. One day he sent for Mr. Swales, and
after a few compliments, saying how pleased he was to
see he was getting on so well, etc., he said :
'
An' I'm
vera gled to see, Maister Swales, that ye dinna negleck
yer releegious duties. Ye gang to the Wesleyans, I'm
hearin' ; but I maun caution ye, my frien', no tae gang
oot walkin' for pleesure on the Sawbath ; for if ye dae,
ye'll loss a' yer custom. Oor folk'll no' stand Sawbath
walkers at ony price.'
My good friend Mr. M'Eachern of Melbourne gave
me a graphic picture of the old Scottish domestic life
and the strong individuality of the older generation,
which I would like to give here.
His own grandfather
was the subject, and the story lost nothing in being told
under the starry splendour of an Australian night, with
the shrill, strident chorus of the cicadas making the air
ring with their almost overpowering clamour all around.
The whole family had been engaged in the usual family
worship one evening, and the white-haired patriarch was
praying with much fervour, when the current of his
thoughts was somewhat rudely disturbed by hearing the
aged wife of his bosom utter a sharp, sibilant ' s-s-shoo ! '
from the other side of the room. He looked up irritably,
paused, and then resumed his interrupted petitions.
The sound was repeated— 'Shoo! s-s-shoo!' sounded