Up in Ardmuirland

to guid

e erring an

rth-"Ode

h old Willy have been more interesting than those upon the sub

found. In many country districts like ours the task of instructing the young devolved upon one or other of the better educated of the crofter class. For in those days even reading and writing-not to mention "counting," or arithmetic, as we sty

ions on the subject are interesting. The one who seems to have made the most impression upon

ruick when I wes a loon. He'd been to Ameriky, ye ken, sir, and I doot he'd brought back wi' him a bit o' t

bic feet of space for each child, and they seemed to keep in health and strength in spite of that fact. The school assembled in what we may term the winter m

ugh there was little that was superfluous-and placing the long planks supported by big stones which served for forms. As some children were sure to be occupied with class work during the whole time, fewer seats were needed than would have been necessary otherwise. The schoolmaster's old mother, Margot

lively temperament, such as Willy represented himself to be, to choose as hard a "peat" as he could possibly find, to serve as a weapon in the mimic battles fought on the road to school. As the

l learned to pit up wi' the reek! I niver

n with reading; afte

or those who were suf

oint. "Aye, aye, he wes gey hot in the temper, I insure ye! I mind a loon comin' up to him ane day wi' a coont on his slate, ye ken, an' Farquharson we

tim whose offense deserved the extreme punishment, but that was not often required. A favorite instrument was the strap, or, as Willy termed it, "the belt." Should the master catch sight

he wes mair merciful-like to the wee lassies. He'd larnt by experience, ye ken; for in the auld days,

nt a little time outside at play, while the schoolmaster took his simple meal. The favorite game was a kind of

nced pupils l

rstan' a word o't. I thocht it a gey-like leetany to hear the gray

nts and children; it was that set apart for what we more delicately reared folk in these days would regard as cruel sport-that of cock-fighting! Sometimes as many as thi

second best, the Queen; the third, the Knave. Them as wo

a personage in the community when he had assumed his position as pedagogue. Since he was instructor

d Willy. "He wes a big mon i' the distric', ye ken, s

he weekly paper had arrived, all the men who were interested in what the world was doing would gather at some specified house to listen

aifter the schulemaister. If he miscallit a word the dic

another in commendation of

person read till him but my faither. He had to gae till the schulemaister's bedside when

unt of failing intellect. After an illness, when he was already far advanced in years, his mind gradually gave way, until he was nothing better than a harmless lunatic. No one grudged the old man a little oatmeal or a bag of potato

sappear. The most extraordinary objects would vanish from the houses-chimney ornaments, cups, spoons, flatirons, buttons, photographs, and such like gear. For a time no one suspected old McConnachie; though, upon reflection, after the matter had been cleared up

oward any of the children who might cross his path that he would do his best to give them a good drubbing with his stick. In the case of the more simple he sometimes succeeded in seizing hold before

of the Poor with a view to getting McConnachie placed under restraint. Matters

ommunity who was on terms of cordiality with McConnachie; for the old man had a great idea of his position in Ardmuirland, and held himself somewhat above the common run of people. With Farquharson he could converse as with one who was almost an equal-not absolutely, for he himself had been through some little training which the other had not. To Fa

the two set off. The first obstacle arose at the station, when Farquharson ha

older man remarked with an air of dignity

hand, McConnachie must be kept in good humor or he would give trouble to his guardian, who began now to see the weak points in the plot. So trusting to the certaint

waste money unnecessarily; for he gave the direction "Asylum" to the driver in a voice that McConnachie must have been deaf not to have heard distinctly. Farquharson glanced at once at his companion, but the old man's face was expressionless, and he persuaded himself, almost against his

remarked McConnachie as they

e that!" was the o

said the old man, as they

n I expected,"

d opened the carriage door. Farquharson got out first and incautiously walked up the steps to

ing. He's gone in, so I need not

eld his charge rapidly driving a

man I was bringing here! He's not fit to be left alo

will be all right if you will step in for a few

he gentle pressure of the servant's hand on his arm induced the ha

quiet way as the first had done. Then it began to dawn upon him that th

achie had a more cultured manner than Farquharson at any time, and when the latter showed so much excitement on account of the trick which had been played upon him, he did not appear to a

act of his having given the return ticket to McConnachie made it difficult to explain that the other had no right to it; the faint glimmer of a smile on t

n affairs had taken, and lost no time in releasing Farquharson. The unfortunate man did not dare to return to the district for some time. When he at last ventured to appear

ubject of education. "The bairns get mair teechin' noo, and less o'