Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-03-24

We may match this tale OF "MelKle-moutn-
ed Meg" with another "legend of large
mouth" the accuracy of which is vouched
for by the author of the Traditions of Edin-
burgh, who received it from the present
representative ofthe family referred to-a
large pursy old man with low forehead,
small eyes, and an enormous mouth. His
mouth he said, was the chiettain and rep
resentative of a long ancestral line OF illus
trious and most extensive mouths, which
had fourished for upwards of two centuries
at place called Tullbody, somewhere in
the western parts Of Fife. There was a
tradition that the mouth originally came in
to tine family by marriage. A paternal an
cester of the speaker wooed and was about
to marry lady of great beauty but no for
tune, when his design was knocked on the
head by the interference of his father, who,
by threats of disinheritance, induced him
to i'll! the "tocherless" dame, and to mar
ry another lady who was the heiress to a
large fortune and large mouth-both be-
queathed to her by her father, one of the
celebrated kail-suppers of Fife. When this
was told to the sighted lady of his love
she was so highly offended that she wished
the mouth of her fortunate rival might de-
scend, in all its latitude, to the latest gen.
Grafton of her faithless swain's posterity-
The country people, who pay great attention
to the sayings and doings ofladies condemn
ed to wear the willow, waited anxiously tor
the fulflment of her malediction, and ac-
cordingly shook their heads, and had their
own thoughts, when the kail.supper's daugh-
ter brought forth son with mouth reflect
ING back credit on her own. The triumph
of the ill-wisher was considered complete
when the second, the third, and all the
other children were found to be equally dis
tinguished by this feature and what gave
the triumph still more piquancy was that
the daughters were found 10 be no more ex-
cepted than the sons from the family DOOM
In the second generation, moreover, in
stead of being softened or diluted away, the
mouth rather increased, and so 1t had done
in every successive generation since that
time. The race having been very prolific,
it was now spread so much that there was
scarcely face in Tullibody altogether free
of the contagion, so that the present head
of the family could look around HIM with
all the patriarchal feelings OF the chief OF a
large Highland clam.
Fate and fortune are said to be very fav-
orable to people with large mouths. So it
proved in this case. After the mouth came
into the family luck also came; and still
as the mouth had increased with successive
generations, just so had riches increased.
The third in the line from the "irst man,
cooper by profession, became so wealthy
before he died, that he might have got his
name handed down TO Immortality on
certain conspicuous, though dusty and IL
legible, board in the parish church, along
with those of other charitable persons, by
leaving cane hunder merks, Scotts, to y
pvir.n Despising the humble glory of
making such legacy and being too poor
to found college, and too wise to endow
cat, he did better-he founded Il spoon !
a spoon which should 60 down to future
ages as traditiOnary joke upon his family
feature, and remain forever in the hands
of these who could appreciate his benifi-
cence. He left it under certain provisions
or statues of foundation. The main scope
of his intentions was simply that the spoon
should always be possessed by his largest
mouthed descendant. In the first place,
after his own death, it was to fall into the
hands of his eldest son, youth OF highly
promising mouth or, indeed, whose mouth
was fully entitled to the proverbial praise
bestowed upon the cooper of Fogo, 'that
it was fathers equal and mair" and who,
moreover, entertained such respect for
the will of his parent, that he seemed ike
ly to preserve and transmit the precious
heirloom with all due zeal and care. AT
his death 1t was to become the property OF
the son, daughter, nephew, or nelce, tor
II was not limited to heirs male, but, with
a laudable regard for the claims Of the ialr-
er sex, destined to "heirs whatsoever, }
who should appear to have the mouth most
fitted to enjoy 1t in all its latitude. AT the
death of that person it was to go to the next
largest mouth, and so or in all time coming
The will of the eccentric founder OF the
spoon was most ligiously observed by his
descendants, and with the exception Of an
attempt nearly century ago, on the part
of a female possessor of the much coveted
article, to ALLEVIATE it to person not eligible,
which had nearly caused family feud, the
invaluable vessel glided peacefully down
the current of ages in the possession OF
lineal male line of truly respectable mouths,
priced by the happy inheritors. and honorfe.d
by the homage and yeneration of all the
rest of the family. The precious heirloom,
which was exhibited by its venerable pos
SCISSOR, was silver implement of peculiar
shape. The ca7ir was circular, like the
spoons of the Romans, about four inches in |
diameter and one deep in the centre, and
it had a short sturdy handle, with a whistle
at the extremity.
REGULAR PRAcr1cE.--"Scarcely had