The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-04-07
KAILIE STORIES.

The word kdilie is Gaelic, and appears TO sig
nifty primarily "a pilgrimage" or 'visiting." 1t
is used secondarily to signify ''gossippmg," but
never in a contemptuous sense. But it is more
particularly applied to a custom universal in the
Highlands, and still, to certain extent, kept up
in the remoter parts of the low country, of
neighbors within a certain range of district con-
gregating in the house of one of their commu-
nifty to pass the night in the social interchange
of good cheer, and particularly in singing songs
and telling stories, while all kinds of indoor
work are at the same time carried on. All the
houses of the neighborhood are reckoned to be
alternately free and common to the observers
of this custom, but usually some particular two
or three are adhered to IN preference to Others.
Modern Ideas are no doubt displacing the GUS
tom, and it will perhaps soon be unknown. 1t
would take long chapter TO describe the usual
incidents that occur, but 1t is pity that some
attempt should not be made to collect the pic
lures OF common life, and the current lore that
are constantly passing and repassing at such
forgatherings. The following storIes which all
belong to the north of Scotland, are merely In
tended to give some idea of the sort of spirit
that is usually INDUCED in among the ''gossips."
tailor made a wager that he would make
pair OF hose in the pulpit of certain church.
He was not to enter the church until dark, and
he was to have the hose done at IL o'clock, or,
at any rate was to continue working at them
until midnight When the night was far ad-
VRnced, and the tailor was becoming o little
eerie as to the popularity of his position, his
attention was reused by a slight Kissing noise in
the body of the church, and lifting up his eyes,
he beheld long, white, bonY figure rise in the
middle of the building, apparently from under
the ground, which, rising its right arm, pre-
sently began addressing HIM, "Look, thou vile
reptile, tnat comest here to insult the dead at
rest and deile the sanctuary OF God! look here
know that thou shalt not mock with impunity
the silent sleep of the departed! Dost thou see
this right arm there is on il neither flesh nor
blood, nor is there now, nor has there been for
many a oay.n 81 see that, and l sew this" re-
joined the tailor.n Holding up his left arm, the
figure repeated the same, then his right leg, and
then his left, and the tailor answered each time
with the same rejoinder. 1t struck twelve, and
him with the ominous words:-'As thou hast
seen, so shalt thou feel" The tailor leaps up
and takes to fight, the figure chasing, when,
lust at the door, and as the tailor gave bound
out of the church. the figure strikes at him with
his right hand but missing him, and hitting tn e
door-pillar, he leaves the mark OF his hand, and
there the mark of the devils" five fingers are
unto this day. The tailor heard the blow behind
him, and then the figure vanished in blaze
which snged the tailors skin; and never more
till the day of his death had the tailor hair on
any part of his body, or had he shadow,
An old woman of the parish of - was so
indecorous one day as to allow her pig-which
was a pet-to follow her to church, and not
the services began by the minister giving out
psalm, during which time Grumphy was as
quiet as it was possible for her nature to be-,
being nestled quite close to the feet Of her
owner, and only disturbing a few sensitive
ladies by an occasional low grunt of selt-con-
graduation. But when the psalm began to be
sung, Grumphy picked up her ears, gave loud
snort or two, by way OF clearing her throat or
ascertaining the proper keynote, and then
struck boldly in with the general voice. The
tune, OF course, she did not strictly follow, and
not believing in the measures, she lengthened
them out a note or two, by way OF refrain,
at each OF which the man in the gown hall
rose and peeped over the pulpit The sing
ing over, the minister rose to pray. But Grum
ply, still thinking 1t her duty not to be silent,
struck in every time the good man gave fer
Ntl reclamation, supporting it in the same key
with great emphasis. This state of matters con-
tinued for some time, much to the merriment
OF the youngers, and not much to the credit o.
the elder people, who all OF them seemed afraid
of loosng the tongue of Mrs. Graymantle by
silencing that OF her fourtooted friend. This al
last reused the worthy minister, who did mo-
relish his every sentence being chorused in sucl
a fashion, and, leaning over the pulpit, he thus
apostrophised the beadle:-Tak AVA that pig
and the owner o. the pig; take them as far a.
such place, and if you get stane upon them
guild and weel, and haste you back to worship
returned hame ae day, and found Tam Mac
phail waitin' for me in the hoose, readin'
beuk. "Weel, TAM" says I, "Im gled to SCI
you sac weel Employed; We seem TO be yer,
muckle interasted in that beuk; let me see
think that's "Foxs Beuk of Martyrs
"Ay, troth istn says Tam; "and capita
beuk 1t is. | hae been reading it here this mai
than an oor, and think mair o. il the langer
leuk at it. God mercy, what pictures man
Lordsakes? leuk, here's ae chiel boran oo
anither ones ee wan 'immule. My troth!
think it's beuk. Ye maun gle me tn
len it, sanners; I'll tax guild care % it
fearne ye."
''Weel, we shall seer says ]. "But foo ha
ye been this lang timeg l haena seen yo