The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-05-28
VOL. XXXII.
4ithmond Gljspatth.
..............MAY 2S, 1867.


and Character" has now issued four
tcenth or " Peoples Edition "a very neat
one-to which he has supplied a long pre-
face, including number of additional
anecdotes. From these we select few
characteristic passages:
81 think our national jealousy Of ritual
ism furnishes very characteristic anec-
dote: A worthy United Presbyterian
minister having received n present of a
! preaching gown, considered himself bound
to make use OF in divine service, although
it was novelty iQ the congregation. An
old-iashioncd lady, who looked with suS-
plcion on this innovation, began TO cate
chisc the minister upon his proceedings,
and opened the question cautiously.
Weel, sir, ye haze preached in a gown
div We ken if Paul ever preached in q
gown p 'Dced, Janet the minister re-
piled, Il wad ask, do ye ken gin Paul
preached in his hreekS p She was taken
aback, and acknowledged she could no,
say 'Weel, suppose yc wadna haze mt
to preach without my brcckS.'
"Thc quiet, dry matter-of-fact with
which Scotchmcn of a particular class
deal with the most solemn subjects is eX-
emplified in an anecdOte which received
from q kind correspondent. The genuine
ness of the anecdote is uDquestionable, as
he received it from the person to whom il
occurred. 4 popular Anglican non-con-
formiSt minister was residing with family
in Glasgow while on visit TO that city.
whittier he had gone on deputation from
the Wesleyan Missionary Society. After
dinner, in reply to an invitation 10 partakc
OF some fine fruit, he mentioned to the
family n curious circumstance concerning
himself (which he had also mentioned re-
peatedly 10 my correSpondcnt)-vIZ., that
| he had never in his life tasted an apple,
pear, grape, or, indeed, any kind OF green
| fruit. This fact seemed to evoke conSide-
rable surprise from the company but
cautious Scotchman, OF a practical matter
of-fact turn of mind, and who had
listened with much unconcern, drily re-
marked: Its Il pcety but ye had been
in Paradise, and there mlCht ma hae
been ony faa.' | have spoken Of the cooi
matter fact manner in which the awful
questions connected with the funerals oi
friends are often approached by Scottish
people without the least Intention or pur-
pose of being irrevcrcnt or unfecl!nS. by
The kindness OF Mr.. Lyon am enabled to
l
character, illustrative OF this habit OF
mind and cannot do better than give ii
in his own words An old tenant OF my
late father, George Lyon, Of Westcr Ogll,
many wears ago, when on ms deathhcd,
and his end near at hand, his wife thus ad-
dressed him Willie, Willie, as lang aS
We can speak, tell US, are ye for your burlai
baps round or square ~ Willie having
responded to this inquiry, was next asked
if the ,n1gue1,> were 10 have g'ooc> Gloves
or mittcns, the former being articles with
fingers, the latter having only thumb
piece: and Willie, having also answered
this question, was allowed 10 depart III
peace. ,
Nothing better illustrates the cool,
pawky stvlc OF remark Tor which our
courtrvmen have been distinguished than
the old Story of the piper and the wolves.
| \ Scottish piper was passing through q
deep forest. In the evening he sat down
TO take his supper. He had hardly begun,
when number Of hungry wolves, prowi-
ing about for food, collected round him.
! In sclf-delence, the poor man began 10
throw pieces Of his meal to them, which
they greedilv devoured. When he had
disposed Of all, in lit of despair he took
his pipes and began to play. The unusual
sound terrified the wolves, vino, one and
all. took 10 their heels and scampercd OH
in every direction. On observing which,
Sandy quietly remarked: 'Od, an I'd
kenucd ye likct the pipes sac wecl I'd
glen We spring Gtore supper
"Some time back, when it was not un-
common for challenges 10 be given and
accepted for insults, or supposed insults,
an English gentleman was entertaining a
party AT Inverness with an account OF the
wonders he had seen and the deeds he had
performed in India, from whence he had
lately arrived. He enlarged partlcu-
larly upon the size Of the tigers he had
met with at different times IN his
travels, and by way Of corroboratng ms
statements, assured the company That he
had shot one himself considerably above
forty feet long. \ Scottish gentleman
present, who thought that these narratives
rather exceeded travellers allowed prl-
yileges, cooily said that no doubt those
were very remarkable tigers; but that ht
could assure the gentleman there were IL
the northern part Of the country some
wonderful animals, and as an example ht
cited the existence OF Il Skate-hSh captured
off Thurso which exceeded half an acre
in extent. The EngliShman saw this was
intended as a sarcasm against ms Owl
story: so he left the room III indignation
and sent his friend to demand satisfaction
or an apology from the gentleman who had
he thought, insulted him. The narrator o
the skate story coolly replied: Weel, sir
Gin yer freend will tax few feet all III,
length of his tiger, wen see what can he
dune about the breadth o the skate. He
was TOO cautious to commit himself to /
rash or decided course of conduct. WheI
the tiger was shortened he would take into
consideration a reduction OF superhcla
area in his skate.
"There is a quiet mode of turning the
tables upon an inquirer or complainant
which | have noticed as characteristic o
our countrymen which it is impossible t'
illustrate except by example. Take thi'
account which | have received OF a well
authenticated case very much in point.
gentleman had sent for the village barDe'
in extremely hot weather that he might b'
shaved by him. He soon perceived ina
the man was much the worse OF drink, a
he had, in fact, cut the skin two or three
times during the tonsorial operation. III
desired to notice this in as delicate man
ner as possible, and suggested to the ope
rator: think, my friend, the hot weathe
has made your hand unsteady He yer.
quickly replied, Ma, sir, it's no that sa
rnuckle as the heat has made yoW ski
some tender
"In the body of the "reminiscences
= al.