The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-08-14
M i s G oLIaneo on q .


In very entertaining work, entitled
"Reminiscences of Scottish Life and Char.
acter," from the pen of Dean Ramsay, we
find the following humorous illustrations
Some years ago, when it was not an I'M
common thing, even in Scotland, for chal-
lenges to be given and accepted for insults,
or supposed insults, an English gentleman
was entertaining 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 en-
larged particularly upon the size of the til
gers he had met with at different times in
his travels, and by way of corroborating
his statements, assured the company that
he had shot one himself considerably above
forty feet long. A Scottish gentleman pres
ent, who thought these narratives rather ex-
ceeded u travellers allowed privileges, cool
ly said that no doubt those were very re-
markable tigers; but that he could assure
the gentleman there were in that northern
part ofthe country some wonderful animals.
and as an example he cited tic existence
OF a skatc-tish captured off Thurso, exceed
ing half-an-acre in extent. The English
man saw this was intended us u sarcasm
against his own story; so he left the room
in indignation, and sent his friend to de-
mand satisfaction or an apology from the
gentleman who had, he thought, insulted
him. The narrator of the skate story cool
y replied, 'Weel, sir gin yer freend will
take lew feet att the length o. his tiger,
we'll see what can be dune about the
breadth o the skate.'"
THE parishioners OF clergyman in Scot
land, i'll expressing to him their aversion
to the use OF manuscript sermons, urged :
What gars yc take up your bit rapers to
the pulpit 2 He replied that it was best.
for really he could not remember his ser.
mon, and must have his paper. 'Wcel, weel,
minister, then dinna expect that we can re-
member them.'"
"A late Duke of Athole had invited q
Weil-knoWn character, a writer of Perth, to
come up and meet him at Dunkeld for the
transaction OF some business. The Duke
mentioned the day and hour when he
should receive the nun oflaw, who accord
lngly came punctually at the appointed
time ana place, But the Duke had forgot
ten the appointment, and gone to the hill,
from which he could not return for some
hours. A Highlander present described the
Perth writer's Indignation, and his mode
Of showing it by n most elaborate course of
swearing. But whom did he swear at y
was the inquiry made of the narrator, who
replied 'Oh, he didna sweer at anything
particular, but just stude in ia middle of
ia road and swoor at large"
"a Scotch lad came to his Clergyman for
examination previous to his receiving his
first communion. The pastor, knowing
that his young friend was not very profound
in his theology, and not wishing to dis
courage him, took the Old Testament, and
asked him, in reference to the Mosaic law,
how many commandments there WERE
After little thought, he put his answer in
the modest form ola supposition, and re-
Piled, cautiously, Aiblins* a hummer" The
clergyman was vexed, and told him such
ignorance was intolerable, that lie could
not proceed in examination, and that the
youth must wait and learn more; so he
went away. On returning home, he met u
friend ON his way to the manse, and on
learning that he to, was going to the min
lister for examination, shrewdly asked him.
'Weel, what will we say moo if the minister
speers hoo money commandments there
are r Say why, l shall say ten to be
sure To which the other rejoined, with
great triumph, Ten Try We him wi'ten |
tried him wi u hummer, and he wasna
satisfied"
"The old generation of Galloway lairds
were a primitive and hospitable race, but
their conviviality sometimes led to awk-
ward occurrences. In former days, when
roads were bad, and wheeled vehicles al
most unknown, an old laird was returning
from supper party, with his lady mount.
ed behind him on u horseback. On cross
ing the river Urr, at a ford at point where
it joins the sea, the old lady dropped off,
but was not missed till her husband reach
ed his door, when, of course, there was an