The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-03-28
Scottish Humor.

Leisure Hour.
1t is recorded by Chambers and other
Scottish historians that when Mrs. Siddons
was in Edinburgh, on the occasion of her
first appearance, the audience had been to
English notions, singularly undemonstrative
Of their appreciation Yet during one scene
the whole house was held entirely spell
bound and breathless, when there was heard
distinctly from the pit voice from some
canny cautious Scotch critic, "Yon was no
that bad" and at that word the whole house
burst forth into perfect tumult and uproar
of applause.
writer, herself Scotch won an of a very old
family, usually goes into the housekeeper's
room every morning to give her directions
for the day to her housekeeper, a daughter
of Aberdeen. Our friend has considerable
play of humor and fun, and she has told us how
more than once, after some humorous re-
mark, on the day following her housekeeper
will say to her, 3" Yon was very humorous
thing ye're leddyship was saying Yesterday"
1t had taken "a hours for the saying fairly 80
work in the mind.
1t is no doubt owing to this queer slowness
in the character that we have amsng Scottish
anecdotes so many of the ludicrous, which
are not humorous. A bailie of the Gorbals,
Glasgow, was noted for the simplicity of his
manners on the bench. A youth was charged
before his tribunal with abstracting hand
kerchief from a gentleman's pocket The
indictmenl being read, the bailie, addressing
the prisoner, remarked: 81 haze ma doot We
did the deed, for / had handkerchief ta'en
DOT O my ain pouch-pocket this vera week"
A good deal of the humor is just in the
shrewd simplicity of reply. London
tourist met young woman going to the
kirk, and, rs was not unusual, she was carry
ing her boots in her hand ard trudging along
barefoot.
"My GIRL" said he ''is it customary for all
the people in these parts to go barefoot"
"Pairtly they do" said the girl, sand
partly they mind their own business"
In the town of Falkirk there lived very
notorious infdel who gloried in his profanity.
On one occasion he was denouncing the
absurdity of the doctrine of original sin; and
the beadle of the parish, perhaps. thought
himself bound officially TO put in his word,
although the other was socially his superior
"Mr. H., said he, at seems tome that you
medina fash (trouble) yourself about original
sin, for to my certain knowledge you have as
much akwal (actual) sin as will do your bust
ness"
The humors of the religious character are
among the most noticeable. To some English
readers the phraseology may be amusing
from its quaintness, but let them remember
that it Isl used with theimost solemn reverence
A Scotchman would be equally amused
with the seeming irreverence of "Jessichi
First Prayer" or with the words of the wor
thy English soldier who, in his prayer at thu
opening of Mrs. Daniels Home, at Alder
shot, said; "Lord. Thou knowest what a f.
the poor soldier was in before thi
} blessed place here was built" Storie
: are told of Mr.. James Lock
hart, at the Salt Market, in Glasgow, wh'
! was a good specimen of the old old fashioned
morality of bygone times. One day coun
. try girl came into the shop to buy pair o
carriers. Having asked the price, Mr.. Lcck
. bart told her they were fourpence. The cir