The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-06
THE DAILY STAR
DANIEL THE CRICKET,
And Other West. Highland Characters.
BY CUTHBERT BEDE.

public, and derived from authentic
sources, of some West Highland charac
ters, whose adventures and eccentricities
have been told to me by Gaelic-speaking
friends in South Argyllshire. They may
prove acceptable to the reader, as record:
Of a race that has nearly passed away,
and is losing its peculiarities of Ian.
guage, manners and customs. OF Daniel
Callum, who had gained for himself the
nickname of ''The Cricket" and who,
apart from his own immediate circle, has
hitherto been unknown to fame, have
the following account:
By trade Daniel Callum was wright
and glazier, and, at one time, he had q
very good business in the town Of
Campbelton; but, unfortunately, he was
too fond of stealing round the corner to
the dram-shop, from whence he would,
after long interval, stagger forth, filled
with the fumes of alcohol, and driven by
It's influence to q perambulatiOn of the
streets Even when he was sober Daniel
was an oddity, and whisky seemed to
draw out his oddities to their fullest ex-
tent; so that, when he emerged from the
dram-shop, and came along the pave
ment with that peculiar alternate pause
and bound that had gained him the name
of "The Cricket" the boys always looked
out for sport Like mischievous callants,
they would take every advantage of his
condition, in order that they might tor
ment him; and, as he could no more
shake himself free of them than the bear
In the fable could get rid of the wasps,
the boys invariably succeeded in what
might ssbe called their game of Cricket.
Sometimes they pursued him with taunts
and jeers: "Eh, Cricket! ye Gamma carry
the whusky, mon! its top heavy ye arep'
and when Daniel turned upon them in
wrath, they would feign to retreat before
him, in order that they might draw their
adversary after them, 50 that they might
have the fun of retaliating and charging
again upon him, and thus prolong their
game. 4, tct s l7t '.
aye young imps O Sawtan" the
ficket would cry, as he jumped and
jerked and bounded after them; "only
let me get the clootch O ye, and Pl1 max
it sair for ye, top-heavy or nae top
heavyP But the callants were too act
i've and nimble even for the nimble
Cricket; and they always contrived to
keep close to Daniel without falling into
his hands. There was no policeman, at
that time, on the Campbelton streets; 80
the lads could do what they pleased, and
Daniel had often to beat retreat from
them, under fierce discharge of bomb
shells of mud, which, although they did
not main or draw blood when they burst
about hishead and shoulders, yet consid-
erably changed the color of the Crick-
cts coat. a.-...
Daniel was q very good workman In
the way of his trade, and he set 30 great
q value on his workmanship that his EN-
ployers often demurred to pay his de-
mands; which was not to wondered at,
for it was fixed part of Daniels system
to add to the price of his work as much
as it had cost him in whisky while he
had been engaged upon it. This natur-
ally led to frequent disagreements be-
tween himself and his employers; and,
when they would not settle the dispute
in the way that Daniel wished, he would
60 to law with them. If they were pres
ent when the case come on for
trial. the Cricket generally lost the
plea; but when they forgot, or
neglected to attend the Court, then Dan
iel would get "dureet" against them,
and would make them pay to the last
farthing. He was 10 fond of law that he
would summon people for the value Of
pane Of glass, or the smallest piece of
work; 20 that scarcely Court could sit
without the Cricket and his man of bust
ness being present. and, as it happened
that this man of business was as thirsty
a soul as his employer, the two always
made point Of adjourning to the dram
shop to discuss there the merits of the
case, and to drink success to the cause.
When the Cricket had the spring of |
whisky in his heels he felt no delicacy
in speaking to any one whom he chanced |
to meet; whether high or low, rich or
poor, he passed his observations on all,
and bis tongue was in motion like
steam engine. At that time the minister
Of the First Charge, in Completion, was
DR.. Norman Macleod. He was the son
of Rev. Norman Macleod, DID,, who for
nearly half century was the minister
ofMorvern, Argylishire; and he was the
father of the late Rev. Norman Macleod,
DID, who was one Of Her Majesty's chap
lains and the editor of Good Words. OF
these three DR.. Norman Macleods, each
Of whom was eminent and illustrious, the
second was born in MorvemManse, in i784,
and came TO Completion in 1903, where
he remained for sixteen years, and died
in Glasgow in 1862 He was Moderator
of the General Assembly, and Dean of |
the Chapel ROYAL He was also honored |
with the intimate friendship of the
Queen and the Prince Consort, and had |
been kindly received by William Nv
when he presented to the King his met,
rical translation into Celtic of the Psalms |
Of David, especially prepared for the use
Of the Irish. His contributions to Gaelic |
literature were numerous and important, |
and, among his many useful public Ia
bors, he by his eloquent addresses mainly |
helped to raise the large sum of two hun
4. Il. Al I