The record-union., 1894-08-04

along there in silence, or hug the hedge
at the other side of the way, and when
ever could get glimpse of his wicked
little eyes they seemed fastened on me
with glitter of intense calculation and
venality.
AS we reached the edge of the dreary
hamlet a remarkable spectacle OF poverty.
beastiality, ruin and decay was presented.
The Kings Arms and Maxwelrs Arms,
standing midway between Gretna kirk
and the River Sark, once the most noted
posting establishments in the two king
doms and the resort of barristers, handy
men, witnesses and satraps who lived
permanently at the inns, filled the rude
cottages or swarmed like harpies about
the then very busy stable-yards, now
seemingly remained but filthy dens where
drunken hinds and brawling tramps held
common orgie.
The struggling street was overgrown
with grass and weeds. Drink-stupid
men with bloodshot faces and barbaric
BARNS with dirty faces, first eyelng the
old man and then myself, indulged IN
Struggling and derisive smiles, or leered
and hoOted at US as we passed.
l choose the Maxwell Arms at my
companions suggestion, and as 1t was
first reached. Its proprietor was veri-
table "Meg Merilies" of a woman, aud
over to drunken brawlers and reeking
with filth, was crowded with plowmen,
herdsmen and vagabonds of the road, IN
various stages OF stupor or elation.
All of these seemed to regard my COM
panion and myself in the light of such
hilariously fortunate arrivals, that not
until | had paid reckoning for nearly
two score thirsty Scottish outlets, could L
avoid sundry demonstrations savoring
81 lx1c thu GQRlIl-
sion OF a musty, dark and vermin-ln-
tested apartment. Turning to close the
door the tiuttering, fumbling hands and
the ogre-like face of the old man still con-
fronted me.
"Wor ye seekin' th' meenister?" he
asked with a sidewise, uncanny leer.
1.-The minister"
"Ob, ay, th' meenister, th' Bishop o.
Gretna."
No; was not seeking that worthy. !
was looking only for the dead, managed
to explain.
"Wor We seekin' perteeklar ains?" he
urged with cunning insistence.
"Oh, those it will not be difficult TO
find account Of" l answered temporiz-
"Oh, ay," he muttered with tremb-
ling deprecatory jerk OF his head.
Then, long pause with that hateful
glitter of calculation flashing from the
little green eyes, and suddenly. while
his shriveled old hands rubbed greedily
together:
tits lang road frae London to Gretna.
Ye cud nae come for naught, ye ken,
wad ye nooY'
"Gentlemen often travel for pleasure"
1 parried.
"Ne'er tae Gretna, ne'er to Gretna," he
retorted with impatience. And then
wheedlingly, ''Ye cud ma be seekin' th'
records?"
L subsequently understood the old
wretchs meaning. At that moment l
was a very old man: postman; had
probably always lived at Gretna, though
almost unbearingly repulsive and often
sive to me, he might somehow be serv-
iceable in my Investigations, and asked
him plainly if he could be.
He regarded me for time with look
of incredulity, suspicious cunning and
positively piteous greed, when he sol
EMMY asserted that he was the only soul
living who could give any one of an in
quiring turn of mind complete informa
ton upon the subject OF Gretna mar
riages, past and present. This he would
reveal TO me on the morrow at his own
cottage, the third one north OF the Sark
bridge. IF there's siller ahint it." he al
most savagely concluded.
| assured him there was reasonable
amount of ''silver behind" whatever he
could do for me. whereupon the old man
fumbled and f1uttered out of the room
into the dark hallway, Stumped down
the creaking stairs and went his way.
Before visiting my strange acquaint
ance l had discovered curious facts re-
garding Gretna marriages and the ham
let's line OF self-appointed Bishops"
Before the decease of the first Bishop"
of Gretua, old Joseph Paisley, which oc
Cured in 1914. he delegated his office to
one David Laing. the husband of his
granddaughter. This bishop" Laing
died in 1877. The third "BishoD'' was
his son, Simon Laing, who fattened upon
the traffic until 1886, when something of
cneck was given to Gretna marriages
by a Parliamentary enactment imposing
the slight condition upon the Scottish
civil contract marriage, that one OF the
contracting parties shall have been a
resident of Scotland for a period of
but twenty-one days preceding such mar
riage.
This Simon Laing died in 1873. In
quiry disclosed that his son, one William
l.aing, had succeeded to his Office and
emolument, was still living, that Gretna
was almost as much resorted TO then,
and still is, for irregular" marriage GER
einony as it was one hundred years ago.
though the fine colorand great clamor of
the old coaching days, when the Carlisle
and Glasgow road resounded with ring
ing hoofs and the shouts of pursued and
pursuers, are simply eliminated by the
use OF the more speedy and convenient
railways.
These discoveries quicllened my eager
ness to keep my appointment with the
old postman. for [ saw through his cum
ming and cupidity means of reaching
that curious parsonage, the then Bishop
of Gretna,o whom my imagination had
coniured as a pompous and merry old
wag, and through him the real object of
nv visit in our clients interests.
Down at the edge OF the brae forming
the last vestige OF Scottish land beside
the River Sark, stands stone cottage,
drear and forbidding as grim prison
keep.
Here l found not the previous days
ogre. in blue and red, but weazened,
old, shiftiDg-eye man of full 20 years,
with thin white locks, great horned
spectaeles half hidden behind that Won
derful nose and the same dwarf-1ke
form clad in a threadbare suit of clerical
black.
The old fellow chuckled grimly at my
astonishment, and while taking a huge
pinch of snuff, croaked triumphantly:
=. esterday. the poStman. Ih' day, th'
Bishop o. Gretna, ye KEMP
| nodded as the truth flashed over me,
ana looked about the Bishops palace
wonderingly.
1t comprised but one room and gar
ret. The little street door was at cor
ner of the house front. Behind this was
a recess and a bed. A back room opened