THE DISRUPTION.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 108, 4 August 1876, Page 7

THE DISRUPTION.

A TALE OF TRYING TIMES,

Chapter XVIII. Awa, ye selfish warly race, [Wha think that haviti' sense an' grace, Ev"n love an' friendship should give place To catch tlie plack 1 I dinna like to see youfc face, Nor hear your crack* Burns. Sow Mr Bacon gathered himself up after his fall ; how Miss Stimperton poured the balm of sympathy into his Wounded pride ; how he smiled on her as he never smiled on woman before, and frowned on Jean Brown and Robin Afleck for their merriment at bis expense, need not be circumstantially related. Neither is it necessary to deScribe how he became mollified, or by what means Jean Brown managed to obtain access to every corner of his house, and to gratify her love of fun by prying into every oddity of his domestic economy.- Suffice it to say, all this took place; and before the shades of evening fell, Mr Bacon was " lelt alone in his glory." The proceedings of Stiffriggs and Mrs Renshaw now require some attention. Instead of attending Mr Bacon's draw-ing-room rehearsal, the mistress of Whinnyside was engaged in playing a Bold Stroke for a Husband. Ringan Stimperton met her, according to a previous appointment, to assist her in transacting certain business affairs, whichj as she herself alleged, she could "hot well manage without the help of " some man body." Stiffriggs did not possess or pretend to bave much knowledge of business ; but he was disposed to be obliging, and readily agreed to aid his fat and fair neighbor in the matters in which she solicited his assistance. He found her dressed very showily, and ready to go with him ; but she desired him to be seated for a minute, as she had something to explain. She then, with an air of mystery, closed the door, and took from her pocket a small parcel put up with great care in a silk " handkerchief. " This is a pickle siller," she said, speaking low as if afraid of being overheard, while she produced a bunch of bank notes — " This is a pickle siller I hae scrapit thegither and want put in a safe place. Yell find that it comes to the feck o' five hundred pound. Three hundred and fifty o't was lent to auld Gideon Miggumerie on his house, so it was nae wonder 1 was against Jimes Duncanson taking the dochter, for ye see the family were as puir as skim milk at Martinmas j but they've gotten abune the brae at last, and paid aff my bond, plack and bawbee j so Jimes has nae chance there noo at onyrate. Will ye just be sac gude as see if there be three bunder and fifty there in big notes, and hoo muckle mair there is in wee anes ?" " Ay, ay, neighbour I ye're weel gathered I think. Let me see — here ye ha'e three notes o' a bunder each and five o' ten pound the piece. Exactly; that's just three hunder and fifty. Then ye ha'e — let me see — ay ; ye hae twenty fives, and three bunches o" single notes, wi' ten, I reckon, in every bunch." **■' Just that. Then I have a pickle guineas here in this purse, or sovereigns as they ca' them noo. Do ye think they'll gang f " Gang ! ay. At least they ay gang fast eneuch awa' frae me." " Weel, then, E should ha'e within a pound or twa o' five hunder there a'thegether, and I want* to see what ye think I should do wit ? Ye ken I'm just a lone woman, and canna be expeckit to ken hoo to do for the best in sic matters." " Trowth, it's my opinion ye ken far better than me, for ye've managed to mak' a hantle mair siller than I could ever fairly ca' my am." rt Toots, man ! that's no a' I have, nor the hawf o't. There I have four hunder pounds in the laird's hand, and the stocking o' the mailin is worth maist as muckle mair. But mind, ye maunna tell onybody o' this, for I wadna for the worl' ha'e folk talking aboot it. It wadna be lang o' being haurled through my fingers if it were kent I had it ; so it's best to keep a calm sough and ca canny. I just want to hear how ye think this odd pickle could be turned to the best advantage." " Weel, I'll tell you, Mrs Renshaw, what I think ye should do wi' some o't." " Let me hear then, and I'm sure I'll be obleeged to ye." "I think ye might do waur than lend your nevoye as muckle as wad bring him decently through the college." " Deed, Mr Stimperton, I'm no sac daft. Whaur wad the profit be o' that, I wonder f I trow, the principal and interest wad come back to me wi' the blin' carrier. Set my nevoye up wi' my hard-won siller, truly, after he's been sac ungrate^y for what I have spent on him already ! N a, na, I may need a' my gear mysel', Mr Stimperton ; at least if I gi'et awa 1 I'll gie't to somebody better deserving o't than Jimes Duncanson. He ran awa' wi' the harrows aboot this Non-intrusion nonsense, and never speert my leave, though I was his only auntie, and had done everything for him. As little did he speer my leave whan he drew up wi' Agnes Miggumerie; and this was the mair' provoking when her faither was sac deep in debt to me. 1 wad be as foolish as himsel', I think, if I sent ony

mair o' my siller that gate. And as for his cofflin' through the college, what wad it signify though he was through the morn, when he has spoilt his best chance o' being a parish minister, and may need to leave the Kirk o' Scotland a'thegither ?" "If he does leave the Kirk it will.be to his honor, and for conscience' sake ; and he may be a usefu' minister, and a bricht and shining licht after a." i " I widna gi'e a snuff for ony mm- ! ister but a parish minister. A pu'pit without a parish is nae better than caff without the corn, or a saddle withoot ahorse. It's just a mock and a blafum." " It grieves me to hear you speak in this way, neighbor,'' said Stiffriggs ; " your wisdom -s of the earth, earth ; and your siller is but trash, since ye canna see hoo to mak' a right use o't." Saying this he pitched the notes which he had just tied un again on the table ; but they rebounded and fell on the floor. He then gave the precious parcel a kick which sent it to the other side of the room, repeating at the same time, half jocularly and half in earnest, " trash." "For gude's sake, Mr Stimperton, tak' care o' the notes, or they'll be in the fire !" exclaimed the lady, in a dreadful panic. She snatched them np immediately and after tying them again in the silk handkerchief, replaced the parcel in her pocket, saying in rather a sulky and disappointed mannei* — "* So ye're no gaun to advise we what to do wi' the siller ?" " I've gi'en ye my advice already." "Toot, man 1 the advice I want to get is aboot what bank would be the safest and gi'e the maist interest. Can ye nae tell me that ?" " Yes, the bank of Christian Duty. That's whaur your siller would be safest, and bring ye the best interest." " I never heard o' sic a bank. I was thinking o" tryin' the British Linen Company. But there's anither business I maun see after first." " Ay, what is't V " It's an accoont that's awn me for meal and cheese, by a worthless bagibon in the toun here. I've sent and Written to him often ahout it, but canna get the siller oot o' his fingers. Ye see hoo a single woman's imposed on, Mr Stimperton. He wadna trifle wi' the like o' you, I'm thinkin', the way he trifles wi' me ; so ye maun come alang wi' me, and see if ye can fricht him." " Trovvth, mistress, if any body may judge by the siller ye've made in Whinnyside, ye're a hantle better at managing money matters than me, for ye've grown rich while I havena been gaun oot the bit. Hoosomever, I'll gang wi' ye, and see what can be dune wi' this scooneral customer o' yours ?" The " scooneral customer" was a Mr M'Cheatrie, an extensive victualler and spirit dealer, and brother to the lawyer of the same name already mentioned. The mistress of Whinnyside and honest Stiffriggs found him busily employed in his shop, and were welcomed with as much apperent cordiality as if they had come to pay rather than demand money. He at once assumed that they would be I disposed to " taste a dram," and, after showing them into his best apartment, asked politely what they would have to drink. " Just ony thing ye like," said I Mrs Renshaw ; and Stiffriggs scratched his head, uncertain what choice to ! make ; but M'Cheatrie cut the mattei short by saying*. " I reckon it maun be brandy ; there's naething else can be set before a leddy." Acting* on his own suggestion, he disappeared and returned immediately with a half-pint (English) measure full of what he called the real Cogniac, Without waiting* for any invitation, he placed himself at the Sable, and pushed the liquor briskly round This promised well for a prompt settlement of Mrs Renshaw's account, so she introduced the subject without loss of time. " There's the bit sum o' thirty pound, Mr M'Cheatrie, that stands atween us," she said, " for the meal and cheese ye got o' mine? I hope ye're ready to settle it noo, when I've come for it mysel'." " Settle't ! ay, to be sure. But ye maunna speak o' onything like thirty pound, mistress, or we'll cast oot. It wad ha'e been settle't lang syne, if it had been a reasonable accoont." " And what ails the accoont, Mr M'Cheatrie ?" " It's just aboot a third owre muckle ; that's what ails't. The meal ye sent me wasna according to sample — seedy, auld-tasted dirt I — it has done my run mair ill than it was a' worth — and the cheese was short o' weight, by sax or aught stane at least. So I maun ha'e a heavy deduction, forbye the regular discoont, or yell get no settlement frae me." " Did ever onybody hear the like o' that 1 It's far frae being decent o' ye, Mr M'Cheatrie, to come wi sic backspangs on a single womaa like me. Ye try to tak' tbe advantage o' me, because I hae nae man body to manage my affairs ; but Mr Stimperton, here, will surely no see me wranged." " I neither care for Mr This nor Mr That. I'll pay what's just and right, and not a larding mair," said Mr M'Cheatrie. " Hoots toots !" said Stiffriggs ; " it will be easy to see if the meal wasna according to sample, and if the cheese didna stand the weight. The lad , that carted them in can easily be gotten, and he'll mind a' aboot it. It wad be Robin Afleck, nae doot." " Exactly, that's the very man," ex-

claimed Mr M'Cheatrie, with well- j feigned eagerness. " I want to see him aboot anither business as weel as this. It's something that Dr Snapperdudgeon and my brither have been inquiring after him for, and they hear that he's about the toun. D'ye ken whaur he's to be found V " Ay, yes, whiles ; no just the noo though," said Stiffriggs, hitching uneasily in his chair, and betraying considerable confusion. Turning to Mrs Renshaw he whispered in her ear ; and after an earnest consultation with her, which was intended not to be audible across the table, the lady consented to split the difference with' Mr M'Cheatrie, in order that the account might be settled without further trouble ; and this arrangement the " Scooneral Customer" agreed to with much affectation of reluctance. His eyes twinkled with self- g*ra tulation when he thus got five pounds written off the thirty pound account ; 'but he was not yet entirely satisfied. Five-sixths of the sum duo he considered much too great a proportion to pay in good sterling money, so he put his ingenuity again on the stretch to cut it down another slice. " J maun ha'e the regular discount," he saicl, with matchless effrontery ; " I must ha'e the j regular discount at least, since ye are still charging me mair than ye ha'e ony right to." This deduction being also allowed, the account was reduced to little more than twenty pounds. Mr M'Cheatrie was now brought fairly to the point of paying, but it was not his design to disburse in such a hurry. " I suppose, mistress," said he, " yell ha'e nae objections to tak' a bit bill for the siller, for I'm clean run oot o' ready cash." " Deed I'm no shure ! I'm no acquaint wi' bills, ancl I wad far rai ther ha'e the siller down on the nail. What say you, Mr Stimperton ?" " I'm o' the same mind ; I ha'e nae brew o' bills, and for my am part 1 want to ha'e naething ado' with them," answered Stiffriggs. "Do ye mean to throw a slur on my credit V shouted Mr M'Cheatrie. "Hoot no, man: nae slur ava; but I wad just advise Mrs Renshaw here to prefer the ready siller to ony man's bill, Jet him be wha he may." " Ay, but in the present case the ready siller is no just ready. It's no to be thocht a man in business, like me is aye to ha'e his pouch foo o' casli to meet every chance demand that may be made on him. No, no; there's naebody acquainted with business wad expeck that. And the truth is, if ye dinna like to tak' the kind o' settlement I'm prepared to gi'e, the account maun just stand owre a while yet, for it's no every day I'm in the way o' paying cash." Another consultation now took place in whispers between Mrs Renshaw and Stiffriggs, the result of wliich was a resolution to take Mr M'Cheatrie's bill on condition that it should be at a short date. " Na, na," said this worthy, " I grant nae bills at less than four or six months' date. It wad damage my credit if I were to gi'e onybody a short bill, so I mak' it a point ne'er to do aught o' the kind. But if ye're fear't ye may no get a lang bill discounted in the banks, I'll put you on a way o' get tin' cash fort easily. I ken a man that, keeps some spare money by him for the vera pur- = pose of favourin' folks in a private way." Un the strength of this statement ifc was ultimately agreed that the settlement should be by a bill at six months, and a stamp being procured, Mr M'Cheatrie drew the bill at once. All this being concluded in due form, Mrs Renshaw desired to be informed where the private banker was to be found who would cash the bill, for she was imi patient to see it converted into current j money. I "As for that . matter," said Mr M'Cheatrie, "if it was to be a great convenience to ye, I daresay I could get him to come here within half an hour o ; this, so ye may just sit still and mak' yoursel's comfortable. But the stoup is toom, I think." It was not surprising that this should be the case, or that M'Cheatrie should be the first to discover it, for he had appropriated the greater portion of the liquor to himself by way of proving his sincerity in praising it. A nod from Stiffriggs was easily interpreted into an order for another supply of the^sarne, and the honest dealer in returning with it (for he generally acted as his own waiter) opened his heart so far as to simplify still more the business of getting his bill discounted. " I've just been thinkin'," said he, " that it'll no be necessary for me to ' trouble the gentleman I spoke o' to ye aboot the bill ; for though I ha'e, in a sense, no money o' my am in the house, I ha'e a .sma' sum o' his that'll just be aboot eneuch for your purpose. Ye see he often leaves twa or three notes wi' me to discount an odd bit. p' paper when he's no in the way hinisel'. But as the siller's no my am, I ha'e to be desperate cautious in disposing o't, andto mak' every transaction as gude for him as I can." "A- right and fair, sir," said Stiffrig*gs, who was too simple to deal with such a sharper — " A' right and fair, sir ; so if yell just shell oot the notes, yell get back your bill, and we can be steppin'." j t( Well, ye see, as the bill has a' lang J while to rin, the least discoont I ca* be

justified in charging is five and a half per cent." " Five and a half mishanters !" exclaimed Stiffriggs in a towering passion, adding sternly — " Did ye no charge discoont before ?" " Yes, gudeman, discoont aff the accoont, but this is for cashing the bill. Just say if ye can get it done for less, or if yell get it cashed ava by onybody else. Faith, it's no everybody that'll gie ye money for a sax mouth's bill." " Did ye no say a sax month's bill was the best ?" " Ay, the best for me, but no for gettin' the bawbees fort." "Odd, Mr M'Cheatrie, ye're well named ; ye're a souple ane, or I'm mista'en," said Stiffriggs, boiling with indignation. " 0 Ringan !" said Mrs Renshaw, "ye see how a puir single woman is imposed on when she has no man body to look after her !" " I'll gaur ye both repent," said the " Scooneral Customer," "if ye daur to even ought like dishonesty to me. Though M'Cheatrie be my name, and I'm no ashamed o't, I wad ten times rather cheat mysel' than ony ither body. If ye dinna want cash for the bill, ye ha'e nae mair ado than say No, and see what yell mak' o't itherwise. I'll no bode siller on onybody, far less siller that's no my am." "Hoo muckle then does five per cent, come to V asked Mrs Renshaw, in a tone indicating her desire to have the money. " It's five and a half, I said," replied Mr M'Cheatrie, adding—" Let me see ; the bill has a hunder and eighty-three days to run, and the three days o' grace, that's a hunder and eighty-six days. A hunder and eighty-six days at five and a half on twenty-two pound ten, is just 12s 6d to a fraction. I'm shure that's no a deadly sum ; but then I maun ha'e one per cent, for commission, and that makes 4s 6d mair." " Commission ! What's the commission for V " It's for my trouble in the transaction ; and I think I'll no be over-paid when a's dune. Twelve and six and four and six, that's seventeen, and four shillings for the twa half inutchkins o' brandy, makes the guinea neat." "The brandy! did ever ony mortal hear the like o' that," said Stiffriggs. "I.thochfc ye were treatin' Mrs Renshaw ancl me to the dram." " Na, fnitha ! I ken my trade better than stand treatin' that way. When you come to pay me siller, I'll treat you decently ; but when ye come to seek it you maun t.ieat me, or they'll be nae treatin' gaun." "Come, then, shell oot, and let us ken the warst o't. How muckle do ye say Mrs Renshaw has to get ?" said Stiffriggs. " One pound one from twenty-two pound ten leaves twenty-one pound nine. That's the exact sum ; bufc let me see if I have it a' here." Slowly, but with evident reluctance, did Mr M'Cheatrie table all the money but the odd shillings. " There," said he, " there's the twenty-one pound in gude bank notes. The nine shillings may just stand owre till ye ha'e anither account against me. " Na, na, there's nae use in that," replied Mrs Renshaw, " for I dinna think there'll be ony mair dealing betwixt us. I dinna understand your way of doing business, and I find it'll no fit me, so ye had just better gi'e me the nine shillings, and let us be clear for ance and for aye." " As for the nine shillings, it's neither here nor there, though I'll be no in a hurry paying it, for I've paid you lucky weel already. Ye've gotten a pound mair than I intended ; the even twenty would ha'e been just eneuch ; but maybe we may not be dune wi' one anither sac soon as ye think after a', for it I should happen to fail before the bill be run — no to say that there's ony chance o' that in the meantime — but if I should happen to need to stop at ony time within sax months o' this — mind ye the hill will come back on you for payment, for your name's ont't as well as mine." "Me pay the bill ! what would I ha'e for my meal and cheese ?" " Ay, ye may speer that, but it'll be no use grumbling aboot it if such a misfortune should happen. Ye see ye're no sac clear o' me as ye thocht, but if you want to make yoursel' perfectly safe, ye may manage't by taking the richt way." " Ay, what's that ?" "Ou, just get somebody beyond a' doot to guarantee the bill. It would cost, something, to be sure, but it would be weel worth a trifle to make yoursel' safe. I ken a man that wad dot as reasonable as ony body in the bill trade, and I'll speak to him if ye like." " Na, na ; gae way wi' your joukery pankery. I've just gotten plenty o't, and I'll take my chance o' the bill ; ancl summon ye for the balance o' nine shillings, if ye dinna pay't immediately." " Ye may just do that, then, and see what yell make o't. So gude day to you, mistress. If ye dinna hear frae - me again, ye have a chance to hear frae my brother aboot that servant lad o' yours, Robin Afleck." " Robin Afleck is no in my service." "" It's no sac vera lang since he was, then, and yell maybe find ye're answerable for him yet." Stiffriggs did not interpose a word in this closing colloquy ; but on departing with Mrs Renshaw, he jgave the \ victualler a look expressive of a wish to

have an opportunity of dealing with him after another fashion. When they were on their way from M'Cheatrie's shop to the bank to lodge the sum already spoken of, the lady renewed her lamentations over her unprotected condition as " a lone woman," without " a man body" to look after her, and dwelt pathetically on the imposition, she had just experienced as a case in point. Stiffriggs, however, could not or would not draw the inference she intended. He merely said — " Ye havena been muckle the better o' having a man body alang wi' you on this errand, then, ye see, for I'm as ill up to the tricks o' scoonerals like M'Cheatrie as ye are yoursel', and maybe a hantle waur."

(Zo be continued.)