NOT TO BE TRUSTED.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2876, 4 May 1878, Page 4

NOT TO BE TRUSTED.

Two centuries ago it was thought an insult in the Highlands to ask a note from a debtor. It was considered the same thing as saying," I doubt your honor." If parties had business matters to transact, they stepped into the air, fixed their eyes on the heavens, and each repeated the obligation with no mortal witness. A mark was then carved upon some rock or tree near by, as a remembrance of the compact. Such a thing as a breach of contract was rarely met with, so highly did the people regard their honor. When the march of the improvement brought the new mode of doing business, they were often pained by these innovations. An anecdote is handed down of a farmer who had been in the Lowlands and learned worldly wisdom. On returning to his native parish he had need of a sum of money, and made bold to ask from a gentleman of means named Stewart/ This was kindly granted, and Mr Stewart counted out the gold. This done, the farmer wrote a receipt and offered it to Stewart. "What is this, man ? .-"■. cried Mr Stewart, eyeing the slip of paper. "It is a receipt, sir, binding me to give ye back yer gold at the right time," replied Sandy. "Binding ye? Well, my man, if ye canna trust yersel', I'm sure I'll ho trust ye. Ye canna have my gold." And gathering it up, he put it back in bin desk and turned his key on it. " But, sir, I might die," replied the canny Scotchman, bringing up an argument in favor of his new wisdom,. " and perhaps my sons may refuse it ye; but the bit of paper would compel them." "Compel them to sustain a dead father's honor P " cried the Celt; " they'll need, compelling to do it right, if this is the road ye're leading them. You can gang elsewhere for money; but you'll find nane in the parish that'll put more faith in a bit o' paper than in a neighbor's word of honor and his fear o\ God." .