glory, was for a season speechless; and when at last he came to
himself, he was like to have been the death of the landlord on the
spot; while I could remark, with the tail of my eye, that secret
looks of a queer satisfaction were exchanged among the beaux before
mentioned. This observe, when I made it, led me to go up to the
bailie as he was storming at the bribed and corrupt innkeeper, and
to say to him, that if he would leave the matter to me, I would
settle it to the content of all present; which he, slackening the
grip he had taken of the landlord by the throat, instantly conceded.
Whereupon, I went back to the head of the table, and said aloud,
"that the cold collection had been provided by some secret friends,
and although it was not just what the directors could have wished,
yet it would be as well to bring to mind the old proverb, which
instructs us no to be particular about the mouth of a gi'en horse."
But I added, "before partaking thereof, wel'll hae in our bill frae
the landlord, and settle it,"--and it was called accordingly. I
could discern, that this was a turn that the conspirators did not
look for. It, however, put the company a thought into spirits, and
they made the best o't. But, while they were busy at the table, I
took a canny opportunity of saying, under the rose to one of the
gentlemen, "that I saw through the joke, and could relish it just as
well as the plotters; but as the thing was so plainly felt as an
insult by the generality of the company, the less that was said
about it the better; and that if the whole bill, including the cost
of Bailie Kilsyth's wine and spirits, was defrayed, I would make no
enquiries, and the authors might never be known." This admonishment
was not lost, for by-and-by, I saw the gentleman confabbing
together; and the next morning, through the post, I received a
twenty-pound note in a nameless letter, requesting the amount of it
to be placed against the expense of the ball. I was overly well