bailie has in a manner demonstrated, is ordained to bring about an
augmentation o' trade by his punch-bowls, little short of what has
been done wi' the steam-engines. Geordie will be to us what James
Watt is to the ettling town of Greenook, so we can do no less than
drink prosperity to his endeavours."

I did not much like this bantering of Mr M'Queerie, for I saw it
made Geordie's face grow red, and it was not what he had deserved;
so to repress it, and to encourage the poor lad, I said, "Come,
come, neighbour, none of your wipes--what Geordie has done, is but
arles of what he may do."

"That's no to be debated," replied Mr M'Queerie, "for he has shown
already that he can make very good legs and arms; and I'm sure I
shouldna be surprised were he in time to make heads as good as a
bailie's."

I never saw any mortal man look as that pernickity personage, the
bailie, did at this joke, but I suppressed my own feelings; while
the bailie, like a bantam cock in a passion, stotted out of his
chair with the spunk of a birslet pea, demanding of Mr M'Queerie an
explanation of what he meant by the insinuation. It was with great
difficulty that I got him pacified; but unfortunately the joke was
oure good to be forgotten, and when it was afterwards spread abroad,
as it happened to take its birth in my house, it was laid to my
charge, and many a time was I obligated to tell all about it, and
how it couldna be meant for me, but had been incurred by Bailie
Pirlet's conceit of spinning out long perjink speeches.