lease, I set myself to constrain Mr M'Lucre to give up the guildry,
as it were, of his own free-will; and what helped me well to this,
was a rumour that came down from London, that there was to be a
dissolution of the parliament.

The same day that this news reached the town, I was standing at my
shop-door, between dinner and tea-time. It was a fine sunny summer
afternoon. Standing under the blessed influence of the time by
myself at my shop-door, who should I see passing along the crown of
the causey, but Mr M'Lucre himself and with a countenance knotted
with care, little in unison with the sultry indolence of that sunny
day.

"Whar awa sae fast, dean o' guild?" quo' I to him; and he stopped
his wide stepping, for he was a long spare man, and looting in his
gait.

"I'm just," said he, "taking a step to the provost's, to learn the
particulars of thir great news--for, as we are to hae the casting
vote in the next election, there's no saying the good it may bring
to us all gin we manage it wi' discretion."

I reflected the while of a minute before I made any reply, and then
I said -

"It would hae nae doubt of the matter, Mr M'Lucre, could it be
brought about to get you chosen for the delegate; but I fear, as ye
are only dean of guild this year, that's no to be accomplished; and
really, without the like of you, our borough, in the contest, may be
driven to the wall."