shutting his ears with his hands, he saw not nor heard when she was
launched into eternity.

When the awful act was over, and the stir was for the magistrates to
return, and the body to be cut down, poor Willy rose, and without
looking round, went down the steps of the scaffold; the multitude
made a lane for him to pass, and he went on through them hiding his
face, and gaed straight out of the town. As for the mother, we were
obligated, in the course of the same year, to drum her out of the
town, for stealing thirteen choppin bottles from William Gallon's,
the vintner's, and selling them for whisky to Maggie Picken, that
was tried at the same time for the reset.



CHAPTER X--A RIOT



Nothing very material, after Jeanie Gaisling's affair, happened in
the town till the time of my first provostry, when an event arose
with an aspect of exceeding danger to the lives and properties of
the whole town. I cannot indeed think of it at this day, though age
has cooled me down in all concerns to a spirit of composure, without
feeling the blood boil in my veins; so greatly, in the matter
alluded to, was the king's dignity and the rightful government, by
law and magistracy, insulted in my person.

From time out of mind, it had been an ancient and commendable custom
in the burgh, to have, on the king's birth-day, a large bowl of