into the provostry.

This Mr Keg was a man who had made a competency by the Isle-of-Man
trade, and had come in from the laighlands, where he had been
apparently in the farming line, to live among us; but for many a
day, on account of something that happened when he was concerned in
the smuggling, he kept himself cannily aloof from all sort of town
matters; deporting himself with a most creditable sobriety; in so
much, that there was at one time a sough that Mr Pittle, the
minister, our friend, had put him on the leet for an elder. That
post, however, if it was offered to him, he certainly never
accepted; but I jealouse that he took the rumour o't for a sign that
his character had ripened into an estimation among us, for he
thenceforth began to kithe more in public, and was just a patron to
every manifestation of loyalty, putting more lights in his windows
in the rejoicing nights of victory than any other body, Mr M'Creesh,
the candlemaker, and Collector Cocket, not excepted. Thus, in the
fulness of time, he was taken into the council, and no man in the
whole corporation could be said to be more zealous than he was. In
respect, therefore, to him, I had nothing to fear, so far as the
interests, and, over and above all, the loyalty of the corporation,
were concerned; but something like a quailing came over my heart,
when, after the breaking up of the council on the day of election,
he seemed to shy away from me, who had been instrumental to his
advancement. However, I trow he had soon reason to repent of that
ingratitude, as I may well call it; for when the troubles of the
meal mob came upon him, I showed him that I could keep my distance
as well as my neighbours.

It was on the Friday, our market-day, that the hobleshow began, and