open mouth, and broke her timbermeal-basin on his head, as it had
been an egg-shell. Heaven only knows what next ensued; but in a
jiffy the whole market-place was as white with scattered meal as if
it had been covered with snow, and the farmers were seen flying
helter skelter out at the townhead, pursued by the mob, in a hail
and whirlwind of stones and glaur. Then the drums were heard
beating to arms, and the soldiers were seen flying to their
rendezvous. I stood composedly at the dining-room window, and was
very thankful that I wasna provost in such a hurricane, when I saw
poor Mr Keg, as pale as a dish clout, running to and fro bareheaded,
with the town-officers and their halberts at his heels, exhorting
and crying till he was as hoarse as a crow, to the angry multitude,
that was raging and tossing like a sea in the market-place. Then it
was that he felt the consequence of his pridefulness towards me;
for, observing me standing in serenity at the window, he came, and
in a vehement manner cried to me for the love of heaven to come to
his assistance, and pacify the people. It would not have been
proper in me to have refused; so out I went in the very nick of
time: for when I got to the door, there was the soldiers in battle
array, coming marching with fife and drum up the gait with Major
Blaze at their head, red and furious in the face, and bent on some
bloody business. The first thing I did was to run to the major,
just as he was facing the men for a "charge bagonets" on the people,
crying to him to halt; for the riot act wasna yet read, and the
murder of all that might be slain would lie at his door; at which to
hear he stood aghast, and the men halted. Then I flew back to the
provost, and I cried to him, "Read the riot act!" which some of the
mob hearing, became terrified thereat, none knowing the penalties or
consequences thereof, when backed by soldiers; and in a moment, as
if they had seen the glimpse of a terrible spirit in the air, the