as to Mrs Balwhidder, who was then at the downlying with our
daughter Janet--a woman now in the married state, that makes a most
excellent wife, having been brought up with great pains, and well
educated, as I shall have to record by-and-by.

About the Christmas of this year, Lady Macadam's son having been
perfected in the art of war at a school in France, had, with the
help of his mother's friends, and his father's fame, got a stand of
colours in the Royal Scots regiment; he came to show himself in his
regimentals to his lady mother, like a dutiful son, as he certainly
was. It happened that he was in the kirk in his scarlets and gold,
on the same Sunday that Robert Malcolm came home from the long
voyage to Norway for deals; and I thought when I saw the soldier and
the sailor from the pulpit, that it was an omen of war, among our
harmless country folks, like swords and cannon amidst ploughs and
sickles, coming upon us; and I became laden in spirit, and had a
most weighty prayer upon the occasion, which was long after
remembered, many thinking, when the American war broke out, that I
had been gifted with a glimmering of prophecy on that day.

It was during this visit to his lady mother, that young Laird
Macadam settled the correspondence with Kate Malcolm, which, in the
process of time, caused us all so much trouble; for it was a
clandestine concern: but the time is not yet ripe for me to speak
of it more at large. I should, however, mention, before concluding
this annal, that Mrs Malcolm herself was this winter brought to
death's door by a terrible host that came on her in the kirk, by
taking a kittling in her throat. It was a terrification to hear her
sometimes; but she got the better of it in the spring, and was more
herself thereafter than she had been for years before; and her