as a pretext to visit the town of Ayr, renewed his worship to the
"inspiring, bold John Barleycorn;" and he usually returned, like the
Laird of Snotterston,

"O'er a' the ills o' life victorious."


But Thomas had many a domestic squabble. His wife, naturally not of the
sweetest temper, was doubly soured by the misfortunes of the world, and
the dissipation of her helpmate; and often when Tam

"Was gettin' fu' and unco happy,"


she sat at home,

"Gathering her brows like gathering storm,
Nursing her wrath to keep it warm."


She, like too many in that district at that time, was very
superstitious. Thomas took her by the weak side, and usually arrested
her "light-horse gallop of clish ma-claver" by some specious story of
ghost or hobgoblin adventures, with which he had been detained.

He had now got into such a continued state of dissipation and
irregularity, that he was obliged to leave the farm to the mercy of his
creditors, and opened a small public-house, at the end of the old bridge
on the water of Doon. It was while he was here that Tam O'Shanter made
its appearance. A manuscript copy was sent to Thomas, by post, with this