"hands and uplifted eyes, sat in the muckle chair in the ingle neuk," as
if engaged in supplication at the Throne of Grace for the safety of his
wife and child. Thomas drew his chair nearer the door, and upon some
little bustle in the kitchen, he reached the hallen, and was just
emerging into darkness, when the hoarse voice of the angry Burns rung
in the ears of the almost petrified ploughboy, "Where awa', Tam?"

"The auld doure whalp," muttered Tam, as he shut the door and resumed
his stocking; "I was gaun to the door to see if the win' was tirring the
thack aff the riggin."

"Thou needs na gang to look the night," cried the rigid overseer of
Doonholm, "when it is sae mirk, thou coudna' see thy finger afore thee."
It was indeed "a waefu' nicht." Such a night as this might give rise to
these admirable lines of that bard, about to be ushered into the world--

"That night a child might understand
The deil had business on his hand."


It was a little before the now pensive and thoughtful Burns was given to
understand that a son was born unto him, as

"The wind blew as 'twad blawn its last,


that a horrid crash was heard; a shriek rose from the affrighted women,
as they drew their chairs nearer the fire. "The ghaists and howlets that
nightly cry about the ruins o' Alloway's auld haunted kirk" rose on
every imagination. The gudeman rose from his chair, lighted a lantern,