and the boy or girl had to come up to his table and receive the
punishment.

"Some wad be stiff to come up wi't, ye ken," explained Willy; "but he'd
niver let a loon off, though he wes mair merciful-like to the wee
lassies. He'd larnt by experience, ye ken; for in the auld days, afore
I went there, ane o' the lassies wes a month awa' frae the schule--he
throosh her that severe."

About midday there was a recess, and the children ate their "pieces,"
which they had brought from home, and spent a little time outside at
play, while the schoolmaster took his simple meal. The favorite game
was a kind of shinty. It was played by the boys with a ball, driven
with sticks, each with "a big lump o' wood at the end o't."

The more advanced pupils learned grammar.

"I niver learned nae graymer masel'," said Willy. "I couldna'
onderstan' a word o't. I thocht it a gey-like leetany to hear the
graymer. 'I mak', thou mak's, he mak's'--seemed to me nae sense, ye
ken!"

There were no holidays as a regular thing. School went on in the
season every week-day. But there was one great day in the year, which
was looked forward to by both parents and children; it was that set
apart for what we more delicately reared folk in these days would
regard as cruel sport--that of cock-fighting! Sometimes as many as
thirty of the lads would each bring his bird under his arm, and these
in turn would be placed in the ring. Neighbors from far and near would
come to the school for that day.