rigs o' land, I would hae gotten her a' to carry mysell, for as
mony gentles as are here.'

A score of frowning and reproving brows were bent upon the
unappalled yeoman, who, having given vent to his displeasure,
stalked sturdily downstairs with the rest of the company, totally
disregarding the censures of those whom his remarks had
scandalised.

And then the funeral pomp set forth; saulies with their batons and
gumphions of tarnished white crape, in honour of the well-
preserved maiden fame of Mrs. Margaret Bertram. Six starved
horses, themselves the very emblems of mortality, well cloaked and
plumed, lugging along the hearse with its dismal emblazonry, crept
in slow state towards the place of interment, preceded by Jamie
Duff, an idiot, who, with weepers and cravat made of white paper,
attended on every funeral, and followed by six mourning coaches,
filled with the company. Many of these now gave more free loose to
their tongues, and discussed with unrestrained earnestness the
amount of the succession, and the probability of its destination.
The principal expectants, however, kept a prudent silence, indeed
ashamed to express hopes which might prove fallacious; and the
agent or man of business, who alone knew exactly how matters
stood, maintained a countenance of mysterious importance, as if
determined to preserve the full interest of anxiety and suspense.

At length they arrived at the churchyard gates, and from thence,
amid the gaping of two or three dozen of idle women with infants
in their arms, and accompanied by some twenty children, who ran
gambolling and screaming alongside of the sable procession, they