Foreword by Larry Ruickbie:
The following is my transcription of the entire Chapter VIII
from “The Wayside Cottager” by James Ruickbie, printed in Hawick by R.
Armstrong, for the Author, in 1807.
Those not familiar with James’ work should note that although
he is known for his poems much more of his work was his reminiscences and
short stories intermingled with his thoughts covering many subjects, this
chapter being an example of such. Unlike many of his poems the dialect is
not present.
I have modified the original typeset by undoing the f
character replacement of s characters. Spelling and punctuation is exactly
as printed.
**
Chapter VIII
It is a saying of one of the sages that “Custom is a second
nature.” I believe that there is more truth in this than is generally taken
notice of : I have heard of a certain person who accustomed himself to take
poison by little and little, until he took it for his whole food, and his
body became venomous; the practice of using tobacco and snuff, and even
spirituous liquors confirms this point; and I have heard of a bag-piper, who
was so addicted to playing, that he would have arisen in his sleep, and
played his accustomed tunes with as much dexterity as if he had been quite
awake. The bag-piper would have got his quarters kept for all of this (as
music has a tendency to provoke sleep, than to awake the sleeper) had not an
unlucky dancing master taken up his lodging in the fame apartment; and when
the piper began his sleeping tunes, the dancing master was as ready with his
somnical dances, which made such a confounded noise as awakened all the
family, who ran naturally to where the noise led them. –To attempt to
describe their consternation at feeing a piper playing, and a tripping
dancing-master performing both in their shirts would rather mar than mend
the comical ideas which will present themselves to the reader’s mind. –
Figure to yourself, gentle reader, the whole scene of action.
The consequence, however, was, that the piper was obliged
to seek a new lodging, the dancing-master was permitted to stay, for they
thought that when the music was removed, that he would then have no
temptation to dance, -but they were deceived, for he had such a merry bout
the night before, and some of his favourite hornpipes coming into his mind,
he practiced with much more noise the next night, so that they were obliged
to put him away likewise. –The unlucky adventure had such bad effects on the
family, that some of the female part of it durst not enter the room of
action alone, for a twelvemonth! –I myself have of late been so accustomed
to sleeping transactions, that I have been often sorry when I awoke, for I
found my wit more ready, my memory more retentive, and my body more agile
than when awake. –Whether I performed my sleeping exploits with my body, or
only mentally, will not be easily determined, as my wife sleeps so found,
that the united noise of the bag-piper and dancing-master would do nothing
at awakening her. But however this may be, my memory like Noah’s ark, keeps
clean and unclean, and if I am engaged in a jumping match, I can spring
fifteen with more ease than two when awake; and I can, when occasion serves,
join the volatile tribes and fly! –I happened last night before I went to
bed, to be in company with two English tailors, and a Scotch miller; after
some very agreeable conversation we went to rest. When I fell asleep, my
three companions again presented themselves, and after the tailors had
entertained us with some chit chat on the fashions, they were like to fall
foul on one another about the mode of cutting breeches. The miller, however,
not favouring such discourse, promised, if they would lay aside their
difference to tell us a story which he had lately heard. –My attention was
so roused at these words, that I urged the miller to perform his promise.
–He, on the other hand, alleged, that is was impossible to proceed, so long
as these two brothers of the cloth contested so strenuously. –I told him to
leave that to me, I arose, threw my coat, and swore that I would squeeze
them both into a thimble, if they would not fit quiet: this had some effect,
for the poor creatures fat down cross-legged at the side at the fide of the
table, while the miller began thus: -“The day was near a close, the setting
fun gleam’d faintly on the tops of the eastern mountains, not a breeze to
shake the tremulous leaf of the timid aspen, the lowing herds had retreated
to their well-known folds, and the bleating flocks had betaken themselves to
rest among the rural ferns, each dam with her lamb at her back; when the
beautiful Anna, fair as the morning, fresh as the vernal flower, and
innocent as the turtle dove went towards the jessamine cove, to meet her
much loved Sandy. –Sandy was the pride of the valley, and had long kept a
neighbouring flock. Anna was a wealthy shepherd’s daughter whose ancestors
had possessed their humble cot, time immemorial; her aged parents lived only
for her; if a lamb had appeared among the shepherd’s small flock, with a
distinguishing black spot in it, -it was mark’d for Anna; if the bees were
successful in their industrious labours, the virgin hive was always kept for
Anna. –Good reason had the indulgent parents for their kindness. –Anna was
the support of their old age. –In Anna was centered every wish of their
declining years. –With a slow step, and modest aspect, Anna approached the
well-known bower; it was the happy place of their endearing meetings; it was
the witness of their mutual loves. –Entering, and expecting to fall into the
arms of her lover –Sandy was not there! Sandy was always punctual in their
appointments, and often waited an half hour on Anna; never till this night
was Sandy’s well-tried love called in question. –A long hour had elapsed;
-no sound of Sandy’s tread was heard. –Why tarries my love? have the bright
eyes of any of the village nymphs attracted the tender heart of Sandy? how
is it that he has forgot his Anna, and for the first time been unfaithful to
his word? during these reflections Anna was resting on the green turf
bespangled with flowers. –The howling of a dog disturbed her soliloquy, his
complaint was mournful, and if he could have spoke seemed to have said,
Alas! I have lost my master. –Anna, whose mind was a little disturbed,
approached the place where she heard the sound, and found the well-known
dog, which belonged to Sandy, in a dejected posture, mourning for his lost
master. She called him by his name; he came and licked her fair hand, but
seemed much disturbed. Anna, with trembling and unequal steps, hied her home
to her cottage, the sagacious dog following her. Tell me, said she, thou
faithful servant, where is thy master? but, alas! the question is needless,
thou canst answer me. She sat down disconsolate by the fire-side –her
parents were locked in the arms of sleep; she heard a foot at the door; her
heart was moved. –It was Sandy’s master. –Sandy was an orphan; his parents
died when he was a child; a wealthy farmer in the neighbourhood took him and
brought him up. Sandy behaved himself well, gained the love and esteem of
his master, who was now in the decline of life, and having no children, he
entertained a secret resolution to make Sandy his heir. Sandy had long kept
his sheep, and had the sole management of his domestic concerns.
A merchant had come late to look at some of his flock,
which he intended for sale; Sandy was a-missing, and his master knowing that
he had a partiality for Anna, naturally came to her father’s cottage in
quest of him. I thought, said he, that Sandy would be here: I beg pardon for
disturbing you at so late an hour, but Sandy is a-wanting, and I took the
liberty to see if he was here. You are extremely welcome, replied the fair
Anna, (not a little disturbed) but I have not seen him this day; his dog is
here, and seems to have lost his master. Scarce had he finished these words
when a neighbouring boy entered with looks of concern, and seeing Sandy’s
master, said, with faultering voice, Make haste, and run to the relief of
Sandy while there is hope! What is the matter, said the good old man, with
emotion? –While Sandy was walking in the evening, he was attacked by a
press-gang, the disgrace of a free nation –noble was the resistance which he
made –his valour laid three of the desperadoes at his feet, but being
overpowered by numbers, was obliged to yield, and was hurried on board the
tender.
These words struck Anna as a thunderbolt –she was now no
longer able to conceal her tears. The venerable farmer perceived her
confusion. –Dry up your tears, tender-hearted virgin, said he, Sandy shall
not be long a captive; I will go to the captain of the vessel, and purchase
his freedom. Anna thanked him with her looks, and offered to bear him
company. Away they went for the shore, when the dull shades of night yielded
to the rosy morning, the sky was bespangled with red streaks, the pleasant
prelude of the rising sun; the stars were growing dim; and the light of day
seemed to triumph over the shades of night. When they approached the shore,
they perceived something moving upon the surface of the waters. –they stood
still to see what it was. –As it was then the flow of the tide, in a few
minutes the waves drove the body of a man on the sand. Alas! exclaimed Anna,
perhaps some poor widowed creature is left to mourn the husband of her
youth, or some fond mother to deplore the loss of a beloved son, -or,
perhaps, a faithful lover to weep for the untimely death of him who was dear
to her bosom! –They approached the body; -the well known ribbon betrayed the
secret. –It was Sandy! –he wore the ribbon on his breast, -he got it from
Anna, and now was lying lifeless on the beach. –Extremity trys affection: -O
my son! and O my lover! was alternately repeated by the two afflicted
sufferers. –Anna smote her breast, and tore her hair, and after some frantic
expressions, dropped down in a swoon on the body of her Sandy. The afflicted
farmer stood motionless, and for a few minutes was petrified with grief, at
last recollecting himself a little, he removed Anna from the body, laid her
down in an easy posture, and laid the body in an attitude proper for
discharging the water with which it was filled, and examining the body more
minutely, he found it warm; a ray of hope shot across the breast of the
compassionate farmer, he watched with unremitted vigilance, and at last
perceived the vermillion hue to tinge the pale lips of Sandy.
Transported by the discovery, He lives, he lives, flew from
his tongue, before he was sensible what he said. The cheering words brought
Anna out of her swoon. –A pardon to the condemned criminal in the fatal
moment before execution, could not give more joy than the signs of returning
life in Sandy gave to his Anna. She started up, took him gently in her arms,
laid his head on her fair bosom, chaffed his temples with her fair hand; and
used a thousand little kind offices, which can only be supposed by lovers.
When Sandy returned to a state of sensibility, and opened his eyes, he found
himself in the arms of Anna. Ye powers! exclaimed Sandy, in a feeble tone,
is this Elysium? –To be there is to be blest! The cautious farmer by this
time had appointed a carriage to come and convey Sandy home, and did not
think proper to stay any longer than till Sandy was in a state to depart.
–Tell me, said the affectionate farmer, how was you cast into the sea? In my
state of confinement under hatches, I made a shift to grope my way to the
deck; and as the greatest part of the crew was asleep, and my master and my
Anna running in my mind, I knocked down the centinel and jumped over board,
and swam till I got within, as I thought, a small distance of the shore; but
being fatigued, and losing my strength, I gave myself up to the mercy of the
waves, and if heaven had not sent you to preserve my life, I must inevitably
have perished.
His master, after a gentle rebuke for his rashness, took
him home, acknowledged him as his heir. –Anna had the happiness to be joined
in marriage to her Sandy, with the mutual consent of all concerned.”
-Although I was all attention while the story was repeating, I perceived
that the two tailors were otherwise employed, they were chalking out the
figure of the debateable breeches on the table; and though they durst not
open their mouths, they talked hieroglyphically. –I awakened, and committed
the story to writing, with this reflection: “What clog of a body do we drag
about with us!” –I am convinced that we would learn more in one hour out of
it, than in twenty years with it. –But the time will come when we shall get
free. I found the whole book which you can download below... The Wayside Cottager (1807) (pdf) |