TEACHERS IN DOLLAR ACADEMY IN MY SCHOOL DAYS.

I WILL now give the names of the teachers in the Academy when I was at school.

Mr. James Walker, English teacher; Mr. Charles Mtlntosh, Mr. Walker's assistant; Mr. Peter Steven, writing and arithmetic; Mr. Power, Mr. Steven's assistant; Mr. William Tennant (afterwards Professor in St. Andrews, and Author of Anster Fair), Latin, Greek, and Hebrew; Mr. Balfour, Mr. Tennant's assistant; Mr. David Gray (afterwards Professor in Aberdeen), mathematics; Mr. Thomas Martin, teacher of geography, and librarian to the Institution; Mr. Patrick Syme, drawing; Mr. Gerlach, French, German, etc.; Mrs. Brydie, sewing mistress; Miss Spittal, Mrs. Brydie's assistant; Mr. Thomas Russell, infant teacher; Mr. Gibson (a very worthy man), janitor.

THE OLD CHURCH OF DOLLAR - REV. DR. MYLNE, ETC.

About the year 1841 the old Established Church ceased to be used as a place of worship, the present handsome church being then erected. The old church (we learn from the Statistical Account of Scotland) was rebuilt in the year 1775, and was considered a very neat little church. I have a distinct recollection of this old building, in which the late Dr. Mylne for upwards of twenty-five years preached; and give herewith a rough sketch of its internal arrangements—the front of the gallery, and two of the seats in it, being in dotted lines. I have also given a few of the names of those to whom the seats belonged.

Robert Forrester was precentor in the old church from as far back as I can recollect, till its close; and John Christie was beadle. There was a square seat in the front of the west gallery, where the Honourable David Erskine, of Broomrig (now Mr. Leishman's house), and his family sat; while the corresponding seat in the east gallery was occupied by Mr. Haig's family of Dollarfield.

Mr. Erskine (the grandfather of the present Earl of Mar and Kellie) was very short of stature, and blind; but Mrs. Erskine was a tall, fine-looking lady, and their family were generally tall. Charles attended Dollar Academy for a number of years; but Colonel Erskine, his eldest brother (afterwards Earl of Mar and Kellie), never resided in Dollar.

The communion was observed in those days only once a year, and some folks seemed to think that by 'showing face' in the church on those occasions, and attending on all the 'preaching days' (as they were called)—the. Fast-day, Saturday, and Monday—they were giving quite enough attention to the concerns of eternity. They 'prepared' themselves for the sacrament, and, after it was past, thought no more, apparently, about these things, till next year again, as they were never seen in church till the next communion season. I recollect well of some such who sat near our seat in the low church, on whom we could thus calculate of being sure to see in church at least once a year. On those sacramental occasions a tent was generally erected in the churchyard, and preaching was carried on in it and in the church at the same time. People went long distances to attend sacraments, and great gatherings were often to be seen around the tents. The Fast-day was looked upon as of quite as solemn a nature as the Sabbath, and for any one to be seen doing any kind of work on that day, was sufficient to stamp him at once 'as a regular heathen,' and quite a proper subject to be taken before the session. (The old session records of Tihicoultry can tell some most amusing stories in regard to this; and very probably those of Dollar, and most other places in Scotland, can do the same. A man was taken before the session in Tillicoultry for putting his horse into his cart on the Fast-day, and pleaded as his excuse that he quite forgot it was the Fast-day.

About the year 1640, when Mr. Carmichael was minister of Markinch, great stress seems to have been laid on special days of fasting, and almost every month the people were called upon 'to bewail] their own sinnes, and ye sinnes of ye land;' and so sacred were those days considered, that the people were forbidden to 'think their own thoughts, or do their own deeds' upon them. From the session records of this parish, I give the following extracts as a specimen of the reasons given for those frequent days of fasting :-

'6th January 1644.—Collected by David Dalrymple, and James Wilsone. . . . (being ane preperation to an fast), for ye causes following: Imprimo, To bewaill our own sinnes, and ye sinnes of ye land. 2. That God would grant ane end to ye distractions of England and distractions of Ireland. 3. That He wauld grant ane prosperous success to ye Parliament of England and Convention of Divines mett ther, and our Commissioners present with them. 4. That God would grant an prosperous success to our armie intending to goe to England.'

'27th October 1644.—This day was appointed to be ane day of humiiatione. . . . We have great reason to be humbled in a solemne manner by fasting and prayer, becaus we see ye anger of God is kindled against us in ane extraordinary way, as is evidently seen and felt- 1. By slow progress of ye much-wished wark of reformatione. 2. Bye long continuance of thois bloodie and unnatural warres within this kingdom. 3. By this Unhappie division betwixt the king and his subjects, fomented by ye popishe and prelaticall faction with their adherents and nialignantis. 4. By ye breach aireadie maid by a contemptible crew, naked and unarmed, upon our dear brethren in Stratherne, Fyffe, Aberdene, and other parts in ye north, with effusion of much Christian blood, and spoyling of goodis, whereby many honest women are made desolat widowis, many children fatherless, and whole families brought to extreme povertie. We are turned back in ye day off battell, and fled as ye Israelites before Ai, so we fled before a base, unarmed, and inconsiderable enemie.'

'21st September 1645.—The whilk day was ane thanksgiving for the happie victorie obtained by LievtenantGenerall David Leslie against James Grahame, sometyme Earl of Montross, and his rebellis at Philip-Haugh, neir Jedburch, upon ye 13th of September 1645.'

When referring to the observance of Fast-days—special and sacramental—in days of old, it may not be out of place here to give an amusing incident, showing the rigidly strict way the Sabbath was kept in some houses not long ago. A young gentleman of our own neighbourbood paid a visit, when a little boy, to the manse on a Sabbath-day, and to his great horror the minister's dog —a brisk little frisky thing—was romping about through the house, enjoying itself, as dogs will do, even on the Sabbath-day, when the question was at once asked by my' young hopeful,' 'Why does yer dog play on the Sabbath-day?' to which the minister's lady replied, 'Oh, you know, James, the dog doesn't know any better.' 'A-weel (says Jamie) if it wis in oor hoose it wid be gard ken' (made to know).

Dr. Mylne didn't trouble himself much about composing sermons; for having, apparently, a good stock when he came to Dollar, he made them 'stand him in good stead' during the whole of his sojourn there. So much was this the case, that I think nearly the whole of his congregation would be able to repeat the most of them from end to end. I recollect well of an amusing story in connection with this. A worthy old lady from Auchterarder (Mrs. Dewar, a cousin of my father's) was paying us a visit, and heard the Doctor lecture on a favourite theme of his, 'The Ten Virgins.' Coming back some ten years afterwards, the Doctor again lectured on the same subject, and very naturally and simply the good old lady asked, Does Dr. Mylne always preach on "The Ten Virgins"?'

The worthy Doctor seemed to begin at the top of his pile of sermons, and went regularly down to the bottom; and when that was reached, turned them upside down, and repeated the process over again; and so on, year after year, till the end of his days.

AN OLD LADY'S OPINION OF WHAT CONSTITUTED 'A CHRISTIAN.'

A good story is told of two worthy old dames of Dollar, one of whom I remember well, which shows the idea that some folks had in those days of what constituted 'a Christian.' The worthy ladies were gossiping one day on the character of one of their neighbours (a well-known man in Dollar), and took opposite views as to his being 'a Christian;' when one of them 'clinched' the argument by exclaiming, 'Him a Christian! na, na, he's no that, for he never pits siller in the plate.' (This is a good hint to the late Dr. William Anderson's 10 d. to the score' sort.)

For a number of years after Dollar Academy was commenced, the kirk-session was often composed of a very few members, and for some time previous to the year 1826, of only two, viz. Robert Smith, a shoemaker, and a James Christie, who were seldom consulted by Dr. Mylne about the affairs of the Institution; so that during that time he was virtually the sole ruler in everything connected with it, and, as almost invariably happens when too much power is left in the hands of one man, he ruled with a very high hand. He expelled scholars for the most trivial offences, and issued some very arbitrary decrees. As a specimen of the latter, I subjoin the following correspondence, which will explain itself:

From MR. M'KELVIE to DR. MYLNE.

'DOLLAR, 24th July 1826.

'REV. SIR,—Having heard some surmises that it is your intention, after the coming vacation, to prevent persons keeping boarders in Dollar from engaging young men of the Secession Church as tutors, and being unable to learn the truth of these surmises, I have taken the liberty of writing you, to request that you would make me aware, by letter or otherwise, if such really be your intention. Your doing so will confer a favour, as it will enable me to make such arrangements as your determination may require.

'I have been informed that you have come to the above resolution in consequence of a report having reached you that the Stirling Secession Presbytery hesitated to grant Mr. Skinner licence, because he attended on your ministry. I was present when Mr. S. was licensed, and think it a duty I owe to that gentleman, and to the Presbytery, to say that such a subject was never once alluded to.—I am, etc.,

'W. M'KELVIE

[This Mr. M'Kelvie (afterwards Dr. M'Kelvie) was the much-esteemed minister of Balgeddie for thirty- four years (from 1829 till 1863), and author of the Annals and Statistics of the U. P. Church; and of The Life and Vindication of Michael Bruce.]

DR. MYLE's Answer.

'DR. MYLNE begs to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. M'Kelvie's note, and expresses his regret that, owing to his being from home, and the pressure of some urgent business, it has not been in his power to reply to it sooner.

'it is quite true that the Trustees of M'Nab's Legacy have determined, that after the vacation all persons taking the charge of the pupils attending M'Nab's School must set their pupils the example of attending the Parish Church. It amounts to the same thing whether the absence of the tutors from the Parish Church be the result of their own choice, or an act of obedience to the orders of others.

'As to what actually passed in the Presbytery of the Secession Church, the Trustees of M'Nab's Legacy have no right to know, neither is it any concern of theirs; for whatever happened on the occasion alluded to, cannot affect the general question.

'Dollar Manse, 28th July 1826.'

On inquiry being made at the Doctor's two elders about the issuing of this order, it was found that they had never been consulted in the matter, and were quite opposed to it; and when taken to task about this, the Doctor frankly confessed that he never thought of consulting them about anything in connection with the Academy; but that he always, nevertheless, issued his mandates in the name of 'the Trustees;' and that, in this instance, he had just acted according to his usual practice.

This state of matters caused much discontent throughout the parish, and finally led to a movement being set on foot to get the Doctor to appoint a number of new elders, to act along with him in the management of the Trust. The first to move in the matter was Captain Pinkerton, who waited on Captain Porteous, to ascertain his views about the existing state of things; and both together called on Dr. Elliot; and all the three were of one opinion, that something must be done at once to prevent the Academy being ruined.

Those three, then, commenced an agitation in Dollar, which, after a number of meetings of the inhabitants had been held, and an extensive correspondence had taken place, finally compelled Dr. Mylne to appoint a number of new elders; and on Sabbath the 12th of November 1826, the following gentlemen were inducted into office:—Messrs. Craufurd Tait of Harviestoun; John Tait (sheriff); William Haig, Doliarfield; James Haig, Dollarfield; William Clark, Dollarbeg; John M'Arthur Muir, Hilifoot; Robert Kirk, Dollar; and William Gibson, Dollar. [Mr. William Gibson (the writer's father) was, after a time, appointed secretary and treasurer, and continued so till his death.]

This large accession to the number of the Trustees took the responsibility off Dr. Mylne's head to a great extent; and although it did not altogether allay the strong feeling that had been raised up against him by many of his acts, it was a great improvement upon the old régime. The new Trustees did not, however, find their new berths 'a bed of roses;' for a feeling had been stirred up amongst a number of the folks that M'Nab's Legacy should have been divided amongst them; and this was carried to such an extent, that an action was actually raised in the Court of Session against the Trustees, concluding for the modest sum of £70,000. This, however, by the energy of Dr. Mylne and his able body of Trustees, was speedily defeated, and the noble. Institution, with all its benefits, secured to Dollar. A Mr. George Somerville, of the New Town (who had some legal knowledge), took a very active part in this 'law plea,' and was ever afterwards spoken of in connection with it.

Notwithstanding the assistance of such a large number of Trustees, a good deal of grumbling was still kept up in the parish about the management of the Trust; and, to put an end to this, Dr. Mylne finally resolved to petition Parliament to get a Board of Trustees appointed on a new basis; and an Act was accordingly got in 1847, constituting a new Board, as follows: The parish minister and only four of his session were now to be Trustees, those four to be chosen by the session, and to continue for life. Two members of the Stirling Presbytery, and two representative members for the parishioners of Dollar—chosen every five years—were now to be Trustees; and any gentleman possessed of £200 annual income from heritable property in the county of Clackmannan, and paying taxes in the parish of Dollar, is eligible for being a Trustee. The Principal of the University of Edinburgh, the Lord-Lieutenant, Vice-Lieutenant, Convener, and Sheriff of the county of Clackmannan, and the patron of the parish of Dollar, are also Trustees.

Dr. Mylne was a man of great talent, and was the author of several educational books of intrinsic value; amongst others, an excellent English Grammar, an elementary book on Astronomy, questions on the histories of England, of Greece, and of Rome; and he was also a contributor to the Encyclopaedia Britannica when it was brought out.

The Doctor was short of stature, very stout, of a ruddy complexion, and wore a dark wig, which made him look younger than he really was. An excellent portrait of him is to be seen in the Trustees' room of the Institution, presented by Mrs. Edinonstone (Mrs. Mylne's residuary legatee), through Mr. Haig of Dollar- field.

From the long intimacy that existed between Sheriff Tait and Dr. Mylne, the sheriff should have been able to form a pretty correct opinion of him; and in a lecture on 'Dollar,'—delivered by the sheriff in 1867, —he says of him, 'that although he had a quick and irascible temper, he had under it all a kind heart;' in charity, therefore, to the old Doctor, let us hope the sheriff's estimate of him was correct. He died in 1856, aged eighty-one years, in the forty-first year of his ministry.

My father's burying-ground is right in front of the west door of the old church, and there lie the remains of my Grandfather and Grandmother Gibson, Uncle James, my father and mother, and five of their family— my eldest sister, Jeanie (Mrs. Daigleish), having been buried in Stirling Cemetery.

The interior of the old church is now, I find, turned into a large tomb. The old Doctor lies right under where the pulpit was, in which he so long preached. Mr. and Mrs. Martin of Springfield are buried under their old seat in the gallery. Mr. Peter Stalker's burying-ground is exactly where the Wrights of Gate- side and Mr. Wardlaw's family used to sit. Mr. Brown's is where my father's seat was.

I may here give one or two facts regarding Dollar, as recorded in the Statistical Account of Scotland, written by the Rev. Mr. Watson in the year 1792. The population of Dollar at that time was 510. The poor of the parish were supported by the church-door collections; and, taking the average of a number of years, cost £21 annually. Mr. Watson says, 'There have been no beggars in this parish in the memory of man.' Average number of poor on the roll, 9.

'Mr. John M'Arbrea, the parish schoolmaster, teaches English, Latin, Writing, Arithmetic, etc., and is much respected. His fixed salary is only £100 Scotch, but he draws the interest of 560 merks Scotch of sunk money, besides perquisites as precentor and session-clerk,' etc. He was appointed parish teacher in 1763, and died in March 1820, aged eighty-four years.

In this Statistical Account the Devon is called the Dovan, but I think it must have been about this time its name was changed; for the Rev. Mr. Osborne, in the first part of his Statistical Account of Tillicoultry Parish, calls it also the Dovan, but in the latter part the Devon. Mr. Watson says that in harvest time sea-trouts of from 2 lbs. to 4 lbs. weight are killed in the Devon; and in the season, salmon from 5 lbs. to 20 lbs. 'About twenty to thirty years ago, salmon were found in Dovan in great plenty; but, from the illegal and murderous manner of killing them with spears, their numbers of late have greatly decreased.'
Three coal-works were being carried on at that time in Dollar parish, two belonging to the Duke of Argyle, and one to Lord Alva. Mr. Watson says, 'Ironstone is also found in different parts of the parish, and said to be of very excellent quality. It is working at present by the Dovan Company, who are now erecting a public work at Sauchie, some miles to the westward, in the parish of Clackmannan.'

'Paterfamilias' with large families would rejoice to see those grand old days of cheap provisions back again. Butcher meat sold at from 3d. to 4d. per lb., Dutch weight; a good hen for from 9d. to is.; eggs, 3d. to 4d. per dozen; butter, 6d. per lb.; cheese, 3d. But while the price of provisions would please, the rate of wages, I am afraid, would be decidedly objected to; and, all things considered, we would be ready to think that we are just as well as we are. Wages of women at out-door work, 6d. per day, at harvest time 10d. per day, without provisions; ploughmen, £6 yearly; women servants, £2, 10s. yearly; a mason's wage, is. 8d. to 2s. per day; a joiner's, is. 6d. to is. 8d.; a tailor's, 8d.; a slater's, 2s.

The Academy having been opened in 1820, my father's family all had the advantage of being educated there, under some of the best teachers, perhaps, that have ever been in it.

Mr. Walker, who—as I have already said—was the first English master in the Academy, was a most excellent teacher, and a strict disciplinarian, and continued for a very long time the much-respected master in this department of the Academy. He could give a very effective 'paumie,' and we had a most wholesome dread of his tawse, and endeavoured, of course, to merit their acquaintance as seldom as possible, by having our lessons thoroughly well prepared. He was, at the same time, a most kind and affectionate man, and possessed the affection and esteem of all his pupils.

He was twice married, and had a very large family, ten of whom (two daughters and a son, of the first marriage; and two daughters and five sons, of the second) predeceased him; and his memorial-stone in the old churchyard shows how very heavily he and his partners in life had been bereaved. His widow and Miss Walker only are now resident in Dollar; and only one son, Mr. Andrew, survives of the second marriage.

Miss Walker, James, and Isabella (Mrs. Middleton) were my school companions. William (who was considerably older than I) and James have been long settled in Canada.

Mr. Walker died in 1871, aged eighty-four years.

Mr. Steven was a very worthy man, and one of the best writers, I believe, in Britain. The scholars used to take their prizes to him to get their names written on them, and many books throughout the world —possessed by old pupils of the Academy, from every clime—can still bear testimony to the beauty of his writing. The ornamental 'specimens' (which he pencilled) of the scholars, for exhibition on the examination days, and which were afterwards inked by them, were fine examples of his great gift in ornamental penmanship; and the walls of many a room are still adorned by fine framed specimens of these; but perhaps no finer example of his beautiful work can be seen anywhere than in Dollar old churchyard. When the Academy was building in 1819, one of the masons, named David Millar, was fatally injured, and died shortly afterwards; and his master, Thomas Beattie, the contractor for the work, erected a stone to his memory, near the east side of the old burying-ground, the lettering and ornamental work on which had been designed by Mr. Steven. I was never told so; but on taking a walk through the churchyard one day with my brother, and on coming to this stone, I at once said, 'That's Mr. Steven;' there could be no mistaking it.

He was a most enthusiastic curler, and my father and he had many a night of it on the Academy garden pond, with a lantern at each tee. He died in 1855, aged sixty-four years.

Margaret, his eldest daughter, was married to Mr. Maxton, a civil engineer.

Anne married Mr. Peter Stalker; and Jane was married to Dr. Lindsay.

Miss Clarke (the second Mrs. Steven's sister) was an accomplished musician, and was for a long period the principal music teacher in Dollar.

Mr. Tennant, teacher of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, lived in Devongrove. He was a most amiable man, and a very learned scholar. He was very lame, and used two crutches, and had a long walk daily to school. Miss Tennant, his sister, who kept house for him, was one of the most amiable creatures that ever lived, and was a great favourite with everybody; and it must have added greatly to her brother's comfort having such a kind and affectionate sister to take charge of his household.

Mr. Thomas Martin, teacher of geography, and librarian to the Academy, built and lived in Springfield, at present owned and occupied by Mrs. Driver and her family. Large additions have been made to it by the present owner.

Mr. Gerlach, the French teacher, was a Swiss, and a very violent-tempered man, and the scholars generally were so much afraid of him that many didn't go to his class at all (myself amongst the rest); and hence, to my great loss now, I never learned French, which I miss very much. I recollect he was very anxious to learn Scotch, and used to talk to the scholars on the road; and when he heard any thoroughly broad Scotch word, would repeat it after them, and ask what it meant.

Mr. Syme, the drawing-master, was a man of great taste, and a most successful teacher. Landscapes and flowers were his forte, and figures and faces were seldom or ever taught by him. I have still some of my attempts at landscapes, in water-colours, when under him.

Mr. Gray, who taught mathematics, was a very talented man, and there was no class in the Academy I enjoyed more than his.

Mrs. Brydie, and Miss Spittal, her assistant, were most efficient teachers in their own department, and were both very much respected by all in Dollar. There were few evening parties of young folks but Miss Spittal formed one of them.

Mr. Thomas Russell (now of Clackmannan), who taught the infant school, was a most admirable teacher of the young. Full of spirit, and abounding in anecdotes, and naturally 'cut out' for the training of a large number of children, it was quite a treat to witness an examination of his young charge. He married the eldest daughter of a well-known and old-established merchant of the New Town—Mr. Charles Lawson.

Mr. Power was a fine-looking young man, and a great favourite in Dollar. Mr. Balfour was very much liked by all Mr. Tennant's scholars.

The parish school, which was situated immediately below the old parish church, was conducted by Mr. Peter M'Laren; but his situation was quite a sinecure, as, when the Academy opened, his school was almost deserted. Parish teachers, however, were secure for life in their situations, and he continued in it till his death.

Mr. George Rennie (a native of Alva, and well known along the foot of the Ochils) visited Dollar every year, and conducted singing classes. Mr. Rennie was blind, but had a wonderful gift of knowing people from the sound of their voices. He was a good singer, and was always ready and willing to assist at any concert in the district when his services were asked; and his name was very frequently to be seen on the programme on such occasions.

Mr. Christie (who belonged to Kincardine) was the principal dancing-master in those days, and held his classes in the large public room of the Big Toll-house. He visited Dollar regularly for a long series of years.

From the roll-book of the late Mr. Walker, English teacher, I am enabled (through the kindness of Miss Walker) to give the names of those in my class in the month of April 1831. They are as follows:-

The following are the names of some of the boys attending the Academy at the same time as myself, those residing in the district being given first:-

For a great many years a silver-handled penknife was presented annually by a gentleman as a prize for the best writer in the Academy; and I have put an asterisk at the names of the accomplished eight who gained this distinguished honour, viz. John Drysdale, Harviestoun; Robert Wright, Gateside, Dollar; John, James, and Paul Forrester, Dollar; Adam Carmichael, Dollar; and Campbell Taylor, Castle Campbell. I have only been able to ascertain the name of one boarder who gained this distinguished honour, viz. James Ronald from Kirkcaldy (now of Newport), but doubtless some of the others would gain it also. One of the Messrs. Hogg, of Valleyfield, has been mentioned—by an old schoolfellow —as one of the successful competitors, but as he had left the Academy before my day, I cannot vouch for the correctness of this.

Could the biographies of all on these two lists of names be written, they would, I have no doubt, form a series of very interesting volumes, exemplifying in many instances the truth of the old adage, 'that truth is often stranger than fiction.'

As a specimen of the arbitrary conduct of the Rev. Dr. Mylne, Robert and William M'Leish (now of Tillicoultry), Sons of John M'Leish (who took an active part, along with a great many of the inhabitants, in opposing the Doctor in some of his schemes), were refused admission into the Academy, and had, for a time, to walk all the way to Muckart to attend school; and when they attended a night-school in Dollar, under the auspices of the Trustees of the Academy, they were charged fees, while the other parish boys got this education free.

THE REV. DR. WYLLIE.

Dollar had in those days for one of its ministers a gentleman whose fame as an author has now become 'world-wide,' the Rev. Dr. Wyllie. His church (generally called 'The Auld Licht'), situated to the east of Cairn- park Street, has now been turned into two dwelling- houses, and is known by the name of Mayfield. He married Miss Gray, sister of Mr. Gray, the mathematical teacher.

I recollect well of an amusing incident in connection with the Doctor's church, which showed how tenaciously old folks cling to antiquated customs, and how any innovation ip looked on with so much suspicion. In early times, when education was not so general as it is now, and very many were unable to read, it was the custom for precentors to read every line of the psalm before singing it; and this had evidently got to be considered as essential in singing the praises of the sanctuary. Well, at an evening service one night, a stranger precentor was leading the praise, and lie couldn't, it seemed, do this, but sang straight on without reading, or, as it was called in those days, singing 'run-line;' when, after he had got one verse finished in this heretical style, a great commotion was observed at the head of one of the seats right in front of the pulpit, and a good old lady of the old town was seen crushing out past the rest of the folks in the seat, and hurried down the long passage as fast as her legs could carry her, and, after getting the door opened, dashed it to behind her with all her might, to show her indignation at such open profanity in her 'ain gude Auld Licht Kirk.' What a fine neighbour she would have made to a certain Free Church divine of the present day! It is really wonderful how he ever allowed 'run- line' to be sung.

It would have been very amusing to have seen the effect of an organ on this old lady in Dollar Church, could it have been got to start, unexpectedly, to accompany the precentor in the praise. If 'run-line' was bad, the organ would have been something dreadful, and nothing less than a fit of hysterics could have been looked for. But, indeed, we need scarcely be surprised that this would have been the result fifty years ago, when we think that the consequences would almost certainly be the same to a good many 'reverend auld wives' and their followers of the present day; for no matter although David used all sorts of instruments in the service of the sanctuary, and that there are instruments in heaven (Rev. xiv. 2), Your 'Use-and-Wont' man says no such thing as an organ must be thought of, for it is both 'unscriptural' and 'sinful' to do so. I am convinced, however, that this old prejudice against the aid of an organ or harmonium in singing God's praise, will in course of time die out, in the same way as that which at one time existed against singing 'run-line.' Just think of one of our great doctors of divinity of the present day prohibiting his hearers, wherever he preaches, from standing when singing God's praise, because the old antiquated custom was to sit! So much for prejudice and bigotry.

In his Annals and Statistics of the UP. Church, Dr. M'Kelvie tells us that so determined was the opposition to the introduction of singing 'run-line,' that congregations were split up by it, and that the persons seceding on this account from the churches in the parishes of Tough and Johnshaven were so numerous as to form congregations at once.

If our ' Purity of Worship Association' of the present day had existed in those days, we would have found it fighting against the innovation of 'run-line' with all the pertinacious bigotry of some of its leaders, and making themselves, as at present, the 'laughing-stock' of the greater portion of the community.

ORIGIN OF THE NAME OF CAIRNPARK IN DOLLAR.

I have just learned, in the course of my present inquiries, that at the beginning of this century Dollar was possessed of an object of very great interest, but which unfortunately was entirely removed about the year 1806 or 1807. This was nothing less than a great pyramid (well, it was not quite so big as the famous one of Egypt, but still it was a great pile) which had evidently been erected to commemorate some great battle, or the death of some celebrated warrior; and it certainly is very much to be regretted that it should have been removed. This was an immense cairn of stones, some thirty feet high, and as many square at the base; and the park in which it stood took its name from it—Cairnpark; and the street leading up to the Academy also got its name—Cairnpark Street—from its being made through this park. It will scarcely be believed, yet it is nevertheless true, that this ancient and interesting cairn was removed for the ignoble purpose of being broken into road- metal for the new turnpike road that was then being constructed along the foot of the Ochils. By whose orders it was removed I cannot say; but the late Mr. William Blackwood, of the New Town, superintended its removal, and kept a correct note of the cart-loads that were in it, and found they amounted to the astonishing number of one thousand!

When the bottom was reached, there were found in the centre of it a number of ancient clay urns, showing that this immense cairn was a thing of great antiquity, and connected with some important event, and, had it been allowed to remain, would have been an object of interest second only to Castle Campbell itself, and an additional attraction to the ancient town of Dollar. The Rev. Mr. Watson got possession of some of the urns, but what became of them is not now known.

The street in which Mayfield now stands had then only the one one-storied house (Mrs. M'Lean's) and Park House (where the late Mrs. Kirk and family then lived) to the east of the church, and the entrance to it from the east was at the end of Park House, from the back road. It was not till Dr. Arnot built the house to the east of Park House, that the street was opened up to the burn-side. With the exception of Dr. Wyllie's church, the one-storied house referred to, and Park House, there were no houses to the east of Cairn- park Street but those on Bridge Street—all being green fields.

The corner park, where Mr. Gibb's house and garden now stand, used to be unenclosed, and a near cut was generally taken across it, from Bridge Street to the burn-side. It was in this open field we used to have glorious 'bonfires' on the King's birthday.

OLD FAMILIES OF DOLLAR, ETC.

I will now refer shortly to one of the most influential and highly-respected families of Dollar—the Haigs of Dollarfield. With the exception of the wool mill, Dollar bleachfield was the only other public work in Dollar, and a great number of the inhabitants got employment at it. I have a very distinct recollection of the worthy founder of those prosperous works (which were commenced. in 1787), William Haig, Esq. (the present Mr. Haig's grandfather), who was a man of sterling worth, and highly respected by the whole community of Dollar. He was a justice of the peace for the county of Clackmannan. Mrs. Haig, also, who was a most amiable, kind, motherly lady, I remember very well. Mr. Haig died in 1834, and Mrs. Haig in 1849.

Mr. James Haig, their eldest son, died in 1832, and left a widow to lament his early death, who was very much respected in Dollar, but who has for long been non-resident in it.

I cannot bring Mr. James Haig's appearance to my recollection, but Mr. Robert Haig (the present Mr. Haig's father) 1 remember very well. He was a most excellent man, and had at heart all that concerned the best interests of the inhabitants of Dollar. Besides being a Trustee of Dollar Academy, be was a justice of the peace, and Deputy-Lieutenant of the county of Clackmannan. He died in 1854. Mrs. Robert Haig (a lady much esteemed by all) predeceased her husband by seventeen years; she died in 1837.

Of Miss Haig, who died in 1869, and Miss Mary Ann Haig, who died in 1873 (aunts of the present Mr. Haig), it would be impossible for me to speak too highly, for two more excellent ladies could not be found anywhere. Their many acts of kindness will be long remembered in Dollar.

Mr. Haig is proprietor of the fine estates of Glensherup and Dollarfield.

I will only mention one place of amusement connected with my school days, that will be fondly remembered by every one who has attended Dollar Academy, and which is still cherished as a favourite place of resort by the present generation, and that is 'The Dead Waters '—a large field immediately below Devon Grove (the late Professor Tennant's house), that was flooded every winter, and where skating, curling, and every sort of ice amusements were carried on. The quickest road to it, and the one we generally took, was through 'The Scott's Plantain,' along by the side of the 'Quarrel Burn,' the stream which is used for flooding this field.

In the Old Town, the next two-storied house to my father's on the north was occupied for a very long time by the Misses Young (three sisters), who were very much respected in Dollar; and their brother, Mr. George Young, and family, were prominent members of our community, and highly esteemed by every one. Miss Isabella Young, Mr. George's daughter, is the only one who now represents this worthy family in Dollar. The Misses Young's garden adjoined my father's to the north.

At the head of the old town lived Mr. John Mathie (generally called 'Provost Mathie'), a very worthy, good old man, who lived to the long age of ninety-six years. Although in my young days Dollar was not ruled by a provost and magistrates, it had been at one time, and for a very long period, under a provost and baron baiies; and, counting from his time, Mr. Mathie's ancestors had been provost, in succession, for three hundred years. Although at that time, therefore, he was not invested with the powers of a chief magistrate, the old title was still kept up, and even descended to one of his Sons. As long as he was able, he used to pay daily visits to my father's shop, and I remember him very well.

Amongst the last of those who acted as baron baffles in the end of last century, when Castle Campbell was still in the possession of the Duke of Argyle, three of them lived till just before my day, and one of them ('Old Hillie') I used to hear often spoken of. Their names are as follows:-

John Marshall, farmer.
James Sharp, smith.
John Drysdale, flesher.

John Drysdale was at one time proprietor of Hillfoot, and hence got the name of 'Old Hillie.' He resided latterly in the open square, to the north of my father's house in Dollar, and it was known in those days as 'hue's Close.' 'Deacon Gibson' (William—a well- known man in Dollar) lived also in this square. James Lawson (a son of Emily Gibson's) lived in the house at the east side of the square, on the rising ground, and at the junction of the two streets.

An amusing story used to be told about one of the Provost's daughters—Jenny. A Willie Rutherford and she courted each other for thirty years; and when at last they got married, Jenny used to say 'that her marriage came on her a' in a dunt.' What Jenny would have considered a leisurely courtship, it is really hard to say, but most folks would have considered the time she took ample..

Opposite my father's house were the Cross Keys Inn and the house of John Blackwood, the celebrated fiddler, This John Blackwood had three brothers, who were, along with himself, famous throughout the country as violin players, and were taken far and near to balls and dances of all kinds. John, James, and Robert played the violin, and Tom the violoncello; and for Scotch reels and strathspeys, this band could not be excelled by any one in the country. The 'Blackwoods of Dollar' were as well known and celebrated in those days as 'Adams' band' is at the present time. Their musical talent has, I learn, descended to the second and third generations. Thomas and Robert ('Ebony'), Sons of John (both resident in Canada), have inherited their father's gift, and are both good violin players. John also (resident in Dollar)--a son of Thomas (one of the famous band)—plays, I understand, very well; and Thomas (resident in Hawick)—a grandson of John's—is an excellent player.

While referring to the Blackwoods, it may not be out of place here to relate a story I have heard about a celebrated fiddler who lived in Dollar long before my time, and from whom, very likely, the Blackwoods may have got their first lessons in fiddling. In the end of last century, the Duke of Argyle invited a number of famous fiddlers to a competition in his town mansion in Edinburgh (Argyle House), when a goodly number made their appearance, and amongst the rest, one Johnnie Cook, from Dollar.

To prevent any partiality, the fiddlers were arranged behind a screen, and each in his turn played some tunes before a large audience. After all had performed, the first prize was unanimously awarded to Johnnie Cook, and resulted in a large sum of money being subscribed for him on the spot; and he came- back to Dollar with a goodly sum in his pocket. The question then with Johnnie was, in what way could he best invest his newly - acquired wealth? and thinking, no doubt, that land was safer than any other investment (banks and other companies often coming to grief), he bought a field to the east of the old town of Dollar with it, which was at once dubbed by the good folks of Dollar, Fiddlefield; and by this name it continues to be known to the present day.

That this Johnnie Cook must have been considered no unimportant personage in Dollar, may be gathered from a story told of John Orr, a well-known old pensioner in Dollar in my young days. When John landed, with his regiment, in Egypt, about the year 1800, he found one David Lambert, another Dollar man, there before him; and being anxious, no doubt, to communicate the most startling bit of news he had brought with him, he at once asked Lambert 'if he had heard the news.' When told he had heard nothing, the great and important event was then made known to him—not that Napoleon Bonaparte was killed, but that 'Johnnie Cook, the fiddler, was dead.' We can picture to ourselves the two worthies mingling their tears together over the termination of the life of so celebrated a man, and thinking, no doubt, that the glory of Dollar had departed.

John Orr and Lambert were under the command of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, and would, no doubt, take part in the great battle of Alexandria, fought on March 21, 1801, when the British gained such a signal victory over the French, and let Napoleon see what sort of stuff British troops were made of.

When John Orr came home from the war, he astonished the good folks of Dollar with his wonderful stories about Egypt—about there being three crops in the year, etc.; and I remember well how the boys used to run after the old pensioner, and tease him, by shouting his name two or three times, and then adding, 'Three crops in Egypt;' which invariably roused his ire to the highest pitch, and would have led to broken bones had they not got out of his way.

When John was asked any question that he was not quite sure about, he was never much at a loss for an answer. On being asked, one day, if he ever saw the Pyramids when in Egypt, he at once replied, 'Oh yes; we took them prisoners.'

John, it seems, had been a sore grief to Mr. M'Arbrea when at his school, and used to play truant and all sorts of tricks; and on one occasion, when things had reached a crisis, his mother had to be sent for. To the dominic's surprise, Mrs. Orr brought a rope in her hand, and seeing little hope, I suppose, of reformation, she handed it to Mr. M'Arbrea, and told him to hang him with it, and if he wouldn't do it, another would. It seems, however, that when it 'came to the scratch' John had got round his mother's heart in some way, for the dreadful threat was not carried into execution, and he was spared to serve his King and his country.

THE HORSE-SHOE, AND WESTERN SUBURBS OF DOLLAR, ETC.

On entering Dollar from the wes.t, the first house approached was a rather peculiar one—a substantial one-storied house, with a very wide door, in the shape of a horse-shoe, which was built by Mr. Tait, of Harviestoun, for a smithy, and carried on as such for many a year. It was a well-known landmark, on account of its peculiarly-shaped door, and was always spoken of (and still is by the old inhabitants of Dollar) as 'The Horse-Shoe.' Harviestoun Villa now occupies its site.

The next house on the high road—Belmont--was for a long period occupied by Dr. Elliot's widow and family, and Miss Elliot was one of the sprightliest and most spirited young ladies of our Dollar society. There were four sons and five daughters—William, Alexander, John, Henry, Margaret, Helen, Jane, Jemima, and Louisa. The Doctor died in 1834.

Captain Porteous' house, Mount Devon, comes next. I cannot recall the Captain to memory; but Mrs. and Miss Porteous and Tom will always be associated in my memory with this house. Miss Porteous was a very superior young lady, and lived for a long time in the house alone, after her mother's death. She married a Mr. Beveridge. Thomas commenced business in Glasgow, but died when quite a young man, leaving a widow and young family to mourn his early death. He was a very pushing young man, and, had he been spared, would have soon taken a prominent position amongst the successful merchants of Glasgow.

The present occupants of the cottage below Mount Devon (Belville)—Mr. William and Miss Drysdale are associated with my earliest recollections of Harviestoun Castle, and the home farm adjoining it, where the family so long resided. I do not recollect much of Mr. Drysdale, their father (who was so long factor for Mr. Tait); but Mrs. Drysdale, who survived her husband for twenty-three years, was a most kind, amiable lady, and much esteemed by every one who knew her. On the death of his father in 1843, Mr. William succeeded to the factorship, and acted in that capacity till the estate passed out of the hands of the Globe Insurance Company. Two brothers, Robert and Adam, went to the West Indies, and died there—Robert in 1835, and Adam in 1839. Mr. John died in Belville Cottage in 1860. Mr. James Drysdale, banker, Stirling, is the youngest brother.

An amusing story is told of a goat and gander that were long amongst Mrs. Drysdale's collection, of live stock at Harviestoun. A strong and lasting attachment sprang up between the two; and wherever Nannie was to be seen, there was the gander, his natural companions, the geese, being, in a most ungentlemanly way, invariably 'left out in the cold.'

When Mrs. Drysdale and family left Harviestoun, and took up their residence in Belville Cottage, the goat and gander were made a present of to Mr. Henderson, of the Castle Campbell Hotel in Dollar; and the same strong attachment continued between the two as before, the goat never being seen anywhere without his companion. Well, one Sabbath day this worthy couple took it into their heads that they would like to hear what kind of a preacher the Rev. Mr. Craigie was; and just as the congregation in the Established Church had nearly all assembled, and the advent of the minister into the pulpit was momentarily looked for, who should march slowly along one of the passages, but Nannie and his companion the gander, and, in order to make sure of hearing well, went right up the pulpit stair, and apparently were bent on getting into the pulpit itself.

As may be readily imagined, the arrival of such unexpected and distinguished visitors created the greatest excitement and amusement in the church—to all except the poor beadle, who seemed to view the situation of affairs in absolute dismay. What was to be done? The gander was known to be of a very pugnacious disposition, and resented at once the slightest interference with his companion; and for any stranger to have attempted to forcibly eject Nannie would have been 8heer madness. The church officer was fairly at his wits' end what to do, when fortunately Mr. William Drysdale (who happened to be in church) came to the rescue. Rising out of his seat, he approached the worthy couple, and calling the goat by name, told it to follow him. Remembering its old master thoroughly well, it at once obeyed his order, and the two were quietly walked out of the church, to the no little amusement and great relief of all concerned. How to explain the very singular and strong attachment that existed between these two, I must leave to some of my ornithological friends, who are more skilled in these matters than I am.

What subsequently became of them is not recorded in history; but we must be left to suppose that, after reaching a good old age, they both died a natural death, faithfully attached to each other to the last.

Mrs. Hynd, Dollar, informs me that she was present in the Established Church when this most ludicrous scene took place, and it really was a most amusing spectacle.

Broomrig, the next house in order, was in my young days occupied by a Mrs. Young and family; and Robert, one of her sons, was a class - fellow of mine. Miss Young got married at a very early age to an Edinburgh gentleman. It was after they left that it was then occupied by the Honourable David Erskine and family. There was only the centre house at that time—the extensive additions to and adjoining it having since been made by the present proprietor—James Leishman, Esq.

Devonside HOuse (so long occupied by Mrs. M'Callum and family) comes next, which was built by a Captain Pinkerton, a stout, military - looking man, with pure white hair. Miss Pinkerton - a nice young girl of fifteen—was cut off after a few hours' illness, in the year 1833. Mrs. Pinkerton died in 1835.

Devongrove—close to the Dead Waters—and Springfield have been referred to already. Mr. and Mrs. Martin had no family; and I recollect well of them sitting in the front square seat of the west gallery of the old church (along with the Honourable David Erskine and family), right above where they now lie buried.

Woodcot was built by the late Dr. Walker, uncle of the present doctor, who was for a very long period the principal medical man of the district, and was considered a man of great skill, and very much esteemed. He died in the year 1844.

The centre house of Helen Place was for a considerable time occupied by Mr. Bell (son-in-law of the late Mrs. Duncanson of Sheardale, as an educational establishment (styled by him Broomfield Academy), and a very large number attended his classes there. He commenced this establishment after resigning his situation in Dollar Academy of mathematical teacher. He had a large number of boarders, and two of them are very distinctly impressed on my memory as spirited young boys - Charles Davis and Henry Ogilvie. In what part of the world, I wonder, will those two be now? or are they—like so many, so very many, of my school companions—in their graves?

 Between Helen Place and the old toll-bar there were, for many a long day, only the one one-storied house at the east end of Charlotte Place (Mr. William M'Leish's), and the cottage on the west of the other end of it. This cottage was built by a Mr. Mallach, manager in Dollar Bleachfield, and it was always spoken of as 'Mallach's Cottage.' By and by the fine two-storied house to the west of it (Viewfield) was built by a Mrs. Allan, for herself and large family, after leaving the farm of Dollar Bank, which they had occupied for a considerable time. This large and highly-respected family occupied for long a very prominent place in our Dollar society, and many happy evenings I have spent in their house. Mrs. Allan was a most hospitable, kind lady, and very much esteemed by every one; and some of the happiest days of my youth are associated with her and her worthy family. Their names were as follows: Thomas, John, Dalhousie, Adam, William, Elizabeth, Janet, Helen (Mrs. Beveridge), Ann (Mrs. Grieve), Alison (Mrs Bath- gate), Christina (Mrs. Drysdale), Mary (Mrs. Wilson), Eliza, and Jane Darling—fourteen in all. Three only of this large family now remain, viz. Mrs. Bathgate, Miss Eliza, and Miss Jeanie, the last only being now resident in Dollar. Mrs. Allan died at Liverpool (where Mrs. Wilson resided) in 1847.

The first occupant of Castle Campbell Hotel that I remember of was Mr. Alexander Henderson, grandfather of Mr. Henderson, writer, Alloa. Mrs. Henderson was a sister of Provost Foreman's of Stirling, and a very worthy lady. After Mr. Henderson's death, it was for a considerable period carried on by his son-in-law, Mr. John Robertson; and, after his death, by Mr. John Henderson, son of old Mr. Henderson.

GLOOMHILL AND HILLFOOT, ETC.

Very many of my Saturday afternoons (we had to go to school on Saturday forenoon in those days) were spent up at Gloomhill farmhouse with Alick and Johnnie Scott, my school companions, where we used to have some rare fun with old Mr. Robert Cram's donkey, which, though the most docile and serviceable of creatures to its venerable master, knew thoroughly well how to tumble off troublesome boys; and many a good header' we got from it.

Mr. John Scott's family consisted of four—Grace, Alexander, John, and Marion. Grace married a Mr. Currer of Ardross, an extensive and successful farmer in the neighbourhood of Elie, Fife. Alexander is settled in Stratford, Ontario, Upper Canada, and his family are grown up and getting on well in the world. John was drowned in Australia, on December 23, 1853.; and Miss Scott alone is now left in Dollar. Mr. Scott was overseer on Hillfoot estate.

Mr. Peter Cram, merchant, New Town, and Mr. David Cram, Alloa, are sons of old Mr. Cram, who was tenant of the hill farm of Hiilfoot—JQhn M'Arthur Moir, Esq., being at that time the proprietor of the estate of Hillfoot. No finer view of Dollar and Castle Campbell can be got anywhere than from the top of Gloomhill.

When I was at school, Mr. Moir was a widower, and his sister Miss Moir kept house for him. Four nephews of the name of M'Queen lived with him for a number of years, and attended Dollar Academy, viz. Andrew, John, Archibald, and Daniel. They were bright, lively, nice-dispositioned boys.

There being no poor law in existence in those days, the only public way of raising money for the maintenance of the poor was the collections at the Established Church doors. The plate at the old church of Dollar stood a few yards out from the session-house door, so as to be convenient for the folks in passing; while the elder stood in the door. These collections not being required for the support of the minister, a good many people passed the plate without giving anything; and when it was Mr. Moir's turn to stand, and he saw people passing without giving, whom he knew were very well able to give, and who generally bowed to him in passing, he was not slack in reminding them of their duty, and used to bawl out to them, 'Mind the plate, mind the plate, never mind me!' to the great amusement of the bystanders and the no little confusion of the party addressed. One worthy man, still living in Dollar, I heard one day thus addressed by name, and he went away into the church looking anything but comfortable.

Mr. Moir was an artist of considerable skill, and I recollect well of him taking a sketch one day, in the Academy grounds, of The Banks and Dollar Hill, and in the course of his picture was putting in a paling at a very quick rate; when, turning round to a number of us boys who were looking on, he asked, 'Do you think you could drive in paling stobs as fast as that?' which of course put us all into good humour, and caused great merriment, which was just what Mr. Moir wanted, as he always enjoyed a good laugh. He was a good- hearted, kind landlord, and, in addition to his estate of Ilillfoot, was proprietor of the fine estate of Milton, at Dunoon. He was a justice of the peace for the county of Clackmannan, and being one of the elders in the Established Church, was, as already stated, a trustee of Dollar Academy. He died at Hhifoot on December 17, 1871, aged seventy-three years.

The session-house of the old church still stands to the south of the entrance gate.

Mr. Alexander Stalker (father of Mr. Peter Stalker, who was so long and so well known in Dollar) carried on the wright trade in the old town. He lived in the two-storied house almost opposite the present Lorne Tavern; and his workshop was in the one-storied house adjoining, now turned, into a dwelling-house. His family consisted of five—Isabella, Peter, Jane, Margaret, and Agnes (Mrs. Hynd).

The first house on the left-hand side, on entering the cart-road to the Castle, was a well-known house in Dollar, and amongst the farmers around—the smithy and dwelling-house of Andrew Sharp, senior. His son Andrew was in business with his father, but was married, and lived in the house next the Castle wood, and close to the Broomie Knowe. This smithy was a great resort of the youths of the village, and many an hour I have sat by the smithy fire and looked on at the red-hot bars being hammered away. Old Andrew, who was very fond of a joke, quite alarmed my good old grandmother one day by telling her, when getting a refreshment, and when about to turn over his glass, that her whisky 'was on the turn.'

Any notice of the old town of Dollar as it existed fifty years ago would be incomplete without referring to a very harmless 'character' we had amongst us, who was well known, and made welcome to every house in Dollar—Robbie Guild. Nothing delighted Robbie more than to get a book (particularly the Bible) to read, and a most amusing job he made of it. One of his peculiarities was that, when reading, he could not get past certain words, and would repeat and re-repeat the half of a sentence a dozen of times over before he could make out to finish it, which was very amusing; and of course Robbie was often asked to read. The same sort of difficulty occurred to him when walking about. He would stop suddenly for a considerable time, then lift the offending stone or bit of straw, and carry it to the side of the road, and when the obstacle was removed would then proceed on his way. When teased by boys, he occasionally got into a great fury, and was then (as any one would have been) rather dangerous; but when let alone, he was of a mild and harmless disposition, and was kindly treated by every one in Dollar.

Another well-known ' character' in those days was Willie Stewart, who was sadly teased by the boys, and his life made very miserable by some of them. Willie used to go messages, and do many little jobs for a number of families, and was very frequently on the road, and was thus much exposed to his tormentors. He had a strong burr, and I think the boys liked to hear Willie 'burring' out his remonstrances. He was a simple, good-hearted body, and it was a great shame to see the way he was often abused.

He hadn't—as an auld Scotch saying goes—' enough o' the dell in him, to keep the deil aff him,' for had he given some of them a good sound thrashing some day, he would soon have put a stop to it. But Willie would rather run when he could, than fight, and tried always to get out of their way. When the scholars were going home from the Academy one night, Willie was heard saying to himself, 'Therre thae rroyd laddies comin' again; I'll awa' up to the high rroad, and no' be tormented be them.'

Mr. Wilson, baker, carried on a prosperous business in the Old Town, from which he retired a good many years ago. He married the eldest daughter of Mr. John Swan, merchant, New Town.

The other members of Mr. Swan's family were Mary, Jessie, Helen (first Mrs. Robert Shiells, Neenah, America), and Archibald, who were all among my school companions. Mrs. Wilson, Mary, and Jessie are still in Dollar, but Archibald has been long settled in America.

Mr. Robert Kirk (one of the Trustees of the Academy) was a very worthy man, and much respected in Dollar. He carried on the wright trade, and at the same time had a shop in the south street of the Old Town. Besides a son who died when young, he had other four of a family—Margaret, John, Thomas, and Catherine. Miss Kirk alone now survives.

I might fill a volume were I to go in detail over all the old families of Dollar, but will finish my list by simply mentioning one or two others.

Dr. Martin's family—Gilbert, William, James, Anne, etc. The Doctor died in Malta in 1843.

Dr. Arnot's family—David, Henry, Robert, Alfred, and Margaret (Mrs. Wilson). The Doctor died in 1842, aged fifty-seven.

Late Mrs. Kirk's family, Park House—Elizabeth (Mrs. James Kirk, Tullibody), Catherine (Mrs. Robert Wright, Greenock), Thomas, and John.

Mrs. Kid's family—Helen, Jane (Mrs. M'Nair), John, Alexander, Thomas, and Adam. They lived in the first house to the east of the New Club House, which is now joined to the large block of new buildings, but stood at that time by itself.

Mrs. Burns' family, of the Old Town—Eliza (first Mrs. Peter Stalker), Ann, and John. Mrs. Burns died in 1850, and John in 1848. Her husband died in 1827.

The principal grocers in the New Town fifty years ago were Mr. Hugh Munro and Mr, John Swan. Mr. Charles Lawson was the only draper.

There was no regular post office in Dollar at that time, but Mr. Robert Forrester (who then lived in Cairnpark Street) received the, letters into his house, and carried them to the post office in Alloa, and brought back the letters from there on his return. The first post-master appointed to Dollar was Mr. John Philip, in 1830; and when he died in 1838, his daughter, Miss Philip, succeeded him, and continued post-mistress till her death. Their post office was in the house close to the old toll-bar.