|
A
WEALTHY
tobacco lord, who, like Captain Paton of unique and
immortal memory, had been in early life a soldier, and present at the
battle of Dettingen, but was then a bailie in the city of St. Mungo, was
one day pacing the plainstanes of said city, when he was accosted
by a poor woman. Turning to her disdainfully, he said:
"Don’t speak to me here, woman; I
gi’e nae charity on the street."
"It wasna charity, Sir Bailie, that
I was seeking," said the woman; "I was only wanting to thank you for the
great service that you did to my laddie." Somewhat mollified by the
unexpected praise, the scarlet-cloaked aristocrat or plutocrat stopped,
and said:
"And what did I do for him, good
woman ?"
"Oh, Sir Bailie," she replied, "when
you were with your company at the battle of Dettingen, and ran awa,’ my
son, who was next to you, ran after you, and so saved his life !" |
