''
``They were not, then, a very kind family to
the poor, these old possessors?'' said I, somewhat
bitterly; for I had expected to hear my ancestors'
praises recorded, though I certainly despaired of
being regaled with my own.
``They werena ill to them, sir, and that is aye
something. They were just decent bien bodies;
---ony poor creature that had face to beg got an
awmous and welcome; they that were shamefaced
gaed by, and twice as welcome. But they keepit
an honest walk before God and man, the Croftangrys,
and, as I said before, if they did little good,
they did as little ill. They lifted their rents and
spent them, called in their kain and eat them; gaed
to the kirk of a Sunday, bowed civilly if folk took
aff their bannets as they gaed by, and lookit as
black as sin at them that keepit them on.''
``These are their arms that you have on the
sign?''
``What! on the painted board that is skirting
and groaning at the door?---Na, these are Mr
Treddles's arms---though they look as like legs as
arms---ill pleased I was at the fule thing, that cost
as muckle as would hae repaired the house from
the wa' stane to the rigging-tree. But if I am
to bide here, I'll hae a decent board wi' a punch
bowl on it.
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