"I'm tellin' ye. Fan the lassies came in frae the mull last nicht theyflang their working things frae them as though they were mad.

"'Fat's all the stushie?' I asked them. They just leuch at me, andsaid they were hurryin' so they could hear Harry Lauder sing. Theysaid he was the comic frae Glasga, and they asked me was I no gang wi'them tae the Toon Ha' to hear his concert.

"'No,' I says. 'All the siller in the hoose maun gang for the rent,and it really is due on Setterday. Fat wad the neighbors be sayin' if theysaw Kirsty Lamont gang to a concert in a rent month--fashin' abootlike that!'"

"But Phem--that's my eldest dochter, ye ken--she wad ha' me gangalang. She bade me put on my bonnet and my dolman, and said she'd payfor me, so's to leave the siller for the rent. So I said I'd gang,since they were so keen like, and we set oot jist as John came hamefor his tea. I roort at him that he could jist steer for himself for anicht. And he asked why, and I said I sometimes was gang to hear Harry Lauder.

"'Damn Harry Lauder!" he answers, gey short. "Ye'll be sorry yet forthis nicht's work, Kirsty Lamont. Leavin' yer auld man tae mak' hisain tea, and him workin' syne six o'clock o' the morn!'"

"I turn't at that, for Harold's a queer ane when he tak's it intil'shead, but the lassies poo'd me oot th' door and in twa-three meenitswe were at the ha'. Fat a crushin' a fechtin' the get in. The bobby atthe door saw me--savin' that we'd no ha' got in. But the bobby kens mefine--I've bailed Harold oot twice, for a guinea ilka time, and theyrecognize steady customers there like anywheres else!