YEAR 1785
WELL may we say, in the pious words of my old friend and neighbour, the
Reverend Mr. Keekie of Loupinton, that the world is such a
wheel-carriage, that it might very properly be called the WHIRL’D. This
reflection was brought home to me in a very striking manner, while I was
preparing a discourse for my people, to be preached on the anniversary
day of my placing, in which I took a view of what had passed in the
parish during the five-and-twenty years that I had been, by the grace of
God, the pastor thereof. The bairns, that were bairns when I came among
my people, were ripened unto parents, and a new generation was swelling
in the bud around me. But it is what happened that I have to give an
account of.
This year the Lady Macadam’s jointure-house that was, having been long
without a tenant, a Mr. Cayenne and his family, American loyalists, came
and took it, and settled among us for a time. His wife was a clever
woman, and they had two daughters, Miss Virginia and Miss Carolina; but
he was himself an ettercap, a perfect spunkie of passion, as ever was
known in town or country. His wife had a terrible time o’t with him, and
yet the unhappy man had a great share of common sense, and, saving the
exploits of his unmanageable temper, was an honest and creditable
gentleman. Of his humour we soon had a sample, as I shall relate at
length all about it.
Shortly after he came to the parish, Mrs. Balwhidder and me waited upon
the family to pay our respects, and Mr. Cayenne, in a free and hearty
manner, insisted on us staying to dinner. His wife, I could see, was not
satisfied with this, not being, as I discerned afterwards, prepared to
give an entertainment to strangers; however, we fell into the misfortune
of staying, and nothing could exceed the happiness of Mr. Cayenne. I
thought him one of the blithest bodies I had ever seen, and had no notion
that he was such a tap of tow as in the sequel he proved himself.
As there was something extra to prepare, the dinner was a little longer
of being on the table than usual, at which he began to fash, and every
now and then took a turn up and down the room, with his hands behind his
back, giving a short melancholious whistle. At length the dinner was
served, but it was more scanty than he had expected, and this upset his
good-humour altogether. Scarcely had I asked the blessing when he began
to storm at his blackamoor servant, who was, however, used to his way,
and did his work without minding him; but by some neglect there was no
mustard down, which Mr. Cayenne called for in the voice of a tempest, and
one of the servant lassies came in with the pot, trembling. It happened
that, as it had not been used for a day or two before, the lid was
clagged, and, as it were, glued in, so that Mr. Cayenne could not get it
out, which put him quite wud, and he attempted to fling it at Sambo, the
black lad’s head, but it stottit against the wall, and the lid flying
open, the whole mustard flew in his own face, which made him a sight not
to be spoken of. However it calmed him; but really, as I had never seen
such a man before, I could not but consider the accident as a
providential reproof, and trembled to think what greater evil might fall
out in the hands of a man so left to himself in the intemperance of
passion.
But the worst thing about Mr. Cayenne was his meddling with matters in
which he had no concern; for he had a most irksome nature, and could not
be at rest, so that he was truly a thorn in our side. Among other of his
strange doings, was the part he took in the proceedings of the session,
with which he had as little to do, in a manner, as the man in the moon;
but having no business on his hands, he attended every sederunt, and from
less to more, having no self-government, he began to give his opinion in
our deliberations; and often bred us trouble, by causing strife to arise.
It happened, as the time of the summer occasion was drawing near, that it
behoved us to make arrangements about the assistance; and upon the
suggestion of the elders, to which I paid always the greatest deference,
I invited Mr. Keekie of Loupinton, who was a sound preacher, and a great
expounder of the kittle parts of the Old Testament, being a man well
versed in the Hebrew and etymologies, for which he was much reverenced by
the old people that delighted to search the Scriptures. I had also
written to Mr. Sprose of Annock, a preacher of another sort, being a
vehement and powerful thresher of the word, making the chaff and vain
babbling of corrupt commentators to fly from his hand. He was not,
however, so well liked, as he wanted that connect method which is needful
to the enforcing of doctrine. But he had never been among us, and it was
thought it would be a godly treat to the parish to let the people hear
him. Besides Mr. Sprose, Mr. Waikle of Gowanry, a quiet hewer out of the
image of holiness in the heart, was likewise invited, all in addition to
our old stoops from the adjacent parishes.
None of these three preachers were in any estimation with Mr. Cayenne,
who had only heard each of them once; and he, happening to be present in
the session-house at the time, enquired how we had settled. I thought
this not a very orderly question, but I gave him a civil answer, saying,
that, Mr. Keekie of Loupinton would preach on the morning of the
fast-day, Mr. Sprose of Annock in the afternoon, and Mr. Waikle of
Gowanry on the Saturday. Never shall I or the elders, while the breath
of life is in our bodies, forget the reply. Mr. Cayenne struck the table
like a clap of thunder, and cried, “Mr. Keekie of Loupinton, and Mr.
Sprose of Annock, and Mr. Waikle of Gowanry, and all suck trash, may go
to — and be —!” and out of the house he bounced, like a hand-ball
stotting on a stone.
The elders and me were confounded, and for some time we could not speak,
but looked at each other, doubtful if our ears heard aright. At long and
length I came to myself; and, in the strength of God, took my place at
the table, and said, this was an outrageous impiety not to be borne,
which all the elders agreed to; and we thereupon came to a resolve, which
I dictated myself, wherein we debarred Mr. Cayenne from ever after
entering, unless summoned, the session-house, the which resolve we
directed the session-clerk to send to him direct, and thus we vindicated
the insulted privileges of the church.
Mr. Cayenne had cooled before he got home, and our paper coming to him in
his appeased blood, he immediately came to the manse, and made a contrite
apology for his hasty temper, which I reported in due time and form, to
the session, and there the matter ended. But here was an example plain
to be seen of the truth of the old proverb, that as one door shuts
another opens; for scarcely were we in quietness by the decease of that
old light-headed woman, the Lady Macadam, till a full equivalent for her
was given in this hot and fiery Mr. Cayenne.