Never did Nature show herself better pleased on any festival than on
Walter’s wedding-day. The sun shone out as if his very rays were as
much made up of gladness as of light. The dew-drops twinkled as if
instinct with pleasure. The birds lilted--the waters and the windows
sparkled; cocks crowed as if they were themselves bridegrooms, and the
sounds of laughing girls, and cackling hens, made the riant banks of
the Clyde joyful for many a mile.
It was originally intended that the minister should breakfast at
Kilmarkeckle, to perform the ceremony there; but this, though in
accordance with newer and genteeler fashions, was overruled by the
young friends of the bride and bridegroom insisting that the wedding
should be celebrated with a ranting dance and supper worthy of the
olden, and, as they told Leddy Grippy, better times. Hence the
liberality of the preparations, as intimated in the preceding chapter.
In furtherance of this plan, the minister, and all his family, were
invited, and it was arranged, that the ceremony should not take place
till the evening, when the whole friends of the parties, with the
bride and bridegroom at their head, should walk in procession after
the ceremony from the manse to Grippy, where the barn, by the fair
hands of Miss Meg and her companions, was garnished and garlanded for
the ball and banquet. Accordingly, as the marriage hour drew near, and
as it had been previously concerted by ‘the best men’ on both sides,
a numerous assemblage of the guests took place, both at Grippy and
Kilmarkeckle--and, at the time appointed, the two parties, respectively
carrying with them the bride and bridegroom, headed by a piper playing
‘Hey let us a’ to the bridal,’ proceeded to the manse, where they were
met by their worthy parish pastor at the door.
The Reverend Doctor Denholm was one of those old estimable stock
characters of the best days of the presbytery, who, to great learning
and sincere piety, evinced an inexhaustible fund of couthy jocularity.
He was far advanced in life, an aged man, but withal hale and hearty,
and as fond of an innocent ploy, such as a wedding or a christening,
as the blithest spirit in its teens of any lad or lass in the parish.
But he was not quite prepared to receive so numerous a company; nor,
indeed, could any room in the manse have accommodated half the party.
He, therefore, proposed to perform the ceremony under the great tree,
which sheltered the house from the south-west wind in winter, and
afforded shade and shelter to all the birds of summer that ventured
to trust themselves beneath its hospitable boughs. To this, however,
Walter, the bridegroom, seemed disposed to make some objection,
alleging that it might be a very good place for field-preaching, or
for a tent on sacramental occasions, ‘but it was an unco-like thing to
think of marrying folk under the canopy of the heavens;’ adding, ‘that
he did na think it was canny to be married under a tree.’
The Doctor soon, however, obviated this objection, by assuring him that
Adam and Eve had been married under a tree.
‘Gude keep us a’ frae sic a wedding as they had,’ replied Watty; ‘where
the deil was best-man? Howsever, Doctor, sin it’s no an apple-tree,
I’ll mak a conformity.’ At which the pipes again struck up, and, led by
the worthy Doctor bare-headed, the whole assemblage proceeded to the
spot.
‘Noo, Doctor,’ said the bridegroom, as all present were composing
themselves to listen to the religious part of the ceremony--‘Noo,
Doctor, dinna scrimp the prayer, but tie a sicker knot; I hae nae
broo o’ the carnality o’ five minute marriages, like the Glasgowers,
and ye can weel afford to gie us half an hour, ’cause ye’re weel payt
for the wind o’ your mouth: the hat and gloves I sent you cost me
four-and-twenty shillings, clean countit out to my brother Charlie,
that would na in his niggerality faik me a saxpence on a’ the liveries
I bought frae him.’
This address occasioned a little delay, but order being again restored,
the Reverend Doctor, folding his hands together, and lowering his
eyelids, and assuming his pulpit voice, began the prayer.
It was a calm and beautiful evening, the sun at the time appeared to
be resting on the flaky amber that adorned his western throne, to
look back on the world, as if pleased to see the corn and the fruits
gathered, with which he had assisted to fill the wide lap of the
matronly earth. We happened at the time to be walking alone towards
Blantyre, enjoying the universal air of contentment with which all
things at the golden sunsets of autumn invite the anxious spirit of man
to serenity and repose. As we approached the little gate that opened
to the footpath across the glebe by which the road to the village was
abridged to visitors on foot, our attention was first drawn towards
the wedding party, by the kindly, pleasing, deep-toned voice of the
venerable pastor, whose solemn murmurs rose softly into the balmy air,
diffusing all around an odour of holiness that sweetened the very sense
of life.
We paused, and uncovering, walked gently and quietly towards the
spot, which we reached just as the worthy Doctor had bestowed the
benediction. The bride looked blushing and expectant, but Walter,
instead of saluting her in the customary manner, held her by the hand
at arm’s length, and said to the Doctor, ‘Be served.’
‘Ye should kiss her, bridegroom,’ said the minister.
‘I ken that,’ replied Watty, ‘but no till my betters be served. Help
yoursel, Doctor.’
Upon which the Doctor, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand,
enjoyed himself as he was requested.
‘It’s the last buss,’ added Walter, ‘it’s the last buss, Betty Bodle,
ye’ll e’er gie to mortal man while am your gudeman.’
‘I did na think,’ said the Reverend Doctor aside to us, ‘that the
creature had sic a knowledge o’ the vows.’
The pipes at this crisis being again filled, the guests, hand in hand,
following the bridegroom and bride, then marched to the ornamented barn
at Grippy, to which we were invited to follow; but what then ensued
deserves a new chapter.