There governed in that year
A stern, stout churl--an angry overseer.
Crabbe.
While Mr. Staunton, for such was this worthy clergyman's name, was laying aside
his gown in the vestry, Jeanie was in the act of coming to an open rupture with
Madge.
"We must return to Mummer's barn directly," said Madge; "we'll be ower late, and
my mother will be angry."
"I am not going back with you, Madge," said Jeanie, taking out a guinea, and
offering it to her; "I am much obliged to you, but I maun gang my ain road."
"And me coming a' this way out o' my gate to pleasure you, ye ungratefu' cutty,"
answered Madge; "and me to be brained by my mother when I gang hame, and
a' for your sake!--But I will gar ye as good"
"For God's sake," said Jeanie to a man who stood beside them, "keep her off!--
she is mad."
"Ey, ey," answered the boor; "I hae some guess of that, and I trow thou be'st a
bird of the same feather.--Howsomever, Madge, I redd thee keep hand off her, or
I'se lend thee a whisterpoop."
Several of the lower class of the parishioners now gathered round the strangers,
and the cry arose among the boys that "there was a-going to be a fite between
mad Madge Murdockson and another Bess of Bedlam." But while the fry
assembled with the humane hope of seeing as much of the fun as possible, the
laced cocked-hat of the beadle was discerned among the multitude, and all made
way for that person of awful authority. His first address was to Madge.
"What's brought thee back again, thou silly donnot, to plague this parish? Hast
thou brought ony more bastards wi' thee to lay to honest men's doors? or does
thou think to burden us with this goose, that's as hare-brained as thysell, as if
rates were no up enow? Away wi' thee to thy thief of a mother; she's fast in the
stocks at Barkston town-end-- Away wi' ye out o' the parish, or I'se be at ye with
the ratan."
Madge stood sulky for a minute; but she had been too often taught submission to
the beadle's authority by ungentle means to feel courage enough to dispute it.
