BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 219
at that period as they are now ; and on the return of any of his domestics from
the city, which one or other of them daily visited, he listened with great attention
to “the news,” and enjoyed with much zest the narration of any jocular
incident that had occurred.
Of the younger portion of his dependants he took a fatherly charge, instilling
into their minds the most wholesome advice, and to all recommending
habits of sobriety and industry. “Waste not, want not,” was a favourite
maxim in his household economy ; yet the utmost abundance of every necessary,
of the best quality, and at the command of all the inmates, was unscrupulously
provided. Neither was his generosity confined to objects of his own species.
It extended alike to every living creature about his est,ablishment. From his
horses to his poultry, all experienced the bounty of his hand; and wherever
he went, in the fields, or about his own doors, he had difficulty in escaping
from their affectionate ganibols and joyous clamour, The almost companionable
fondness, reciprocal betwixt the laird and his riding-horse was altogether
amusing. Well fed, and in excellent spirit and condition, it frequently
indulged in a little restive curvetting with its master, especially when the latter
was about to get into the saddle. “ Come, come,” he would say on such occasions,
addressing the animal in his usual quiet way, “ hae dune noo, for ye’ll no
like if I come across your lugs (ears) wi’ the stick.” This “terror to evildoers ”
he sometimes brandished, but was never known to “ come across the lugs ’’ of
anyone.
On his property were
numerous occupiers of small cottages and portions of ground. From these he
collected his rents just as they found it convenient to pay, and he scrupled not
to accept the most trifling instalment. Andrew,’ his apprentice in the mill, was
frequently despatched in the capacity of collector of arrears. On his return
the old man would inquire-“ Weel, laddie, hae ye gotten onything 1” Andrew’s
reply frequently intimated the amazing receipt of one shilling ! “ Weel, weel,
it’s aye better than naething ; but it’s weel seen they’re the lairds and no me.”
To legal measures he never resorted.
Even to extreme old age Mr. Gillespie continued to maintain the industrious
habits he had pursued through life. With an old blanket around him and a
night-cap on, covered over with snuff, he attended regularly in the mill, superintending
the operations of his man, Andrew. He kept a carriage, for which
the Hon. Henry Erskine facetiously suggested as a motto-
“ Wha wad hae thocht it,
As a landlord Mr. Gillespie was peculiarly indulgent.
That noses had bocht it.”
Andrew Fraser served his apprenticeship with the Messrs. Gillespie, and was in all eight yeam
with them. When he began hia term of service,
Mr. James Gillespie might be in his seventieth year. For Andrew, the old man entertained a great
regard ; frequently telling him, that if he remained in his employ he would “make 8 man of him.”
Andrew, unluckily for himself, was prevailed on by bad advice to leave his employer, after 8 life
of hard, but for himself unprofitable labour, he found at last 8 comfortable home in the sanctuary
provided by his first master.
He was employed almost constantly at Spylaw.