Such a desire led me to investigate the
recollections of some of our "oldest inhabitants."
Willy Paterson, I well knew, was to be trusted for accurate memories of
a certain class of happenings; but for more minute details of events
the feminine mind is the more reliable. So I determined to start with
Willy's wife, Bell. Their dwelling is nearest to ours; it stands,
indeed, but a few yards down the road which leads past our gate. It is
a white-walled, thatched house of one story only--like most of the
habitations in Ardmuirland; it stands in a little garden whose neatness
and the prolific nature of its soil are standing proofs of Willy's
industry in hours of leisure.
Owing to the prevalence in our neighborhood of some particular
patronymics--Macdonald, Mackintosh, Mackenzie, and the rest--many
individuals are distinguished by what is called in Ardmuirland a
"by-name." Some of these are furnished by the title of the residence
of the family in question, others by the calling or trade of father,
mother, or other relative; thus we have "Margot of the Mill," "Sandy
Craigdhu," as examples of the former, and "Nell Tailor," "Duncan the
Post," of the latter. Still more variety is obtained by the mention of
some personal trait of the individual, such as "Fair Archie," "Black
Janet," and the like. Willy Paterson's wife was commonly known by such
a by-name; every one spoke of her as "Bell o' the Burn," from the name
of her childhood's home.
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