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Accordingly；　we　settled　to　speak　of　it　as　a　matter　in　part　decided；　that　Mr　Hodden　and　Mr　Fegs　were　to　be　the　two　new　councillors；　and　to　make　the　thing　sure；　as　soon　as　I　went　home　I　told　it　to　Mrs　Pawkie　as　a　state　secret；　and　laid　my　injunctions　on　her　not　to　say　a　word　about　it；　either　to　Mrs　Hodden　or　to　Mrs　Fegs；　the　wives　of　our　two　elect；　for　I　knew　her　disposition；　and　that；　although　to　a　certainty　not　a　word　of　the　fact　would　escape　from　her；　yet　she　would　be　utterly　unable　to　rest　until　she　had　made　the　substance　of　it　known　in　some　way　or　another；　and；　as　I　expected；　so　it　came　to　pass。　　She　went　that　very　night　to　Mrs　Rickerton；　the　mother　of　Mr　Feg's　wife；　and；　as　I　afterwards　picked　out　of　her；　told　the　old　lady　that　may　be；　ere　long；　she　would　hear　of　some　great　honour　that　would　come　to　her　family；　with　other　mystical　intimations　that　pointed　plainly　to　the　dignities　of　the　magistracy；　the　which；　when　she　had　returned　home；　so　worked　upon　the　imagination　of　Mrs　Rickerton；　that；　before　going　to　bed；　she　felt　herself　obliged　to　send　for　her　daughter；　to　the　end　that　she　might　be　delivered　and　eased　of　what　she　had　heard。　　In　this　way　Mr　Fegs　got　a　foretaste　of　what　had　been　concerted　for　his　advantage；　and　Mr　Peevie；　in　the　mean　time；　through　his　helpmate；　had；　in　like　manner；　not　been　idle；　the　effect　of　all　which　was；　that　next　day；　every　where　in　the　town；　people　spoke　of　Mr　Hodden　and　Mr　Fegs　as　being　ordained　to　be　the　new　councillors；　in　the　stead　of　the　two　who　had；　as　it　was　said；　resigned　in　so　unaccountable　a　manner；　so　that　no　candidates　offered；　and　the　election　was　concluded　in　the　most　candid　and　agreeable　spirit　possible；　after　which　I　had　neither　trouble　nor　adversary；　but　went　on；　in　my　own　prudent　way；　with　the　works　in　handthe　completion　of　the　new　bridge；　the　reparation　of　the　tolbooth　steeple；　and　the　bigging　of　the　new　schools　on　the　piece　of　ground　adjoining　to　my　own　at　the　Westergate；　and　in　the　doing　of　the　latter　job　I　had　an　opportunity　of　manifesting　my　public　spirit；　for　when　the　scheme；　as　I　have　related；　was　some　years　before　given　up；　on　account　of　Mr　Plan's　castles　in　the　air　for　educating　tawny　children　from　the　East　and　West　Indies；　I　inclosed　my　own　ground；　and　built　the　house　thereon　now　occupied　by　Collector　Gather's　widow；　and　the　town；　per　consequence；　was　not　called　on　for　one　penny　of　the　cost；　but　saved　so　much　of　a　wall　as　the　length　of　mine　extendeda　part　not　less　than　a　full　third　part　of　the　whole。　　No　doubt；　all　these　great　and　useful　public　works　were　not　done　without　money；　but　the　town　was　then　in　great　credit；　and　many　persons　were　willing　and　ready　to　lend；　for　every　thing　was　in　a　prosperous　order；　and　we　had　a　prospect　of　a　vast　increase　of　income；　not　only　from　the　toll　on　the　new　bridge；　but　likewise　from　three　very　excellent　shops　which　we　repaired　on　the　ground　floor　of　the　tolbooth。　　We　had　likewise　feued　out　to　advantage　a　considerable　portion　of　the　town　moor；　so　that　had　things　gone　on　in　the　way　they　were　in　my　time；　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　burgh　would　have　been　in　very　flourishing　circumstances；　and　instead　of　being　drowned；　as　it　now　is；　in　debt；　it　might　have　been　in　the　most　topping　way；　and　if　the　project　that　I　had　formed　for　bringing　in　a　supply　of　water　by　pipes；　had　been　carried　into　effect；　it　would　have　been　a　most　advantageous　undertaking　for　the　community　at　large。

But　my　task　is　now　drawing　to　an　end；　and　I　have　only　to　relate　what　happened　at　the　conclusion　of　the　last　act　of　my　very　serviceable　and　eventful　life；　the　which　I　will　proceed　to　do　with　as　much　brevity　as　is　consistent　with　the　nature　of　that　free　and　faithful　spirit　in　which　the　whole　of　these　notandums　have　been　indited。



CHAPTER　XLVIITHE　RESIGNATION



Shortly　after　the　Battle　of　Waterloo；　I　began　to　see　that　a　change　was　coming　in　among　us。　　There　was　less　work　for　the　people　to　do；　no　outgate　in　the　army　for　roving　and　idle　spirits；　and　those　who　had　tacks　of　the　town　lands　complained　of　slack　markets；　indeed；　in　my　own　double　vocation　of　the　cloth　shop　and　wine　cellar；　I　had　a　taste　and　experience　of　the　general　declension　that　would　of　a　necessity　ensue；　when　the　great　outlay　of　government　and　the　discharge　from　public　employ　drew　more　and　more　to　an　issue。　　So　I　bethought　me；　that　being　now　well　stricken　in　years；　and；　though　I　say　it　that　should　not；　likewise　a　man　in　good　respect　and　circumstances；　it　would　be　a　prudent　thing　to　retire　and　secede　entirely　from　all　farther　intromissions　with　public　affairs。

Accordingly；　towards　the　midsummer　of　the　year　1816；　I　commenced　in　a　far　off　way　to　give　notice；　that　at　Michaelmas　I　intended　to　abdicate　my　authority　and　power；　to　which　intimations　little　heed　was　at　first　given；　but　gradually　the　seed　took　with　the　soil；　and　began　to　swell　and　shoot　up；　in　so　much　that；　by　the　middle　of　August；　it　was　an　understood　thing　that　I　was　to　retire　from　the　council；　and　refrain　entirely　from　the　part　I　had　so　long　played　with　credit　in　the　burgh。

When　people　first　began　to　believe　that　I　was　in　earnest；　I　cannot　but　acknowledge　I　was　remonstrated　with　by　many；　and　that　not　a　few　were　pleased　to　say　my　resignation　would　be　a　public　loss；　but　these　expressions；　and　the　disposition　of　them；　wore　away　before　Michaelmas　came；　and　I　had　some　sense　of　the　feeling　which　the　fluctuating　gratitude　of　the　multitude　often　causes　to　rise　in　the　breasts　of　those　who　have　ettled　their　best　to　serve　the　ungrateful　populace。　　However；　I　considered　with　myself　that　it　would　not　do　for　me；　after　what　I　had　done　for　the　town　and　commonality；　to　go　out　of　office　like　a　knotless　thread；　and　that；　as　a　something　was　of　right　due　to　me；　I　would　be　committing　an　act　of　injustice　to　my　family　if　I　neglected　the　means　of　realizing　the　same。　　But　it　was　a　task　of　delicacy；　and　who　could　I　prompt　to　tell　the　town…council　to　do　what　they　ought　to　do？　　I　could　not　myself　speak　of　my　own　servicesI　could　ask　nothing。　　Truly　it　was　a　subject　that　cost　me　no　small　cogitation；　for　I　could　not　confide　it　even　to　the　wife　of　my　bosom。　　However；　I　gained　my　end；　and　the　means　and　method　thereof　may　advantage　other　public　characters；　in　a　similar　strait；　to　know　and　understand。

Seeing　that　nothing　was　moving　onwards　in　men's　minds　to　do　the　act　of　courtesy　to　me；　so　justly　my　due；　on　the　Saturday　before　Michaelmas　I　invited　Mr　Mucklewheel；　the　hosier；　（who　had　the　year　before　been　chosen　into　the　council；　in　the　place　of　old　Mr　Peevie；　who　had　a　paralytic；　and　never　in　consequence　was　made　a　bailie；）　to　take　a　glass　of　toddy　with　me；　a　way　and　method　of　peutering　with　the　councillors；　one　by　one；　that　I　often　found　of　a　great　efficacy　in　bringing　their　understandings　into　a　docile　state；　and　when　we　had　discussed　one　cheerer　with　the　usual　clishmaclaver　of　the　times；　I　began；　as　we　were　both　birzing　the　sugar　for　the　second；　to　speak　with　a　circumbendibus　about　my　resignation　of　the　trusts　I　had　so　long　held　with　profit　to　the　community。

〃Mr　Mucklewheel；〃　quo'　I　〃ye're　but　a　young　man；　and　no　versed　yet；　as　ye　will　be；　in　the　policy　and　diplomatics　that　are　requisite　in　the　management　of　the　town；　and　therefore　I　need　not　say　any　thing　to　you　about　what　I　have　got　an　inkling　of；　as　to　the　intents　of　the　new　magistrates　and　council　towards　me。　　It's　very　true　that　I　have　been　long　a　faithful　servant　to　the　public；　but　he's　a　weak　man　who　looks　to　any　reward　from　the　people；　and　after　the　experience　I　have　had；　I　would　certainly　prove　myself　to　be　one　of　the　very　weakest；　if　I　thought　it　was　likely；　that　either　anent　the　piece　of　plate　and　the　vote　of　thanks；　any　body　would　take　a　speciality　of　trouble。〃

To　this　Mr　Mucklewheel　answered；　that　he　was　glad　to　hear　such　a　compliment　was　intended；　〃No　man；〃　said　he；　〃more　richly　deserves　a　handsome　token　of　public　respect；　and　I　will　surely　give　the　proposal　all　the　countenance　and　support　in　my　power　possible　to　do。〃

〃As　to　that；〃　I　replied；　pouring　in　the　rum　and　helping　myself　to　the　warm　water；　〃I　entertain　no　doubt；　and　I　have　every　confidence　that　the　proposal；　when　it　is　made；　will　be　in　a　manner　unanimously　approved。　　But；　Mr　Mucklewheel；　what's　every　body's　business；　is　nobody's。　　I　have　heard　of　no　one　that's　to　bring　the　matter　forward；　it's　all　fair　and　smooth　to　speak　of　such　things　in　holes　and　corners；　but　to　face　the　public　with　them　is　another　sort　of　thing。　　For　few　men　can　abide　to　see　honours　conferred　on　their　neighbours；　though　between　ourselves；　Mr　Mucklewheel；　every　man　in　a　public　trust　should；　for　his　own　sake；　further　and　promote　the　bestowing　of　public　rewards　on　his　predecessors；　because　looking　forward　to　the　time　when　he　must　himself　become　a　predecessor；　he　should　think　how　he　would　feel　were　he；　like　me；　after　a　magistracy　of　near　to　fifty　years；　to　sink　into　the　humility　of　a　private　station；　as　if　he　had　never　been　any　thing　in　the　world。　　In　sooth；　Mr　Mucklewheel；　I'll　no　deny　that　it's　a　satisfaction　to　me　to　think　that　may　be　the　piece　of　plate　and　the　vote　of　thanks　will　be　forthcoming；　at　the　same　time；　unless　they　are　both　brought　to　a　bearing　in　a　proper　manner；　I　would　rather　nothing　was　done　at　all。〃

〃Ye　may　depend　on't；〃　said　Mr　Mucklewheel；　〃that　it　will　be　done　very　properly；　and　in　a　manner　to　do　credit　both　to　you　and　the　council。　　I'll　speak　to　Bailie　Shuttlethrift；　the　new　provost；　to　propose　the　thing　himself；　and　that　I'll　second　it。〃

〃Hooly；　hooly；　friend；〃　quo'　I；　with　a　laugh　of　jocularity；　no　ill…　pleased　to　see　to　what　effect　I　had　worked　upon　him；　〃that　will　never　do；　ye're　but　a　greenhorn　in　public　affairs。　　The　provost　maun　ken　nothing　about　it；　or　let　on　that　he　doesna　ken；　which　is　the　same　thing；　for　folk　would　say　that　he　was　ettling　at　something　of　the　kind　for　himself；　and　was　only　eager　for　a　precedent。　　It　would；　therefore；　ne'er　do　to　speak　to　him。　　But　Mr　Birky；　who　is　to　be　elected　into　the　council　in　my　stead；　would　be　a　very　proper　person。　For　ye　ken　coming　in　as　my　successor；　it　would　very　naturally　fall　to　him　to　speak　modestly　of　himself　compared　with　me；　and　therefore　I　think　he　is　the　fittest　person　to　make　the　proposal；　and　you；　as　the　next　youngest　that　has　been　taken　in；　might　second　the　same。〃

Mr　Mucklewheel　a