The cottage felt inconvenience from interruption of the petty trade carried on by the itinerant dealers.

The children lacked their supply of sugarplums and toys; the young women wanted pins, ribbons, combs, and ballads; and the old could no longer barter their eggs for salt, snuff, and tobacco.

All these circumstances brought the busy Laird of Ellangowan into discredit, which was the more general on account of his former popularity.

Even his lineage was brought up in judgment against him.

They thought 'naething of what the like of Greenside, or Burnville, or Viewforth might do, that were strangers in the country; but Ellangowan! that had been a name amang them since the Mirk Monanday, and lang before--HIM to be grinding the puir at that rate! They ca'd his grandfather the Wicked Laird; but, though he was whiles fractious aneuch, when he got into roving company and had ta'en the drap drink, he would have scorned to gang on at this gate.