"Why, Jamie," said Mr.Craigie, good humouredly, "anybody that was not a fool would know that it is a horse-shoe." "Ah!" said Jamie, with affected simplicity, "what it is to be wise--to ken it's no a meer's shoe!" On another occasion, when all the country-side were hastening to the Perth races, Jamie had cut across the fields and reached a bridge near the town, and sat down upon the parapet.

He commenced munching away at a large portion of a leg of mutton which he had somehow become possessed of, and of which he was amazingly proud.

The laird came riding past, and seeing Jamie sitting on the bridge, accosted him:--"Ay, Fleeman, are ye here already ?" "Ou ay," quoth Fleeman, with an air of assumed dignity and archness not easy to describe, while his eye glanced significantly towards the mutton, "Ou ay, ye ken a body when he _has anything_." Of witty retorts by half-witted creatures of this class, I do not know of one more pointed than what is recorded of such a character who used to hang about the residence of a late Lord Fife.

It would appear that some parts of his lordship's estates, were barren, and in a very unproductive condition.

Under the improved system of agriculture and of draining, great preparations had been made for securing a good crop in a certain field, where Lord Fife, his factor, and others interested in the subject, were collected together.