He states that he remembers an old beadle of the church which was called "Haddo's Hole," and sometimes the "Little Kirk," in Edinburgh, whose son occasionally officiated as precentor.

He was not very well qualified for the duty, but the father had a high opinion of his son's vocal powers.

In those days there was always service in the church on the Tuesday evenings; and when the father was asked on such occasions, "Who's to preach to-night ?" his self-complacent reply used to be, "I divna ken wha's till preach, but my son's for till precent." The following is a more correct version of a betheral story than one which occupied this page in the last edition.

The beadle had been asked to recommend a person for the same office, and his answer was, "If ye had wanted twa or three bits o' elder bodies, I cud hae gotten them for ye as easily as penny baps oot of Mr.Rowan's shop," pointing to a baker's shop opposite to where the colloquy took place; "or even if ye had wanted a minister, I might hae helpit ye to get ane; but as for a gude _beadle_, that's about the maist difficult thing I ken o' just now." Perhaps the following may seem to illustrate the self-importance of the betheral tribe.

The Rev.Dr.Hugh Blair was one Sunday absent from his pulpit, and next morning meeting his beadle in the street he inquired how matters went in the High Church on Sabbath.