It is not only common to all temperate climates, but it has permeated all classes of society.
I am confident that the plain boiled potato has been one of the chief constituents in the building up of that frame in which Susanna Crum conceals her opinions and emotions.

I remarked, therefore, as an, apparent afterthought, "Why, it is a potato, is it not, Susanna ?" What do you think she replied, when thus hunted into a corner, pushed against a wall, driven to the very confines of her personal and national liberty?
She subjected the potato to a second careful scrutiny, and answered, "I wudna say it's no'!" Now there is no inherited physical terror in this.

It is the concentrated essence of intelligent reserve, caution, and obstinacy; it is a conscious intellectual hedging; it is a dogged and determined attempt to build up barriers of defence between the questioner and the questionee: it must be, therefore, the offspring of the catechism and the heresy trial.
Once again, after establishing an equally obvious fact, I succeeded in wringing from her the reluctant admission, "It depends," but she was so shattered by the bulk and force of this outgo, so fearful that in some way she had imperilled her life or reputation, so anxious concerning the effect that her unwilling testimony might have upon unborn generations, that she was of no real service the rest of the day.
I wish that the Lord Advocate, or some modern counterpart of Braxfield, the hanging judge, would summon Susanna Crum as a witness in an important case.

He would need his longest plummet to sound the depths of her consciousness.
I have had no legal experience, but I can imagine the scene.
"Is the prisoner your father, Susanna Crum ?" "I cudna say, my lord." "You have not understood the question, Susanna.

Is the prisoner your father ?" "I cudna say, my lord." "Come, come, my girl! you must answer the questions put you by the court.