They were kindly of heart, but plain in speech,--and their remarks on current events, persons and things, would have astonished and perhaps edified many a press man had he been among them, when on Saturday nights they "dropped in" at the one little public-house of the village, and argued politics and religion till closing-time.

Angus Reay soon became a favourite with them all, though at first they had looked upon him with a little distrust as a "gentleman _tow_-rist"; but when he had mixed with them freely and familiarly, making no secret of the fact that he was poor, and that he was endeavouring to earn a livelihood like all the rest of them, only in a different way, they abandoned all reserve, and treated him as one of themselves.

Moreover, when it was understood that "Mis' Deane," whose reputation stood very high in the village, considered him not unworthy of her friendship, he rose up several degrees in the popular estimation, and many a time those who were the self-elected wits and wise-acres of the place, would "look in" as they termed it, at Mary's cottage, and pass the evening talking with him and with "old David," who, if he did not say much, listened the more.

Mr.Bunce, the doctor, and Mr.Twitt, the stonemason, were in particular profoundly impressed when they knew that Reay had worked for two years on a London newspaper.
"Ye must 'ave a ter'uble knowledge of the world, Mister!" said Twitt, thoughtfully--"Just ter'uble!" "Yes, I should assume it must be so,"-- murmured Bunce--"I should think it could hardly fail to be so ?" Reay gave a short laugh.
"Well, I don't know!" he said--"You may call it a knowledge of the world if you like--I call it an unpleasant glimpse into the shady side of life.

I'd rather walk in the sunshine." "And what would you call the sunshine, sir ?" asked Bunce, with his head very much on one side like a meditative bird.
Honesty, truth, belief in God, belief in good!"-- answered Angus, with some passion--"Not perpetual scheming, suspicion of motives, personal slander, and pettiness--O Lord!--such pettiness as can hardly be believed! Journalism is the most educational force in the world, but its power is being put to wrong uses." "Well,--said Twitt, slowly--"I aint so blind but I can see through a wall when there's a chink in it.