"Na, na," Tammas would say, after a few trials, referring to sarcasm, "she's no a critter to force.

Ye maun lat her tak her ain time.

Sometimes she's dry like the pump, an' syne, again, oot she comes in a gush." The most sarcastic thing the stone-breaker ever said was frequently marvelled over in Thrums, both before and behind his face, but unfortunately no one could ever remember what it was.

The subject, however, was Cha Tamson's potato pit.

There is little doubt that it was a fit of sarcasm that induced Tammas to marry a gypsy lassie.