An' there was Doctor Dabster, that could pit a bottle or twa under his belt, an' was neither up nor down. But an unco' bitter body was he when there was a sma' collection. Before the service began, the beadle generally handed him a slip of paper stating the amount collected. Ae day a' the siller gathered was only twa' shillin's an' ninepence; an' he could never get this out o' his head through the whole of his sermon.
He was aye spunkin oot noo an' then. "It's the land o' Canawn ye're thrang strivin' after," says he; "The land o' Canawn, eh?--twa an' ninepence! yes, ye're sure to gang there! I think I see ye! Nae doot ye'll think yersel's on the richt road for't. Ask yer consciences, an' see what they'll say. Ask them, an' see what they'll say. Ask them, an' what _will_ they say? I'll tell ye: 'Twa miserable shillin's an' ninepence is puir passage-money for sic a lang journey!' What? Twa-an'-ninepence! As weel micht a coo gang up a tree tail foremost, an' whistle like a superannuated mavis, as get to Canawn for that!" [26]
[1] Said by Burns, at the request of the Earl of Selkirk.
_Ben._ Towards; towards the inner; the inner room of a house.
_Brose._ A kind of pottage made by pouring hot water on oatmeal, and stirring while the water is poured.
_Carle, carl._ A man, as distinguished from a boy.
_Chiel._ A stripling, a fellow, a servant.
_Doup._ The breech, the bottom or extremity of anything.
_Dour._ Bold, inflexible, obstinate, stern.
_Feck._ A term denoting space, quantity, number; _the feck o' them_ means "the most part of them."
_Flit, flyt._ To change, to remove, to transport. Commonly used of changing one's residence.
_Haggis._ A pudding, made in a sheep's stomach, with oatmeal, suet, the heart, liver and lungs of the sheep, minced down and seasoned with salt, pepper, and onions, and boiled for use.
_Haveril._ One who talks habitually in a foolish manner.
_Heck, hech, high._ To pant, to breathe hard; an exclamation which expresses a condition of breathlessness.
_Hirple._ To move in a halting manner, as if crippled or momentarily injured, as by a blow.
=Keeking, keiking. Looking= with a prying eye, peeping.
_Ken._ To know; to be acquainted; to understand.
=Laird. A man of superior= rank; the owner of a property.