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Just. Well good wife, what is the reason but ye let your son give satisfaction to the kirk.
Mith Deed stir, he's no denying the bairn, but he'll no hae the black stool.
Just. Ay, but I tell you them that gets a bystart gets the black stool to the bargain, and as he is in my hands now, he must find caution that he will answer the session and be subject to the law.
Mith. Ony thing ye like, stir, but that shamefu stance the black stool; here's uncle Rabby, an auld Sandy the souter, will be caution that we s face the session on Sunday; the lad s wae enough he did it, but he canna help it now, the weans born and by hand: guid night wi' your honour s lairdship, it's the first time e'er I was before you.
On Sabbath after sermon, the session met, John and his mother is called upon, he enters courageously, saying, Guideen to you master minister, bellman and elders a', my mither and me is baith here.
Mess John. Then let her in, come awa' good wife, what's the reason ye keep your son so long back from answering the session? You see it is the thing you are obliged to do at last.
Mith. Deed stir, I think there needs na be nae mair work about it, I think, when he's gi'en the lazy hulk, the mither o t, baith meal and groats to maintain it, ye needna fash him, he's a dutifu' father indeed, weel I wat, when he feeds his bystarts sae weel.
Mess John. Woman, are you a hearer of the gospel, that ye reject the dictates of it? how comes ye to despise the discipline of the church? is not offenders to be rebuked and chastised.
Mith. Yes stir, a' that is very true, but I hae been three or four times throw the Bible and the New testament, and I never saw a repenting stool in't a'; then whar could the first o' them come frae? The Apostles had nane o' them. But a daft history book tells me, that the first o' them was used about Rome amang the Papists, and ay when any o' them turned whigs, they were put on a four-neuked thing, like a yarn winnel-blads, an rave a' their gouls sindry till they turned papists again, and then for anger they put them on a black stane or stool, in the midst o' the kirk, and the sack gown about them, wi' the picture o' the deil and satan on't; sweet be wi' us, we sudna speak o' the ill thief in the kirk, but it is a mercy the minister's here an he come; but what was the original of your repenting stools. And when the Whigs chased awa' the Papist fouk out o' the kintry,
