who could be trained to carry
the Hugh Blackadder. Mr. Ogilvy's many triumphs in this competition had
not dulled his appetite for more, and depressed he was at the prospect
of a reverse. That it was coming now he could not doubt. McLauchlan, who
was to be Rev., had a flow of words (which would prevent his perspiring
much in the pulpit), but he could no more describe a familiar scene with
the pen than a milkmaid can draw a cow. The Thrums representatives were
sometimes as little gifted, it is true, and never were they so well
exercised, but this Tommy had the knack of it, as Mr. Ogilvy could not
doubt, for the story of his letter-writing had been through the glens.

"Keep up your spirits," Mr. Lorrimer had said to Mm as they walked
together to the fray, "Cathro's loon may compose the better of the two,
but, as I understand, the first years of his life were spent in London,
and so he may bogle at the Scotch."

But the Dominie replied, "Don't buoy me up on a soap bubble. If there's
as much in him as I fear, that should be a help to him instead of a
hindrance, for it will have set him a-thinking about the words he uses."

And the satisfaction on Tommy's face when the subject of the essay was
given out, with the business-like way in which he set to work, had
added to the Dominie's misgivings; if anything was required to
dishearten him utterly it was provided by Cathro's confident smile. The
two Thrums ministers were naturally desirous that Tommy should win, but
the younger of them was very fond of Mr. Ogilvy, and noticing his
unhappy peeps through the door dividing the rooms, proposed that it
should be closed. He shut it himself, and as he did so he observed that
Tommy was biting his pen and frowning, while McLauchlan, having ceased
to think, was getting on nicely. But it did not strike Mr. Dishart that
this was worth commenting on.

"Are you not satisfied with the honors you have already got, you greedy
man?" he said, laying his hand affectionately on Mr. Ogilvy, who only
sighed for reply.

"It is well that the prize should go to different localities, for in
that way its sphere of usefulness is extended," remarked pompous Mr.
Gloag, who could be impartial, as there was no candidate from Noran
Side. He was a minister much in request for church soirees, where he
amused the congregations so greatly with personal anecdote about himself
that they never thought much of him afterwards. There is one such
minister in every pres