ers of the country markets at that period was a
woman of the name of Tibby Masson, well known in this city for her
masculine character and deeds of fearlessness. Tibby had accompanied her
husband, who was a soldier, to South America; and, along with him, had been
present at the unfortunate siege of Buenos Ayres; and, as a trophy of her
valour, she brought with her an enormous-sized silver watch, which she
declared she had taken from the person of a Spanish officer who lay wounded
in the neighbourhood of the city after the engagement. Tibby was standing
by her "sweetie" (confectionary) stall in the Aboyne Market when the Earl
and Whitelocke, and the other gentlemen, were passing, and she at once
recognised her old commander. They stopped, and the General tasted some of
her "sweeties," and saucily declared that they were abominably bad. Upon
which Tibby immediately retorted: "They are a great deal better than the
timmer (wooden) flints that you gave our soldiers at Bonny's Airs." On
hearing this, the consternation of Whitelocke and his friends can more
easily be imagined than described. They all fled from the field with the
utmost rapidity, leaving Tibby completely victorious; and the General, so
far as is known, never again visited Aberdeenshire.

B. B.

Aberdeen.

I have not access to a file of newspapers, but have been frequently told by
an old pensioner, who served under General Whitelocke: "We marched into
_Bowsan Arrys_ (as he pronounced Buenos Ayres) without ere a flint in our
muskets."

L. G.

The subjoined charade, which I have seen years ago, is perhaps preferable:

"My first is an emblem of purity,
My next against knaves a security;
My whole is a shame
To an Englishman's name
And branded will be to futurity."

{456}

I have also seen a sort of parody upon the above applied to Waterloo:

"My first, tho' it's clear,
Will oft troubl'd appear,
My next's an amusement so clever;
My whole is a name,
Recorded by fame,
To the glory of England for ever."

M. J. C.

If the _jeu d'esprit_ on the above name be worthy of preservation, the more
correct version of it is as follows:

"My first is the emblem of purity,
My second is used for security;
My whole is a name,
Which, if I had the same,
I should blush to hand down to futurity."

The authorship was ascribed (I believe with truth) to a lady of the name of
Belson.

M. (2)

The following is the correct v