r G.
Grant and Lord Somerset." "I cannot say that I have experienced a
more unpleasant meeting than that of the lighthouse folks this
morning, or ever saw a stronger example of unfeeling barbarity than
the conduct which the ----s exhibited. These two cold-hearted
persons, not contented with having driven the daughter of the poor
nervous woman from her father's house, _both_ kept _pouncing_ at her,
lest she should forget her great misfortune. Write me of their
conduct. Do not make any communication of the state of these families
at Kinnaird Head, as this would be like _Tale-bearing_."

There is the great word out. Tales and Tale-bearing, always with the
emphatic capitals, run continually in his correspondence. I will give
but two instances:--

"Write to David [one of the lightkeepers] and caution him to be more
prudent how he expresses himself. Let him attend his duty to the
Lighthouse and his family concerns, and give less heed to
Tale-bearers." "I have not your last letter at hand to quote its
date; but, if I recollect, it contains some kind of tales, which
nonsense I wish you would lay aside, and notice only the concerns of
your family and the important charge committed to you."

Apparently, however, my grandfather was not himself inaccessible to the
Tale-bearer, as the following indicates:--

"In-walking along with Mr. ----, I explain to him that I should be
under the necessity of looking more closely into the business here
from his conduct at Buddonness, which had given an instance of
weakness in the Moral principle which had staggered my opinion of
him. His answer was, 'That will be with regard to the lass?' I told
him I was to enter no farther with him upon the subject." "Mr. Miller
appears to be master and man. I am sorry about this foolish fellow.
Had I known his train, I should not, as I did, have rather forced him
into the service. Upon finding the windows in the state they were, I
turned upon Mr. Watt, and especially upon Mr. Stewart. The latter did
not appear for a length of time to have visited the lightroom. On
asking the cause--did Mr. Watt and him (_sic_) disagree; he said no;
but he had got very bad usage from the assistant, 'who was a very
obstreperous man.' I could not bring Mr. Watt to put in language his
objections to Miller; all I could get was that, he being your friend,
and saying he was unwell, he