es
Milner killed. He was tenant not only of Tillyriach, which was at that
time the property of Sir William Forbes of Craigievar, but he rented
Carnaveron and other farms in the Vale of Alford. His position was
good: he dined with the gentlemen of the neighbourhood. On one occasion
he had Sir William Forbes to dine with him at Tillyriach, and collected
all the horses, cattle, and servants from his other farms, and had them
all coming as if from the yoke when Sir William arrived. Milner wanted
allowances for several improvements from his landlord, and, among the
rest, allowance to build, and payment for, a large dwelling-house; but
he outwitted himself for once, as Sir William was afraid of the man,
and refused to give any allowance whatsoever, remarking that his wealth
in cattle and horses was so enormous that he might build himself in so
that he would never get him out. However, Milner built an additional
large dining-room at his own expense, and it being finished all but the
chimney-top, he got up one summer morning very early, ordered his men
and horses along with a mason to follow him, and went to William Laing,
one of his sub-tenants, of whom he had a host, quietly removed a new
dressed granite chimney-top which Laing had lately erected, without
being detected by the inmates, and had it placed upon his room ere ever
it was missed. There it remained for fifty years, until the houses at
Tillyriach were taken down. Milner was very fond of a lark; he was the
best possible neighbour; but if he took offence or considered himself
slighted or overlooked, he would have his revenge. There was a rather
troublesome neighbour who had offended Mr Milner, and of whom he could
not get the better, except in the following way:--He put a large drove
of cattle among his corn during the night, and was there in the morning
with his appraiser to pay the damage. The damage is never in such cases
estimated at the loss sustained by the owner, and a man may easily be
ruined in that way. Mr Milner was the Captain Barclay of the Vale of
Alford. He must have the best of everything--the best horses, the best
cattle; and at the first cattle-show in the country, at Kincardine
O'Neil, he gained the first prize for the best bull. He had the finest
horses in the country, and it was worth something to get a "lift" of
Milner's horses; and the most grievous fault his servants could commit,
was allowing any other horses in the country to take as heavy loads