Chapter I: Front Matter

The Starling

A Scottish Story

BY
NORMAN MACLEOD

Author of
"Reminiscences of a Highland Parish" "Character Sketches"
"The Old Lieutenant and his Son" &c. &c.

BLACKIE & SON LIMITED
LONDON AND GLASGOW

BLACKIE & SON LIMITED 50 Old Bailey, London 17 Stanhope Street, Glasgow

BLACKIE & SON (INDIA) LIMITED Warwick House, Fort Street, Bombay

BLACKIE & SON (CANADA) LIMITED 1118 Bay Street, Toronto

Printed in Great Britain by Blackie & Son, Ltd., Glasgow

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Norman Macleod was born, in 1812, at Campbeltown, in Argyllshire, where his father was parish minister. Educated in Campbeltown and Campsie for a time, he entered the University of Glasgow in 1827, and in 1837 became a licensed minister of the Church of Scotland. From 1838 to 1843 ne was minister of Loudoun parish in Ayrshire, from 1843 to 1851 of Dalkeith parish, and from 1851 till his death in 1872 of the Barony Parish, Glasgow. He was appointed chaplain to Queen Victoria in 1857, and next year received the degree of D.D. from Glasgow University. He edited _Good Words_ from its foundation in 1860 till his death, and he also gained great literary success with the following books: _The Gold Thread_ (1861), _The Old Lieutenant and his Son_ (1862), _Parish Papers_ (1862), _Wee Davie_ (1864), _Eastward_ (1866), _Reminiscences of a Highland Parish_ (1867), _The Starling_ (1867), _Peeps at the Far East_ (1871), _The Temptation of Our Lord_ (1872), and _Character Sketches_ (1872).

Contents

CHAP.

I. Antecedents
II. The Elder and his Starling
III. The Starling a Disturber of the Peace
IV. The Rev. Daniel Porteous
V. The Sergeant and his Starling in Trouble
VI. The Starling on his Trial
VII. The Sergeant on his Trial
VIII. The Conference in the Manse
IX. Charlie's Cot once More Occupied
X. The Sergeant Alone with the Starling
XI. The Old Soldier and his Young Pupil on Sunday Evening
XII. Adam Mercer, Sergeant, but not Elder
XIII. Jock Hall, the Ne'er-do-Weel
XIV. Jock Hall's Conspiracy
XV. Jock Hall's Journey
XVI. Fishers and Fishing
XVII. The Keeper's Home
XVIII. The Keeper's Letter
XIX. Extremes Meet
XX. Jock Hall's Return
XXI. The Quack
XXII. Corporal Dick
XXIII. Corporal Dick at the Manse
XXIV. Dr. Scott and his Servant
XXV. Mr. Smellie's Diplomacy
XXVI. The Starling Again in Danger
XXVII. The Sergeant's Sickness and his Sick-Nurse
XXVIII. Mr. Porteous Visits the Sergeant
XXIX. The Minister Pure and Peaceable
XXX. "A Man's a Man for a' That"

List of Illustrations

"Here he is! Tak' him and finish him" _Frontispiece_

"Are you aware, Mr. Mercer, of what has just happened?"

"I'll keep Mary"

"I was but axin' a ceevil question, Mr. Spence"

THE STARLING