" Tammy, being in
Heriot's, was a laddie of learning.
"Weel done, laddie. Lang syne there was a wa' aroond Edinburgh
wi' gates in it." Oh yes, all these bairnies knew that, and the
fragment of it that was still to be seen outside and above the
Grassmarket, with its sentry tower by the old west port. "Gin a
fey king or ither grand veesitor cam', the Laird Provost an' the
maigestrates gied 'im the keys so he could gang in an' oot at 'is
pleesure. The wa's are a' doon noo, an' the gates no' here ony
mair, but we hae the keys, an' we mak' a show o' gien' 'em to
veesitors wha are vera grand or wise or gude, or juist usefu' by
the ordinar'."
"Maister Gladstane," said Tammy.
"Ay, we honor the Queen's meenisters; an' Miss Nightingale, wha
nursed the soldiers i' the war; an' Leddy Burdett-Coutts, wha
gies a' her siller an' a' her heart to puir folk an' is aye kind
to horses and dogs an' singin' birdies; an' we gie the keys to
heroes o' the war wha are brave an' faithfu'. An' noo, there's a
wee bit beastie. He's weel-behavin', an' isna makin' a blatterin'
i' an auld kirkyaird. He aye minds what he's bidden to do. He's
cheerfu' an' busy, keepin' the proolin' pussies an' vermin frae
the sma' birdies i' the nests. He mak's friends o' ilka body, an'
he's faithfu'. For a deid man he lo'ed he's gaun hungry; an' he
hasna forgotten 'im or left 'im by 'is lane at nicht for mair
years than some o' ye are auld. An' gin ye find 'im lyin' canny,
an' ye tak' a keek into 'is bonny brown een, ye can see he's aye
greetin'.
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