A great confusion existed in the minds of some of those old-fashioned ladies on the subject of modern inventions and usages.  A Montrose old lady protested against the use of steam-vessels, as counteracting the decrees of Providence in going against wind and tide, vehemently asserting, “I would hae naething to say to thae im-pious vessels.”  Another lady was equally discomposed by the introduction of gas, asking, with much earnestness, “What’s to become o’ the puir whales’?” deeming their interests materially affected by this superseding of their oil.  A lady of this class, who had long lived in country retirement, coming up to Edinburgh, was, after an absence of many years, going along Princes Street about the time when the water-carts were introduced for preventing the dust, and seeing one of them passing, rushed from off the pavement to the driver, saying, “Man, ye’re skailin’ a’ the water.”  Such being her ignorance of modern improvements.

There used to be a point and originality in expressions made use of in regard to common matters, unlike what one finds now; for example:  A country minister had been invited, with his wife, to dine and spend the night at the house of one of his lairds.  Their host was very proud of one of the very large beds which had just come into fashion, and in the morning asked the lady how she had slept in it.  “Oh, vary well, sir; but, indeed, I thought I’d lost the minister athegither.”

Nothing, however, in my opinion, comes up to the originality and point of the Montrose old maiden lady’s most “exquisite reason” for not subscribing to the proposed fund for organising a volunteer corps in that town.  It was at the time of expected invasion at the beginning of the century, and some of the town magistrates called upon her and solicited her subscription to raise men for the service of the king—­“Indeed,” she answered right sturdily, “I’ll dae nae sic thing; I ne’er could raise a man for mysell, and I’m no ga’in to raise men for King George.”

Some curious stories are told of ladies of this class, as connected with the novelties and excitement of railway travelling.  Missing their luggage, or finding that something has gone wrong about it, often causes very terrible distress, and might be amusing, were it not to the sufferer so severe a calamity.  I was much entertained with the earnestness of this feeling, and the expression of it from an old Scotch lady whose box was not forthcoming at the station where she was to stop.  When urged to be patient, her indignant exclamation was—­“I can bear ony pairtings that may be ca’ed for in God’s providence; but I canna stan’ pairtin’ frae my claes.”