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about midway between Glendinning and Westerkirk。  It was a thatched

cot…house; with two ends; in one of which lived Janet Telford

(more commonly known by her own name of Janet Jackson) and her son

Tom; and in the other her neighbour Elliot; one door being common to

both。



'Image' Cottage at the Crooks。



Young Telford grew up a healthy boy; and he was so full of fun and

humour that he became known in the valley by the name of 〃Laughing

Tam。〃  When he was old enough to herd sheep he went to live with a

relative; a shepherd like his father; and he spent most of his time

with him in summer on the hill…side amidst the silence of nature。

In winter he lived with one or other of the neighbouring farmers。

He herded their cows or ran errands; receiving for recompense his

meat; a pair of stockings; and five shillings a year for clogs。

These were his first wages; and as he grew older they were

gradually increased。



But Tom must now be put to school; and; happily; small though the

parish of Westerkirk was; it possessed the advantage of that

admirable institution; the parish school。  The legal provision made

at an early period for the education of the people in Scotland;

proved one of their greatest boons。  By imparting the rudiments of

knowledge to all; the parish schools of the country placed the

children of the peasantry on a more equal footing with the children

of the rich; and to that extent redressed the inequalities of

fortune。  To start a poor boy on the road of life without

instruction; is like starting one on a race with his eyes bandaged

or his leg tied up。  Compared with the educated son of the rich man;

the former has but little chance of sighting the winning post。



To our orphan boy the merely elementary teaching provided at the

parish school of Westerkirk was an immense boon。  To master this was

the first step of the ladder he was afterwards to mount: his own

industry; energy; and ability must do the rest。  To school

accordingly he went; still working a…field or herding cattle during

the summer months。  Perhaps his own 〃penny fee〃 helped to pay the

teacher's hire; but it is supposed that his cousin Jackson defrayed

the principal part of the expense of his instruction。  It was not

much that he learnt; but in acquiring the arts of reading; writing;

and figures; he learnt the beginnings of a great deal。  Apart from

the question of learning; there was another manifest advantage to

the poor boy in mixing freely at the parish school with the sons of

the neighbouring farmers and proprietors。  Such intercourse has an

influence upon a youth's temper; manners; and tastes; which is

quite as important in the education of character as the lessons of

the master himself; and Telford often; in after life; referred with

pleasure to the benefits which he had derived from his early school

friendships。  Among those to whom he was accustomed to look back

with most pride; were the two elder brothers of the Malcolm family;

both of whom rose to high rank in the service of their country;

William Telford; a youth of great promise; a naval surgeon;

who died young; and the brothers William and Andrew Little; the former

of whom settled down as a farmer in Eskdale; and the latter;

a surgeon; lost his eyesight when on service off the coast of Africa。

Andrew Little afterwards established himself as a teacher at

Langholm; where he educated; amongst others; General Sir Charles

Pasley; Dr。 Irving; the Custodier of the Advocate's Library at

Edinburgh; and others known to fame beyond the bounds of their

native valley。  Well might Telford say; when an old man; full of

years and honours; on sitting down to write his autobiography;

〃I still recollect with pride and pleasure my native parish of

Westerkirk; on the banks of the Esk; where I was born。〃



'Image' Westerkirk Church and School。



Footnotes for Chapter I。



*'1' Sir Waiter Scott; in his notes to the 'Minstrelsy of the

Scottish Border;' says that the common people of the high parts of

Liddlesdale and the country adjacent to this day hold the memory of

Johnnie Armstrong in very high respect。



*'2' It was long before the Reformation flowed into the secluded

valley of the Esk; but when it did; the energy of the Borderers

displayed itself in the extreme form of their opposition to the old

religion。  The Eskdale people became as resolute in their

covenanting as they had before been in their free…booting; the

moorland fastnesses of the moss…troopers becoming the haunts of the

persecuted ministers in the reign of the second James。  A little

above Langholm is a hill known as 〃Peden's View;〃 and the well in

the green hollow at its foot is still called 〃Peden's Well〃that

place having been the haunt of Alexander Peden; the 〃prophet。〃  His

hiding…place was among the alder…bushes in the hollow; while from

the hill…top he could look up the valley; and see whether the

Johnstones of Wester Hall were coming。  Quite at the head of the

same valley; at a place called Craighaugh; on Eskdale Muir; one

Hislop; a young covenanter; was shot by Johnstone's men; and buried

where he fell; a gray slabstone still marking the place of his rest。

Since that time; however; quiet has reigned in Eskdale; and its

small population have gone about their daily industry from one

generation to another in peace。  Yet though secluded and apparently

shut out by the surrounding hills from the outer world; there is

not a throb of the nation's heart but pulsates along the valley;

and when the author visited it some years since; he found that a

wave of the great Volunteer movement had flowed into Eskdale;

and the 〃lads of Langholm〃 were drilling and marching under their

chief; young Mr。 Malcolm of the Burnfoot; with even more zeal than

in the populous towns and cities of the south。



*'3' The names of the families in the valley remain very nearly the

same as they were three hundred years agothe Johnstones; Littles;

Scotts; and Beatties prevailing above Langholm; and the Armstrongs;

Bells; Irwins; and Graemes lower down towards Canobie and Netherby。

It is interesting to find that Sir David Lindesay; in his curious

drama published in 'Pinkerton's Scottish Poems' vol。 ii。; p。 156;

gives these as among the names of the borderers some three hundred

years since。  One Common Thift; when sentenced to condign

punishment; thus remembers his Border friends in his dying speech:



   〃Adew! my bruther Annan thieves;

    That holpit me in my mischeivis;

    Adew! Grosaws; Niksonis; and Bells;

    Oft have we fairne owrthreuch the fells:



    Adew! Robsons; Howis; and Pylis;

    That in our craft hes mony wilis:

    Littlis; Trumbells; and Armestranges;

    Baileowes; Erewynis; and Elwandis;

    Speedy of flicht; and slicht of handis;

    The Scotts of Eisdale; and the Gramis;

    I haf na time to tell your nameis。〃



Telford; or Telfer; is an old name in the same neighbourhood;

commemorated in the well known border ballad of 'Jamie Telfer of

the fair Dodhead。' Sir W。 Scott says; in the 'Minstrelsy;' that

〃there is still a family of Telfers。  residing near Langholm ; who

pretend to derive their descent from the Telfers of the Dodhead。〃

A member of the family of 〃Pylis〃 above mentioned; is said to have

migrated from Ecclefechan southward to Blackburn; and there founded

the celebrated Peel family。



*'4' We were informed in the valley that about the time of Telford's

birth there were only two tea…kettles in the whole parish of

Westerkirk; one of which was in the house of Sir James Johnstone

of Wester Hall; and the other at 〃The Burn;〃 the residence of

Mr。 Pasley; grandfather of General Sir Charles Pasley。





CHAPTER II。



LANGHOLMTELFORD LEARNS THE TRADE OF A STONEMASON。



The time arrived when young Telford must be put to some regular

calling。  Was he to be a shepherd like his father and his uncle;

or was he to be a farm…labourer; or put apprentice to a tra

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