Ay, it was no that bad," replied his mother with cautious approval.
"What about his view of the Sabbath ?" "What about it?
Wad ye no lift a sheep oot o' the muck on the Sawbath ?" "A would, of course," replied Malcolm.
"Weel, what ?" "A was jist thinkin' o' Mr.Wigglesworth this morning." "Yon man!" "You were rather hard on him this morning', eh, Mither ?" "Hard on him?
He's no a sheep, nor in some ways as guid's a sheep, A grant ye that, but such as he is was it no ma duty to pull him oot o' the mire o' Sawbath desecration and general ungodliness ?" "Aw, Mither, Mither! Ye're incorrigible! Ye ought to come to the meeting this afternoon and give them all a lug out." "A wull that then," said his mother heartily.

"They need it, A doot." "Hoots! Nonsense, Mither!" said her son hastily, knowing well how thoroughly capable she was of not only going to a meeting of Union workers but also of speaking her mind if in her judgment they were guilty of transgressing the Sabbath law.

"The meeting will be just as religious as Mr.Matheson's anyway." "A'm no sae sure," said his mother grimly.
Whether religious in the sense understood by Mrs.McNish, the meeting was not wanting in ethical interest or human passion.

It was a gathering of the workers in the various industries in the town, Trade Unionists most of them, but with a considerable number who had never owed allegiance to any Union and a number of disgruntled ex-Unionists.

These latter were very vociferous and for the most part glib talkers, with passions that under the slightest pressure spurted foaming to the surface.