Instead of routing her out, Tammas, without taking any one into his confidence, determined to treat Chirsty as dead, and celebrate her decease in a "lyke wake"-- a last wake.

These wakes were very general in Thrums in the old days, though they had ceased to be common by the date of Little Rathie's death.

For three days before the burial the friends and neighbours of the mourners were invited into the house to partake of food and drink by the side of the corpse.

The dead lay on chairs covered with a white sheet.

Dirges were sung, and the deceased was extolled, but when night came the lights were extinguished, and the corpse was left alone.