quack who ran the show], in name of the Session, and discharge him to use Ropedancing, men similating themselves fools, or women exposing themselves to public by dancing on the stage, or any undecent behaviour, allowing him only to expose his drugs or medicine to public sale."

to

We have already had occasion mention, by name, two of Greenock's wellknown "characters"-Archie Geachie and Tawtie Willie-but, there are many others worthy of a passing glance, some of whom may still be remembered, while the outstanding eccentricities of others have been inwoven in our minds with the nursery tales of childhood. The question naturally arises, Why are there no "characters" nowadays? Alas! the deadly monotony of our educational system brings all those of school age down to the dead level of the standards, and when they reach adolescence, and shew

G

any special mental idiosyncracies, they are, forthwith locked up, by the Parish Council authorities, in the enforced retirement of Smithston! But, these old notables of Greenock were, by no means, wanting in mental or bodily vigour, and, one at least of them, rendered good service, in her day and generation, to her native land. This was the patriotic Mother Casey, who, when the French invasion threatened, paraded the streets in a boat, seemingly propelled by oars rowed by stalwart seamen on board, while the virago waved the flag and called on her fellow-townsmen to come forward to the defence of the country, by which means a corps of five hundred men was raised, known at the time as "The Clyde Marine Volunteers." Our ancestors, also, seem to have had, intuitively, the happy knack of giving pithy nicknames, as has been done with such marked effect by Bunyan in the

Pilgrim's Progress and Carlyle in his French Revolution, which outline in vivid wordpictures the salient characteristics of those on whom they were conferred. What a volume of memories is recalled by, and what a picture gallery of incidents gather round, such well known names as those of Heather Jock, Puddin' Jean, Scutcher, Mouly Dan, The Babes, Old Malabar, Burn-the-Bible, Tag-a-rag, and Robin-ring-the-Bell! first named of these, Heather Jock, was a strolling musician, who wandered the streets carrying a bunch of heather, and singing his melodies, in a high falsetto voice, to his admirers who formed a circle round

The

him. His favourite song was "Annie Laurie," and, as he uttered the closing lines, in long drawnout, agonised tones,-"And for bonnie Annie Laurie, I wad lay me doon and dee" he fell to the ground, and lay prostrate on his back. Puddin' Jean, a