THE TWO STORY-TELLERS.

Bruce Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 1859, 27 May 1887, Page 5

THE TWO STORY-TELLERS.

The clergymen of two adjoining parishes in Forfarshire (about the end of last century) were both alike remarkable for an infiiutive fund of anecdote, as well as for a prodigious willingness, or rather eagerness, to disclose it. When one of them happened to be present in any company he generally monopolised, or rather prevented, all conversation ; when both were present there was a constant and keenly contested struggle for the first place. It fell on a certain morning that they breakfasted together, without any other company ; when the host, having a kind of right of precedence, in virtue of his place, commenced an excellent but very long-winded story, which his guest was compelled to listen to, though disposed, at the end of every sentence, to strike in with his parallel, and far more interesting, tale. As the host proceeded with his story, he poured hot water into the teapot ; and, so compietly was he absorbed ia the interest

of what he was relating, or rather perhaps so intent was he to engage the attention of his listener, that he took no note of what he was doing, bufc permitted the water first to overflow the vessel into, which he was pouring it, then. the table, and finally the floor. The guest observed what was going on ; but, being resolved for once to give his rival ample scope and verge enough, never indicated by word, or look, or gesture, that he perceived it, till at last, as the speaker brought his voice to a cadence, for the purpose of finishing the tale, he quietly remarked, "Ay, ye may stop noo — it's rinnin' oofc afc the door !"