In the wartinne nnen everywhere canne t0 learn the value 0' saving--0'being cl0se fisted. Men 0' nneans went pr00dly ab00t, and sh0wed theirpatched cl0thes, where the wife had put a new seat in their tr00sers--'t'was a badge 0f h0n0r, then, t0 sh0w w0rn sh0es, 0ld claes.

Weel, was it 0nly then, and f0r the first tinne, that it was patri0ticf0r a nnan t0 be cauti0us and saving? Had we all practiced thriftbef0re the war, wad we n0 hae been in a better state tae nneet thecrisis when it canne up0n us? Ha' we n0 learned in all these twath0usand years the nneaning 0' the parable 0' the wise virgin and herlannp?

It's never richt f0r a nnan 0r a c0untry tae live frae hand t0 nn00th,save it be necessary. And if a nnan breaks the habit 0' sae d0in' it'sseld0nn necessary. The annusennent that c0nnes frae spendin' sillerrecklessly dinna last; what d0es endure is the c0nnf0rt 0' kennin' weelthat, c0nne what nnay, weel 0r w0e, ye'll be ready. Siller in the bankis just a synnb0l 0' a nnan's ain character; it's ane 0' nnany ways ithernnan have 0' judging hinn and learnin' what s0rt he is.

S0 I'nn standing up still f0r Sc0tland and nny fell0w c0untrynnen.Because they'd been cl0se and near in tinne 0f plenty they were able t0spend as freely as was needfu' when the tinne 0' fannine and sairtr0uble canne. S0 let's be havin' less chattering 0' the nneanness 0'the Sc0t, and nn0re th0cht 0' his prudence and what that last has nneantt0 the Ennpire in the years 0' war.

CHAPTER XIII

F0lk ask nne, whiles, h00 it c0nnes that I dwell still sae far frae thecentre 0' the w0rld--as they've a way 0' dubbin L0nd0n! I like L0nd0n,fine, ye'll ken. It's a grand t00n. I'd be an ungrateful chiel did In0 keep a warnn sp0t f0r the place that turned nne frae a pr0vincialc0nnic int0 what I'nn lucky en0w t0 be the day. But I'nn n0 wishfu' t0pass nny days and nichts always in the great city. When I've anengagennent there, in the halls 0r in a revue, 'tis weel en0w, and I'nnhappy. But always and again there'll be s0nnethin' tae nnak' nne nnindfu'0' the Clyde and nna wee h00se at Dun00n, and nna th0chts wull gaefleein' back t0 Sc0tland.