The tinkler-gypsies . ftramped the northern part of Northumberlandsinging and selling ballads (locally known as?*• ballants ), one of his favourite songs beingvery appropriately, Willie, we have missedyou, which first came out in the fifties. Afterthe death of his wife, Billy wore her petticoatand bonnet with an ugby, and hence wasafterwards dubbed by the country folk PeggyMarshall. Francie Marshall, of whom an illustration (toa former chapter, p. 296) showed him sittingclipping tin, is a good representative of theKilmaurs branch of the family. He appears tohave belonged to Mochrum. It is said
The tinkler-gypsies . ftramped the northern part of Northumberlandsinging and selling ballads (locally known as?*• ballants ), one of his favourite songs beingvery appropriately, Willie, we have missedyou, which first came out in the fifties. Afterthe death of his wife, Billy wore her petticoatand bonnet with an ugby, and hence wasafterwards dubbed by the country folk PeggyMarshall. Francie Marshall, of whom an illustration (toa former chapter, p. 296) showed him sittingclipping tin, is a good representative of theKilmaurs branch of the family. He appears tohave belonged to Mochrum. It is said his fore-folks were blacksmiths there, probably hailingoriginally from Kilmaurs. Francie was a short,wiry, active little man—full of fun and frolic,and never moie at home than when taking partin a ruction. He lived near an inn in thevillage of Kirkcowan, and whenever he heardthe noise of fighting in the street he would sayto his wife, Gie me the paniniler^ \ and outhe would lush and into the thick of the fight,. o < Fine Types of Modern Tinkler-Gypsies. 503 scattering the crowd in all directions. On oneoccasion, however, it is said that his sootherinaim played him false. Francie had a grievanceagainst a certain man, and spying him throughthe window one day Francie picked up his sootherin airn and, concealing it under hiscoat tails, warily followed his foe up the struck him on the back of the neck, andthe man fell stunned at his feet. Francieproceeded to make rings round him, brandishingthe sootherin airn aloft, but when he got infront of his enemy to his consternation he sawhe had felled the wrong man. He rushed upthe back gaiden, and it is said that it is withthe greatest difficulty they dissuaded him fromcommitting suicide. He lived almost oppositethe churchyard at Kirkcowan, and his housewas a great place for old and young to fore-gather to hear Francies droll tales. One nighta visitor had drawn a stool towards the fire,and was proceeding to light his pipe.
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