uniformity's sake, was a precautionary annunciation of spring-guns
and man-traps of such formidable powers that, said the rubrick,
with an emphatic nota bene--'if a man goes in they will break a
horse's leg.'

In defiance of these threats, six well-grown gipsy boys and girls
were riding cock-horse upon the new gate, and plaiting may-
flowers, which it was but too evident had been gathered within the
forbidden precincts. With as much anger as he was capable of
feeling, or perhaps of assuming, the Laird commanded them to
descend;--they paid no attention to his mandate: he then began to
pull them down one after another;--they resisted, passively at
least, each sturdy bronzed varlet making himself as heavy as he
could, or climbing up as fast as he was dismounted.

The Laird then called in the assistance of his servant, a surly
fellow, who had immediate recourse to his horsewhip. A few lashes
sent the party a-scampering; and thus commenced the first breach
of the peace between the house of Ellangowan and the gipsies of
Derncleugh.

The latter could not for some time imagine that the war was real;
until they found that their children were horsewhipped by the
grieve when found trespassing; that their asses were poinded by
the ground-officer when left in the plantations, or even when
turned to graze by the roadside, against the provision of the
turnpike acts; that the constable began to make curious inquiries
into their mode of gaining a livelihood, and expressed his
surprise that the men should sleep in the hovels all day, and be
abroad the greater part of the night.