Document 1014

Spech of reminisence given by R. Morrison at Silver wedding of his son in law S. McDonald 1.1.43

Author(s): Mr Robert Morrison

Copyright holder(s): Dr Beth Dickson

Spech of reminisence given by R. Morrison at Silver wedding of his son in law S. McDonald 1.1.43

Mr Chair man Ladies and Gentlemen. I might say that I am delighted and thankfull to God for His Kindness to each of us in permiting us to gather with each other to do honour to my son in law and His wife on account of celebrating their silver wedding

As I look round this little company I can see a few who were present 25 years ago at their original wedding. But sorry to say there are a few absent who has gone to swell the Great Majority. Who were happy on that bright and memorable night 25 years ago. Now I trust everyone present here to night will enjoy them selves we have the best of talent. A fine speaker from the largest city in the world and speakers and singers and musicians from the largest town in Ayrshire and the same from the smallest village namely the Plan. Now before I proceed to say anything more I would like to recall a something that took place a night previous to the wedding. The house where they were going to take up their abode was being put into order, so that everything would be in order for them when they returned from their Honeymoon. So a very important item had to be attended to namely the hanging up of the nock which had to been presented to them. So Sam came up the night before the wedding to see to it being hung up in the right spot. So he asked me to come seing I was an experienced man he asked me to come up with my claw hammer and 2 strong nails. And I may say before we proceeded a wee chap from Overtown a wee minning village up in Lanarkshire arrived on the scene Not that he knew any thing about hanging up nocks. But we took him with us he knew more about coal cutting machines and pan runs. But we took him with us just to pass the time. So Sam being a minning student choose the spot. So he asked me to nock in one of the nails. So i did so and i asked Sam if that would dae dae says he that nail would hold all the nocks that ever was made in America. Off course the wee chap from overtown did not speak. So we lifted up the nock and Sam and I looked it up and down, and we came to the conclusion that it was perpindicular. And Sam concluded there would be nothing to hinder the nock from going. He opens the door and gives the pendlum a nice wee shove away and we hearkens tick tick tick and it stops. So i told Sam to give the pendlum a harder shove. So he did so and we hearkens tick tick tick and it stops. So I looked over at the chap to see how he was taking it: but I just saw a wee smile on his face but I never let on. I told Sam the third time was fair, but that he would have to give the pendlum a harder shove this time. So he did so and we hearkens again tick tick tick and it stops. So we had to eat the humble pie, and i asked the wee chap to try his hand if he kent anything about a nock hanging up So I think I see these wee hard hauns of his catch the nock by the side and take it a little to the side off the perpindicular and he gave the pendulm a gentle shove away and we hearkens tick tick tick and the nock never stopped. It is gawn yet. So Sam like the nock has went on through these 25 years day out and day in working in the interest of the Lord who saved Him and in the interest of his master on earth, and his home. And I can say of him as I heard a man say about his son in law, that his experience of him was that he had found him to be a gentleman. I may say that I was an eye-witness of him being taken on the Cage by the hand of his Uncle James and taken away ben into the coal face to draw of his uncle, as he passed by me I was sorry for him. Yet he seemed to me to be a clever wee chap and I thought he would get on. So from that day he began to learn all he could about the mine from the horles to the coal face. And one day He set out for Edinburgh and he answered a lot of Questions concerning mining and then he came home. And the Postman followed him with his Second Class Certificate. But not being content he set out again and obtained his first class. And of course as we all know he has filled that position for the last 21 years. Now for his dear wife. I have known her since she was a child. As she grew up she was put to work as early as we could get her away. So she learned to be a professional Baker of Oatcakes and Scones and pancakes. And she learned to wash, sow, nit and darn and she turned out to be a first class wife for Sam. And I am sure he would kill all the Germans in Germany if any of them interfered with Meg. I will now conclude wishing them the Blessing that Jabeas received. And I now call on Mr McDonald to sing the beautifull song I heard him sing 30 years ago. I am pressing on the upward way.

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Spech of reminisence given by R. Morrison at Silver wedding of his son in law S. McDonald 1.1.43