St Andrews Citizen
17 September 1892
Circumstantial evidence
At a small loch about 20 miles from Aberdeen, a certain Lord B was watched while fishing by a shepherd laddie for a period of over two hours, during which time his lordship did not catch a single fish. Getting rather annoyed, he addressed the boy thus – 'I say, my little lad, do you know if there are any fish in this pond?' 'Well, yer lordship,' the boy replied, 'if there is any they must be awfu' sma', 'cause there wis nae watter here tae it rained yesterday.'

Dundee Courier
18 September 1889
A 'drunk' keeping up the Police Court finances
Yesterday, in the Police Court – before Bailie McLean – Robert Rattray, hawker, who on Monday forfeited a pledge of 5s for having been drunk and incapable, was again brought up, this time charged with drunken and riotous behavior in Queen Street. Robert being very deaf, Mr Stirling, instead of reading the complaint to him, shouted in his ear, 'Can you read, Rob?' Mr Gordon, Police Clerk, 'Ask him if he can drink.' (Laughter.) 'Rob' having replied that he could read, the complaint was handed to him, and after perusing it very carefully he acknowledged his guilt, and pleaded with the magistrate to give him another chance. Sentence – 10s of a fine, or seven days' imprisonment. The fine was paid.

Peeblesshire Advertiser
18 September 1880
Disturbance in a railway train
On Saturday, when the 8 o'clock train from Edinburgh to Penicuik was proceeding from Eskbank to Bonnyrigg, a serious disturbance arose in one of the carriages amongst a number of miners and others. By the time it arrived at Bonnyrigg shouts of 'Murder' and 'Police' attracted the attention of the railway and police authorities, and it was even alleged that one of the company had been using a knife, an allegation which, fortunately, was afterwards ascertained to have been unfounded. However, when the police entered the carriage one man bore so evident traces of the fight that he was at once arrested and taken out of the carriage, but upon an explanation being made he was allowed to go back; and, the police remaining in the carriage to Hawthorden, something like order was restored before the train arrived there.

Oban Times
19 September 1868
A ploughman reading Herodotus
Report by assistant commissioner on the country districts of Scotland: There is living in a little Highland village a middle-aged man, who had been a ploughman in his youth, but became paralysed when he was 18 years old. Since then he has been living as a pauper in a hovel with his mother, who is also on the poor roll, and has spent the long years during which he has been unable to work in trying to make himself a scholar. When I saw him, about 18 months ago, he had been laboriously working his way through Herodotus with a dictionary and grammar which he had borrowed from the minister. He had nearly finished the second book, and was deeply interested in the history of the Egyptians, and in comparing the account of Egypt and of its inhabitants as given by Herodotus with that given by Moses in the Pentateuch. Fancy a Highland ploughman reading the second book of Herodotus!

Lanarkshire Upper Ward Examiner
19 September 1863
Douglas presentation
When a presentation takes place it is usual to have a special meeting of the parties concerned, the particulars of which generally occupy the greater part of the newspaper report. In this instance, however, nothing of the sort took place, the story is therefore short and simple. A few friends in the district of Bellfield and Coalburn, deputed Mr Andrew Rae to wait on the Rev Charles Gordon, at the manse lately, and present him with a very handsome pew Bible and other useful accompaniments, as a token of their appreciation of his pastoral labours and evangelistic visits. The Rev gentleman, taken by surprise, accepted the gifts with cheerful emotions of thankfulness, gratefully acknowledging the unexpected kindness of his well-wishers. Perhaps the most pleasing feature in this instance of goodwill is in the fact that all the Christian denominations of the community were joined together in a spirit of unanimity.

Alloa Advertiser
21 September 1850
Whales in the Clyde
As a party were cruising about the other day, between Wemyss Bay and Enellen, they observed three whales very near them. One of them was of enormous size. A number of sharks and sturgeons have been seen lately in the same vicinity.