Auld Licht Idylls

One can tell the protagonist is Barrie himself from the remarkable 1800s Scots accent of the secluded one-room home teacher who is struggling to make ends meet while receiving a meager stipend from the people and facing review due to low enrollment. The rambling story reads like a diary of everyday life in the weaving community of Thrums, which is brought to life by the residents' vehement opposition to other churches in the area. Tragic stories like the one about the young guy who went to a nearby town and fell in love, but when he returned to Thrums, he couldn't remember her name or the name and place of his love, and so he passed away in old age unfulfilled in his fantasy. The town of Thrums and, more specifically, the members of one of its four churches, are at the center of the entire collection of tales. The Auld Licht Kirk, at the time, contained more ardent Calvinists than any other organization in Scotland. This community, its practices, and customs demonstrate that it is possible to lead a disciplined, hardworking life and still manage to scrape by.