The Man with the Powerful Voice

Sometimes the public houses were used for small parties and dances and on one occasion some men from Lawers attended one of them. One left in the wee sma’ hours saying that he wanted to catch a few hours sleep before going to his work. Rising, the following day, he decided to return to the public house in the hope of getting his “morning” and when he got there found that the dancing and fiddle music was still going full blast. Surprised, he asked the landlady if the dance had not ended, “Not at all, it’s only beginning to begin.” He left and then went on to his work, but some of his mates didn’t return to their work till the following day.

Duncan Anderson was known as Dochie, and he was the gamekeeper at Lawers. He was a small, tough, wiry man who was very much in love with himself. He enjoyed music, and thought that his singing voice was unmatched throughout the country, and at the drop of a hat would launch himself into song. Along with some other lads from the estate he went, one evening, to a public house which was located where the old Comrie War Institute now stands. After a few drams Dochie volunteered a song, and, as everyone was in fine fettle, they all agreed that he should do so. He then proceeded, with great gusto, and gave a rendering of “The Lass o’ Patie’s Mill.” What he may have lacked in sweetness, he made up in volume! A good time was had by all with Dochie singing away to his heart’s content.

One of the lads who was there told his work mates the following day that he had been to a grand party the night before, and how Dochie, with his mighty voice, had almost raised the roof with his singing. The head gardener at Lawers, at that time, was Dan McGregor, who always enjoyed a good laugh and knew Dochie, and his weaknesses well, so he asked the lad at what time had Dochie launched into song and what he had sung. The lad mentioned that it had been about nine o’clock in the evening and that Dochie had sung the “Lass o’ Patie’s Mill.”

Later in the day Dochie happened upon Dan in the gardens of Lawers and they exchanged a bit of snuff together and discussed various estate matters. Dan then asked, “Where were you about nine o’clock last night?” Dochie replied, “I was in Comrie at that time last night.” McGregor then said. “That’s not possible because I was working here in the hot houses at that time and imagined that I had heard you singing. However if you had been in Comrie two miles away at the time it would not have been possible to hear you singing.” McGregor continued that he had distinctly heard the words, “Her arms white, round, and smooth” but did not know the name of the song. Dochie beamed, “Man, that’s the very song I was singing at that very time. That’s some o’ the words from the “Lass o’ Patie’s Mill.” The conversation then concluded with Dochie leaving fair bursting with pride that the extraordinary power of his voice had carried over two miles.