Bog-Myrtle and Peat Tales Chiefly of Galloway Gathered from the Years 1889 to 1895

"Bog-Myrtle and Peat" by S. R. Crockett is a collection of stories set in the late 1800s in Galloway, Scotland. It is a series of accounts about people's lives by looking at their religious beliefs, how they interact with one another, and how hard it is to live in the country. The book begins in Dour, where Abraham Ligartwood, a serious minister, has come to clean up the town after the last minister allowed the people to be bad. The villagers fear and resent the hard minister because he tries to stop their bad habits, like trading illegal things and drinking, but when sickness spreads, the minister helps those who are infected. As he is unselfish and cares for the sick and lays the dead to rest, the villagers feel regret for the way they treated the minister. This shows how powerful leadership is in times sadness and proves how fear and respect are connected.