ed ▁by ▁the ▁Mitchell ▁Library . ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁background ▁ ▁A ▁lif el ong ▁b ach elor , ▁T ait ▁is ▁said ▁to ▁have ▁lived ▁in ▁a ▁small ▁two - stor ied ▁c ott age ▁on ▁the ▁west ▁side ▁of ▁Mont gom erie ▁Street ▁near ▁the ▁entrance ▁to ▁the ▁school , ▁occup ying ▁the ▁gar ret ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁with ▁only ▁a ▁large ▁t ame ▁rat ▁for ▁company . ▁His ▁friend ▁came ▁to ▁an ▁un tim ely ▁end ▁when ▁a ▁female ▁visitor ▁encountered ▁his ▁pet ▁and ▁a ▁male ▁friend ▁killed ▁the ▁uns us pect ing ▁rod ent . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁thought ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁born ▁at ▁Inner le ith en , ▁Pe eb less hire , ▁the ▁home ▁territory ▁of ▁the ▁Cla in ▁T ait , ▁where ▁he ▁seems ▁to ▁have ▁had ▁a ▁limited ▁education . ▁He ▁travel led ▁a ▁great ▁deal ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁of ▁Scotland ▁in ▁his ▁early ▁years ▁as ▁a ▁ped lar , ▁then ▁he ▁worked ▁at ▁mant ua - making , ▁s elling ▁g own - pie ces ▁to ▁ladies ▁and ▁then ▁making ▁up ▁the ▁dress ▁in ▁the ▁customer ' s ▁home . ▁Event ually ▁he ▁settled ▁down ▁in ▁Tar bol ton ▁and ▁established ▁himself ▁as ▁a ▁respect ed ▁figure . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁smart ▁and ▁active ▁with ▁a ▁ready ▁wit , ▁given ▁to ▁l am po oning , ▁possessed ▁of ▁a ▁store ▁of ▁am using ▁stories , ▁was ▁an ▁accomplished ▁rh ym ester ▁and ▁as ▁such , ▁was ▁much ▁in ▁demand ▁at ▁wed d ings ,