David Elginbrod

r it is certain no vessel can leave a worse taste in the liquor it contains, than a wrong teacher infects an unskilful hearer with that which hardly will

ilip Sidney to h

nterwoven with the whole web of their histories, that instead of appearing any more as strange accidents, they assume the shape of u

s; for a man who would not steal for money's worth, might yet steal for value of another sort, addressing itself to some peculiar weakness; and Mr. Arnold might have met with instances of this nature in his position as magistrate. He greatly desired,

his speech. It occurred to him at once to ask his advice, in a modified manner; and a moment's reflection convinced him that it w

ine, I think," said he, as

chman, sir-may b

ome ye f

berdee

f-country. An' wha

me John Ma

e's Sut

up o' yer han', Maister Sutherlan'.-Eh, man!" h

"that we are some cousins or other. It's very lucky

estow of his best. Had it been sixpence, the cousinship would have requi

at your ser

l you be

o'clock p

quare, and ask for

sir, 'gin 'twa

be procured, had he not remembered a small pig (Anglicé stone bottle) of real mountain dew, which

e odour of the deacon's sanctity. But she was considerably alarmed and beyond measure shocked w

pleaceman wants Mr. S

nd know, you stupid girl," ans

reply, as she vanished to b

as she confessed afterwards. "But it may be forgery or embezzlement. I

ir," said Sally, out of breath

s me?" as

man, sir," answered Sall

d by the girl's behaviour, a

how him

n't mind, sir, just put on my frock and apron, and take a jug in your hand, an' the pleaceman'll neve

a prisoner. The kindness of her anxiety moderated the expression of Hugh's amusement; and having co

w-the two Scotchmen, seated at opposite corners of the fire, had a long chat. They began about the old country, and the places and people they both knew, and both didn't know. If

me pursue, John, to get

, sir. I ken maist the hail

sh, for particular reasons, that the po

brawly. Ye'll be efter

leaving him to form any

easy to a body that's no up to the trade. Ha

the l

pondered

e, 'at ye're efter, I'll tell ye what: there's ae man, a countryman o' our ain, an' a gentleman forbye, that'll d

on't," s

kin' he'll be at hame the noo; for I saw him gaein that get, afore ye cam' up to me. An' the suner

ot consider it

een-so be he can do them a guid turn; but he's no for drinkin' and d

nutes they stood at Mr. Falconer's door. John rang. The door opened without visible service, and they ascended to the f

at hom', mem?"

hink he's just

o John MacPherson, the policem

ed; and went in, lea

ust light enough for Hugh to recognize, to his astonishment, the unmistakeable figure of the man whom he had met

?" said a deep powerful

ye, Mr. Falconer. Hoo

, thank you. W

lan', wha wants your help, sir, aboot somebody or

nd, bowing to Hugh s

if in my power. Our friend MacPherson has rather

pier at yersel', whether or no ye was

here was the story of a whole lif

rely

eman with me, then, John

a bit! though a' the policem

ged to you for

t, sir. Good nicht, Mr. Sutherlan'. Ye'll ken whaur to fi

d Hugh, shaking him by the hand

gin ye war, ye sud

t down, Mr. Sutherland," he said, "if you can find a chair that is not illegally occupi

e mind returned the images of the Appleditch family and its drawing-room, follow

n a most pl

strangely,"

ndles were

Hugh saw that he had not been in error. The same re

et before,

e," sai

d be better acquainted, but

clairvoya

n the

a Scotchman, you hav

, after all-from an instinct of the spiritual relations of t

I underst

u at le

tir

go as far as Somers Town-no great way; an

e," answered

you go? A glass of port? It is

I seldom taste anythin

like a glass of po

to find Falconer's. But there was a great difference between those organs in the two men. David's had been of an ordinary size, pure keen blue, sparkling out of cerulean depths of peace and hope, full of lambent gleams when he was loving any one, and ever ready to be dimmed with the mists of rising emotion. All that Hugh could ye

some distance in silence. Hu

pent the day strang

oner. "I am not in the habit of going to such p

like vulgar curiosity, this thread of conversation broke. Nothing wor

of infection?"

here be any reason for

I need not ask if yo

perfect

o wait for me till I come out of t

ure. I will go with you

on. It is not your

er opened the doo

t tell this man the whole st

him, looking solemn, but with a kin

ellow is go

A

a man to break out of the choke-damp of a typh

a slight hesitation, "if he be

rives inevitably at some hour, there must always be more or less preparedness f

ehend his new acquaintance. But he had a strong suspicion t

abit of thinking of death as the culmination of disease, which, regarded only in itself, is an evil, and a terrible evil. But I think rather of death as the first pulse of the new strength, shaking itself free from the old mouldy remnants of earth-garments, that it may begin in freedom the new life that grows out of the old. The caterpillar dies into the butterfly. Wh

annot fare alike

pe, and progress to another; because he has left worse behind him, and in this the life asserts it

n them hitherto, I am ready to b

plea

peace for the future of our brothers and sisters, who, alas! have as yet been fed with husks, as for that of ourselves, who have eaten bread of the finest of the wheat, and have been but a little thankful,-he yet felt at least that it was a blessed thing that these men and women would all die-must all die. That spectre from which men shrink, as if it would take from them the last shivering remna

e an evil, for