" Economy with the good old soul was a cardinal virtue,
waste a deadly sin. I fear she was often shocked at our easy Saxon ways,
though Tom and I thought ourselves models of thrift.
Once, it was on a Sunday, Tom and I, with a party of friends, had had a
very long walk, a regular pedestrian excursion, thirty miles, there or
thereabouts, to use a Scotticism, and poor Tom was quite knocked up and
confined to bed for several days. Our good old landlady was greatly
shocked; a strict Sabbatarian, she knew it was a punishment for "breakin'
the Sabbath; why had na ye gane to the kirk like guid laddies?" We
modestly reminded her that we always did go, excepting of course on this
particular Sunday. "Then whit business had ye to stay awa on ony
Sabbath?" We had nothing to say in answer to this. The dear old
creature was really shocked at our backsliding; but she nursed Tom very
tenderly all the same.
When the sultry heat of summer came we found Glasgow very trying, and
though sorry to leave our good landlady, moved into the country, to
Cambuslang, a village some four miles from the city, which was then
becoming a favourite residential resort.
Pages:
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83