452 JOHN DUNCAN, WEAVER AND BOTANIST. 



return of the old emotion, " write him for me, and tell him 

 I write wi' a tear i' my ee, and thinkin' aboot auld lang 

 syne." " I'll say," said I, " the very words you have used, 

 John." " Ay, dae ye," replied he ; " ay> dae ye. It'll gar * 

 him drap a tear tee ! " 



I assured him that there were many interested in his 

 happiness, and that I should be his friend to the very end. 

 He then stood up in his frailty, and in tones of earnest 

 solemnity, lifting his hands towards me, as in patriarchal 

 blessing, exclaimed, " Ay, ay, that's vera guid, vera guid. 

 Gweed be wi' ye, Gweed be wi' ye ! " We shook hands 

 warmly and long. Then, as cheerfully as I could under 

 natural emotion, I told him I should come to see him 

 again in summer, when the snow was gone and the flowers 

 were blooming, and when he could tell me about them. 

 " Ay, dae sae every individual ane o' them." Then I left 

 him as he stood, bathed in tears. It was for the last time. 

 When next I saw the good man, he lay in the calm majesty 

 of death. 



* Make, or force. 



