4/6 JOHN DUNCAN, WEAVER AND BOTANIST. 



compassion even to the lower animals," as Mr. Beveridge, 

 who relates the story, remarks, cut the string and let poor 

 poosie go free. On returning home, he told the adventure 

 with much feeling ; but, instead of praise, was met with 

 contemptuous upbraidings for his sheepishness in letting off 

 "' the bawd ; " surely, when it was in his power to make the 

 pot play brown, he might not have been so silly ! John 

 indignantly retorted that, besides being dishonest and a 

 crime requiring to be hidden, it would have been pitiless 

 cruelty to kill the poor beast, which they should never get 

 him, at least, to do, whatever they might say or think. 



There lived at Netherton, in a cottage near the weaving 

 shop, an idiot lad, who, like many such weakly children, 

 was the apple of his mother's eye. At intervals, this poor 

 creature would crouch for days, gazing into the fire and 

 refusing all food. Duncan took a kindly interest in the 

 harmless soul, and they became fast friends. Jamie would 

 sit for hours beside John, amused by his drollery, while he 

 watched the wonderful play of the loom and was soothed 

 by its music. Nothing roused John's fiercest anger more 

 than any attempt, however slight, to make fun of his 

 simple and serious companion, which many tried to do in 

 those rougher times ; and he would at once seize on the 

 first thing that came to hand and throw it at the offender, 

 after warning, in order to punish him severely, if he did 

 not at once desist. All which and like friendliness and 

 protection won the very heart of the innocent. 



When John was forced to stoop to pauperism, the 

 parochial board kindly ordered, for several years, a dis- 

 tribution of six hundred-weight of coals to the paupers 

 in mid-winter a grateful boon, especially in the cold work- 



