THOMAS EDWARD. 73 



broken in spirit and desolate in heart, he returned to 

 Banff. The walls of his cottage which, before he left 

 had been hid completely with his cases, now only pre- 

 sented a bare appearance, which chafed and depressed 

 him. Hunger, which is a hard master, left him no 

 time to grieve long over his lost collection and his 

 almost penniless condition, for the twenty pounds had 

 all been absorbed in paying his debt, an undertaking 

 which he gave himself no rest until it was accomplished. 

 So little had he left, that there was not sufficient to pay 

 the earner for the bringing of the wife and bairns back 

 to Banff, but the kindness of the carrier who had taken 

 them to Aberdeen helped them to overcome that diffi- 

 culty by taking them without charge. 



His disappointment was keen. The cup of fortune 

 had been dashed from his lips just as he was about to 

 raise it to his lips, but, like all noble natures, he did not 

 give way to repining and quarrelling with his fate. 

 Without delay, he returned again to his shoemaker's 

 bench, and whacked the leather even more briskly than 

 ever he had done before. 



The brave wife, who had cheered and stood by him 

 through all his cares, showed at this time what a true 

 helpmeet she was. The house became comfortable 

 again, and around his fireside, with the little ones 

 bearing his name and the brightness of his wife's face, 

 he soon resumed his usual manner. An autumn and 

 winter passed, but he did not do much to replace his 

 lost treasures, but immediately spring returned his old 

 habits came back upon him, and he could not, had he 

 tried, overcome the irrepressible desire to make another 



