1842-43. HIS FATHER'S DEATH. 157 



instead of any other delicacy from a belief that a dose 

 cooked from the foot of one calf would be likely to prove 

 beneficial to the ailing, foot of another. If so, I admire 

 your philosophy, and have improved on it, for my diet 

 consists chiefly of the flesh of chickens, to which I have 

 betaken myself, from a remembrance that these worthy 

 animals spend a great part of their lifetime standing on one 

 leg ; a feat which, now that I am struck off the list of 

 bipeds, I cannot learn to perform too well, and which the 

 infusion of their substance into mine may conduce to make 



more easy and, as it were, natural to me In sober 



seriousness, I have every reason to be thankful and con- 

 tented with my progress, and I try to lie as patiently as I 

 can, while the weary days and still more weary nights 

 slowly glide away. 



" I can write no more at present, but be sure that though 

 they should chop all the rest of me into little bits, so long 

 as they leave the heart of me untouched, I shall be your 

 unchangeable 



"GEORGE WILSON." 



While all was going on favourably as to George's health, 

 and hope was once more springing up in the hearts of those 

 around, dark clouds again closed over them. 



During the month of April a quiet evening was broken 

 in upon by violent ringing at the bell, and immediately the 

 house was filled by a crowd of people. At first the cause 

 of this was unknown, and only a sense of something terrible 

 having happened, was felt. It was the dead body of George's 

 father they were bringing in. Having left the house some 

 hours previously in perfect health, to all appearance, he was 

 returning in the company of two friends, and had almost 

 reached home, talking with cheerful animation, when sud- 



