312 MAN OF SCIENCE. 



the time. This other letter was a Cromarty letter ; and 

 it informed me that my poor mother was very, very ill, 

 and that unless I hurried north to see her, I might never 

 see her more. And so I did hurry away north, with the 

 very first coach that set out, and was one day and two 

 nights on the road. I found my mother much better 

 than my fears had anticipated, for the disease that 

 threatened her life had taken a favourable turn ; and ere 

 I parted from her, which was in about a week after, she 

 was well-nigh recovered. Meanwhile, however, I had 

 forgotten your letter. Now I know, my dear Alie, you 

 will forgive me when you take all this into your grave 

 consideration. My journey was a very unpleasant and sad 

 one, so sad and unpleasant that one might almost make 

 an agreeable story out of it. Wrecks and battles, you 

 know, make good subjects for stories ; and the worse 

 and more unpleasant the wreck or battle, just all the 

 better is the story. So long as I was with the coach I 

 had nothing worse than sad thoughts and very bad 

 weather to annoy me. From Fortrose to Cromarty, 

 however, I had to grope my way as if I had been play- 

 ing all the way at blind man's buff. Never yet have I 

 been out in so dark a night. I had to feel for the road 

 with my staff, and I discovered on two or three occasions 

 that I had got off it only by tumbling into the ditch. 

 It was at least three hours after midnight ere I reached 

 my journey's end. 



' I saw Aunt and Uncle Ross in Cromarty, and Cousin 

 Mora. Cousin Mora is a smart, pretty little girl. But 

 I dare say you will deem my news of the north somewhat 

 old, and there is no denying that it is less new now than 

 it was six months ago. It is not so old, however, by a 

 great deal, as the news you gave me about the battle of 

 Hastings ; and I of late have been giving much older 



