294: THE JOURNEYMAN. 



mans of our story-books to raise temples and altars on 

 the hill-tops on which their gods had alighted. Now it 

 so happens that your petitioners have sent her a card of 

 invitation for next Halloween to share with them in their 

 nuts and apples, and she is to be with them without 

 fail. And they would fain meet with her on this oc- 

 casion in that apartment in which their dear mistress 

 has done so much to render them wiser and better. For 

 so sincerely do they love it that they are desirous of 

 loving it more, and this by rendering it a scene of 

 splendid hopes, rich promises, and good fun by associ- 

 ating with it recollections not of long lessons or false 

 grammar, but of fine husbands, gilt coaches, nuts, gin- 

 gerbread, and apples. 



' May it therefore please you to grant to your humble 

 petitioners full possession, during the coming night 

 of fun and prediction, of that interesting apartment in 

 which you have so often imparted to your petitioners 

 more of good than they have been all fully able to carry 

 away. As you have already so liberally given to them 

 of the kernel, may it now please you to add the shell. 

 And your attached and grateful petitioners shall in 

 return sacrifice an entire egg to your happiness and 

 prosperity/ 



The petition was successful. 



One thing is clear ; Hugh Miller's existence at this 

 time was bright and cheerful. At peace with himself 

 and, if we except a fierce Cromarty Radical or two, 

 with all the world ; exempt from every care which gnaws 

 the human heart ; happy in friendship, happy in love ; 

 hope and ambition touching his horizon with bright 

 auroral hues but not inflaming him with any fever- 

 ish heat; he was indeed most fortunate. For events, 

 ^there were occasional trips to Inverness, fishing excur- 



