14 PERSECUTIONS. 



human-like, she could not but regard these young things 

 as intruders upon her own children's standing room. All 

 that was given to them was so much taken from her 

 own offspring. 



Hence arose family difficulties in the household. 

 Eobert stayed out, rather than remain indoors. He 

 wandered about among the hills. He wore out his 

 shoes. To prevent him going out, his step-mother hid 

 them. Still Robert climbed the hills, and came home 

 with bleeding feet. He was punished for his misdoings, 

 and commanded to stay at home. This did not hinder 

 him from going out again. He would wander along the 

 Devon looking for birds' nests. This was as bad as 

 climbing the Ochils, and he was again thrashed with a 

 stick. 



It was the same with the other step- children. James, 

 the youngest son of the first wife, struck back. Poor 

 fellow! He was pommelled so hard that he could 

 scarcely stand. Was he a "dour," hard, perverse 

 boy? Very likely. He had no mother's affection to 

 bear him up. Eobert Dick never complained. He 

 took his thrashings without grumbling. Still he went 

 on in his old way, though he could not but feel the hol- 

 lowness of his new motherhood. 



At last the children were got out of the house, 

 Instead of being sent to college (as had been his father's 

 intention), Eobert was sent to Tullibody, where he was 

 apprenticed to a baker. Shortly after, James, the 

 youngest boy, went to sea ; and Agnes, the eldest, went 

 to be a servant at Edinburgh. 



