WANDERINGS AND MEMORIES 

 CHAPTER I 



WHEN I WAS YOUNG 



One autumn day in 1871 a little boy of six stood 

 in a garden in Scotland, lost in contemplation of 

 an old muzzle-loading gun leaning against a hedge. 

 Duncan the gardener had left it there — loaded, of 

 course, and at full cock — and gone to his dinner. 

 The small man was torn with doubts and fears. 

 Being convinced of the inefficiency of a crude 

 catapult he had purchased at old Thomas Lee's 

 shop in George Street, Perth; now he saw before 

 him visions of real slaughter amongst the sparrows 

 sitting amongst the pea-sticks, for he was a hunter 

 by instinct. Had he not seen Duncan fire off that 

 terrible weapon without suffering personal damage ? 

 He wanted to handle real dead game shot by him- 

 self, and the temptation proved irresistible, although 

 he knew sore limbs and a possible thrashing for 

 touching loaded firearms might ensue. 



After balancing the gun on a spade-handle and 

 pulling both triggers at once, he knew of nothing 

 but stars for a moment, and then found himself 

 lying on his back with a damaged arm and singing 

 head. He made certain, too, his jaw was broken. 

 Worst of all, there was no game to retrieve. Where- 



