Damper for a Desperado. 65 



he had been with Mr. McAsland, he saw that he 

 could do nothing for his own improvement, however 

 closely he attended to his master's work. He was 

 most desirous to have as much command of reading, 

 writing, and arithmetic, as would lift him above the 

 position of a common labourer, if ever he obtained 

 the chance of rising. So he now had his mind made 

 up to leave Newlandmoor at the first term, that is to 

 say, at the close of the current half year, and to try 

 and get into a place where he would not be so much 

 bound down. When the time came to give notice of 

 leaving, he was much pressed to remain, with an offer 

 of a good advance in wages, but nothing would 

 induce him to stay. 



He was about twenty-one years of age when he 

 engaged with a Mr. Thomas Ballantine, a farmer, 

 about three miles south of Kilbride, his work being 

 much the same as what he had had with the laird. 

 His new master had been at one time one of his 

 fellow workmen. On this farm also there was a 

 " laird." It was not, however, the master, but a young 

 man working under him, who was so designated half 

 in joke, because he was heir to a farm in prospect. 

 This young gentleman was the fortunate possessor 

 of, some of Walter Scott's novels, and added to 

 David's happiness by allowing him to read them. 



A humorous incident connected with his farm life 

 may here be mentioned. There was a man among 

 them far too fond of going out on the spree. In- 

 temperate mirth would then give way to melancholy 

 and despair, displayed by repeated threats that he 

 would hang himself, or cut his throat. Young 



F 



