IO2 The Nahiralist of Cumbrae. 



mind then and there that the little girl, on whom he 

 had never set eyes before, should if possible become 

 his wife. 



By some innocent manoeuvring Hannah Alston 

 was induced to pay another visit to the McDougalls 

 in Glasgow, coming this time without her father. As 

 she had won David's heart without any effort of her 

 own on the former visit, so on this, without much 

 trouble, he either won or completed the conquest of 

 hers. The McDougalls, who of course thoroughly 

 well knew and highly valued Robertson, were on 

 their part quite content, and so smoothed the path 

 of the lovers, that with the least possible delay they 

 were married, on September n, ,1843. 



Mr. Robertson had so far complied with the 

 requirements of custom and propriety as to write, 

 asking his intended father-in-law's consent, before 

 the wedding. He received it the day after the 

 wedding in a long letter pointing out the necessity for 

 a considerable delay, seeing that the young lady was 

 only seventeen, and therefore too young as yet either 

 to marry or to know her own mind in the choice of 

 a husband. Between seventeen and thirty-seven, it 

 must be admitted that there is a tolerably large 

 interval. Yet by the progress of time such a difference 

 in age is ever becoming relatively smaller, and even 

 its absolute limits may be wonderfully narrowed, not 

 in fact, but in effect, by the constraining influence of 

 strong affection. In the present instance by the 

 event the instincts of love were justified over the 

 dictates of prudence. Though the ages of the bride 

 and bridegroom were so unequal, their tastes and 



