A Boyhood in Scotland 



I saw a number of the exhibitors carrying large 

 handfuls of dahlias, the first I had ever seen. 

 I thought them marvelous in size and beauty 

 and, as in the case of my aunt's lilies, wondered 

 if I should ever be rich enough to own some of 

 them. 



Although I never dared to touch my aunt's 

 sacred lilies, I have good cause to remember 

 stealing some common flowers from an apothe- 

 cary, Peter Lawson, who also answered the 

 purpose of a regular physician to most of the 

 poor people of the town and adjacent country. 

 He had a pony which was considered very wild 

 and dangerous, and when he was called out of 

 town he mounted this wonderful beast, which, 

 after standing long in the stable, was frisky 

 and boisterous, and often to our delight reared 

 and jumped and danced about from side to 

 side of the street before he could be persuaded 

 to go ahead. We boys gazed in awful admiration 

 and wondered how the druggist could be so 

 brave and able as to get on and stay on that 

 wild beast's back. This famous Peter loved 

 [ 13! 



