My Boyhood and Youth 



bubbles rose and burst around. I had to go 

 to father for help. He tied a long hemp rope 

 brought from Scotland around Jack's neck, and 

 Tom and Jerry seemed to have all they could 

 do to pull him out. After which I got a solemn 

 scolding for asking the "puir beast to 'jump 

 intil sic a saft bottomless place/' 



We moved into our frame house in the fall, 

 when mother with the rest of the family arrived 

 from Scotland, and, when the winter snow be- 

 gan to fly, the bur-oak shanty was made into 

 a stable for Jack. Father told us that good 

 meadow hay was all he required, but we fed 

 him corn, lots of it, and he grew very frisky 

 and fat. About the middle of winter his long 

 hair was full of dust and, as we thought, re- 

 quired washing. So, without taking the frosty 

 weather into account, we gave him a thorough 

 soap and water scouring, and as we failed to 

 get him rubbed dry, a row of icicles formed 

 under his belly. Father happened to see him 

 in this condition and angrily asked what we 

 had been about. We said Jack was dirty and 



[ 100 ] 



