IO8 EASY-CHAIR MEMORIES 



was only too delighted to do. But as they 

 were not going just yet, the slate was set up 

 on the mantelpiece to be ready for the lifting 

 when they were to set off. This they did some 

 little while afterwards amid many hearty leave- 

 takings and reciprocal good wishes ; and they 

 had driven a couple of miles or so, when in an 

 instant it flashed across my father's mind that 

 they had come away without the slate ! In the 

 excitement of leave-taking it had been forgotten. 

 How very provoking ! And strongly inclined 

 were they to drive back again for it, but did not 

 do so, contenting themselves with thinking 

 that they would just get it some other time. 

 So on the shepherd's mantelpiece it was left 

 standing and left standing very unfortunately ; 

 for the next morning, on the servant coming 

 in to ' do out ' the room, and tidying about the 

 mantelpiece, she somehow or other accidentally 

 knocked the slate down, when, hitting the 

 fender or hearthstone, it was shivered into fifty 

 bits ! So that was the end of the famous slate, 

 and an ill end truly." 



Then follows an account of the shepherd's 

 fishing rod and the old reel or " pirn," which 

 doubtless was familiar to Sir Walter Scott, 



