A 11 U N T E R ' S L I P E . 49 



Having come to this conclusion, I waited the return of 

 the mules ; but they did not come till the third day, when 

 it was evident they had been in mischief; for one had been 

 struck on his ham with an axe, and another was very lame 

 in one leg. However, the thing passed off .without any 

 inquiry as to who had done the mischief, and I kept my 

 own secret. 



Everything went on very well, and I saw that I was 

 rather a favorite in the family ; for singing songs was then 

 a common amusement, and 1 knew a great many of the 

 most current at the time. I was often called on to sing 

 " Sinclair's Defeat," or some other song for which the 

 family had a fancy ; and I could change my voice to sing 

 with the girls or with men, as it best suited the company 

 I was in. 



The oldest child of Mr. Caldwell was a daughter. She 

 was very handsome, with eyes as black as jet, long, fine 

 black hair, hanging in beautiful curls round her temples, 

 well-formed face, and clear white skin — in a word, I 

 thought her a full match for Mary McMullen. Her fiither 

 doated on her, and he was a rich man. Well, thought I, 

 I have often heard it said a faint heart never gains a fair 

 lady ; and if I can keep the old people in a good humor 

 I think I can manage the girl ; for I had heard nothing 

 of any sweetheart of hers, nor do I believe she had one. 



All seemed well, till one day the old lady sent me to the 

 woods, to hunt for a young cow, that had a calf. I went 

 after dinner, and searched three or four hours, but could 

 not find her. This displeased the old lady, who told me I 

 was good for nothing. " Nancy," said she, "you must go 

 and hunt that heifer, or she will be ruined. Go, you 

 booby," said she to me, " and put the saddle on one of the 

 horses, and I'll be bound she gets her." 



O Lor' I thought I ; what would I give if I had found 



that cow ! But off I went, and very soon I led 



5 D 



