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CHAPTER XII. 



HIS LOVE OF CHILDREN. 



Written mainly by his Widow. 



MONGST the many traits in 

 " The Druid's " character was 

 one that his family must ever 

 remember with gratitude — his 

 great love for children and his intense 

 pleasure in having his sons and daughters 

 around him in spare moments snatched from 

 almost incessant labour with the pen. No 

 matter how wearied he mio-ht be after a 

 hard day's work, or how difficult the sub- 

 ject that he had in hand, he was always 

 ready to listen to their artless prattle and 

 to sympathise with the childish joys and 

 troubles of his little ones. Each new-born 

 infant, as it was put into his arms, was 

 hailed with an ever growing tenderness, 



