A Boyhood in Scotland 



growing against a sunny wall and tasted some 

 of them, and got as many apples to eat as I 

 wished. On another memorable walk in a hay- 

 field, when we sat down to rest on one of the 

 haycocks I heard a sharp, prickly, stinging cry, 

 and, jumping up eagerly, called grandfather's 

 attention to it. He said he heard only the wind, 

 but I insisted on digging into the hay and turn- 

 ing it over until we discovered the source of the 

 strange exciting sound, — a mother field mouse 

 with half a dozen naked young hanging to her 

 teats. This to me was a wonderful discovery. 

 No hunter could have been more excited on 

 discovering a bear and her cubs in a wilderness 

 den. 



I was sent to school before I had completed 

 my third year. The first schoolday was doubt- 

 less full of wonders, but I am not able to recall 

 any of them. I remember the servant washing 

 my face and getting soap in my eyes, and 

 mother hanging a little green bag with my first 

 book in it around my neck so I would not lose 

 it, and its blowing back in the sea-wind like a 

 [3] 



