MT VnSTETARD. 115 



Not many minutes had passed before the sharp knife of 

 Patrick had taken me and many of my brothers away 

 from the protecting care of our respected ancestor. Where 

 nowf thought I, are all the fine calculations for next year's 

 enjoyment ? But I said nothing, consoling myself with 

 the reflection that the society of my brothers was still left 

 me. Some time after a number of us were taken up and 

 carried into a propagating house, a strange looking build- 

 ing with a glass roof. The air was warm, almost uncom- 

 fortably so ; on one side was a long bench, covered with 

 sand, made still warmer than the air of the house, by 

 means of what they called bottom heat. I had scarcely 

 made these observations, when the self same bloodthirsty 

 Patrick came along with his knife and deprived me of my 

 only remaining consolation, by separating me entirely 

 from all my kindred. I recalled to mind an old saying 

 that misfortunes never come singly, and thought what a 

 fine illustration my fate afforded of its truth. Presently 

 they took me to the bench, and putting me in the sand in 

 a, slanting kind of way, covered me completely up. Bur- 

 ied alive, thought I ; and at the same time wondered 

 why they failed to make this last migfortune complete by 

 not putting me in head downwards. But they did not do 

 it, and herein was a slight shadow of consolation, only it 

 was so dark in there that I could hardly see the shadow. 

 For several long days I kept very quiet, waiting for some- 

 thing to turn up. But nothing happened, or seemed 



