28 ACCOUNT OF A BOY 



the presence of an additional whip in the lobby, that the per- 

 son who has arrived has brought a horse with him. I have 

 been assured, however, that after his wishes in this respect had 

 been repeatedly thwarted, he at last had the ingenuity to lock 

 the door of the kitchen on the servants, in the hopes that he 

 might then accomplish his visit to the stable unmolested. 



" His father once told me an anecdote of him, which dis- 

 plays in a very striking manner, both the retentiveness of his 

 memory, and the benevolent feelings of which he is suscepti- 

 ble. He had received a severe wound in his foot, and during 

 its cure, he usually sat by the fire-side, with his foot resting on 

 a small foot-stool. More than a year afterwards, a servant-boy 

 with whom he used to play, was obliged to confine himself to 

 a chair from a similar cause. Young Mitchell perceiving, 

 that his companion remained longer in one situation than he 

 used to do, examined him attentively, and seemed quickly to 

 discover by the bandages on his foot, the reason of his confine- 

 ment. He immediately walked up stairs to a garret, sought 

 out, amidst several other pieces of furniture, the little foot- 

 stool which had formerly supported his own wounded limb, 

 brought it down in his hand to the kitchen, and gently placed 

 the servant-boy's foot upon it*, 



"The 



* Somewhat similar to the above anecdote, is the following very pleasing fact, 

 communicated to Mr Glennie by Hugh Irvine, Esq; (son of Mr Irvine of 

 Drum). I give it in Mr Irvine's own words. 



" Mr Leslie of Darkland, a clergyman, called one day, and was taken by Miss 

 Mitchell to see something out of doors. When they returned, James Mit- 

 chell perceived (no doubt by the sense of smell) that his sister's shoes were 

 wet : he then went and felt them, and would not let her rest till she changed 

 them." 



