ALEXANDER WILSON, 
XXXV 
in the hour of your own distress, be as a healing angel of 
peace to your mind. Do every thing possible to make 
your house comfortable ; fortify the garrison in every 
point ; stop every crevice that may let in that chilling 
devil, the roaring, blustering northwest ; heap up fires big 
enough for an Indian war-feast ; keep the flour-barrel full ; 
bake loaves like Hamles Head;* make the loom thunder, 
and the pot boil, and your snug little cabin re-echo nothing 
but sounds of domestic felicity. I will write you the 
moment I hear of George. I shall do every thing I have 
said to you, and never lose sight of the 18th of March; 
for which purpose I shall keep night school this winter, 
and retain every farthing but what necessity requires — > 
depend upon me. These are the outlines of my plan. If 
health stand it, all will be well ; if not, we cannot help it.” 
“ I succeed tolerably well ; and seem to gain in the 
esteem of the people about. I am glad of it, because I 
hope it will put it in my power to clear the road a little 
before you, and banish despondence from the heart of my 
dearest friend. Be assured that I will ever as cheerfully 
contribute to your relief in difficulties, as I will rejoice 
with you in prosperity. But we have nothing to fear. 
One hundred bushels of wheat, to be sure, is no great 
marketing ; but has it not been expended in the support 
of a mother, and infant brothers and sisters, thrown upon 
your bounty in a foreign country ? Robert Burns, when 
the mice nibbled away his corn, said : 
I’ll get a blessin’ wi’ the lave, 
And never miss ’t. 
Where he expected one, you may a thousand. Robin, 
by his own confession, ploughed up his mice out of ‘ ha’ 
and hame.’ You have built for your little wanderers a 
4 cozie bield, 3 where none dare molest them. There is 
% TLe name of a rock near Paisley. 
