One of those days I found myself in
love with as comely a lass as ever a man courted. Her mother had a
proper curiosity as to my character. I referred them to Tom
Douglass of the Herald - he was the only man there who had
known me well. The girl and her mother both went to him.
"Your friend was just here," said the young lady, when I called
again. "He is a very handsome man."
'"And a noble man!" I said.
'"And didn't I hear you say that he was a very skilful man, too?"
'"A genius!" I answered, "an absolute genius!"
McClingan stopped and laughed heartily as he took a sip of water.
'What happened then?' said Miss I-lull.
'She took him on my recommendation,' he answered. 'She said
that, while he had the handsomer face, I had the more eloquent
tongue. And they both won for him. And, upon me honour as a
gentleman, it was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me, for
she became a brawler and a scold. My mother says there is "no the
like o' her in Scotland".
I shall never forget how fondly Margaret Hull patted the brown
cheek of Trumbull with her delicate white band, as we rose.
Pages:
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373