--land-trotter or
river-roller, I'll let him know there is a warrant out arter him, I
know."

"'Why,' sais the guide, 'he couldn't help himself, no how he could work
it. He is a friar, or a monk, or a hermit, or a pilgrim, or somethin'
or another of that kind, for there is no eend to them, they are so many
different sorts; but the breed he is of, have a vow never to look at a
woman, or talk to a woman, or touch a woman, and if they do, there is a
penance, as long as into the middle of next week.'

"'Not look at a woman?' sais Cran, 'why, what sort of a guess world
would this be without petticoats?--what a superfine superior tarnation
fool he must be, to jine such a tee-total society as that. Mint julip I
could give up, I _do_ suppose, though I had a plaguy sight sooner not
do it, that's a fact: but as for womankind, why the angeliferous
little torments, there is no livin' without _them_. What do you think,
stranger?'

"'Sartainly,' said Squatter; 'but seein' that the man had a vow, why it
warn't his fault, for he couldn't do nothin' else. Where _he_ did wrong,
was _to look back_; if he hadn't a _looked back_, he wouldn't have
sinned.'

"'Well, well,' sais Cran, 'if that's the case, it is a hoss of another
colour, that. I won't look back nother, then. Let him he. But he is
erroneous considerable.'

"So you see, Minister," said Mr. Slick, "where there is nothin' to be
gained, and harm done, by this retrospection, as you call it, why I
think lookin' a-head is far better than--_lookin' back_."

CHAPTER XIV. CROSSING THE BORDER.

The time had now arrived when it was necessary for me to go to
Scotland, for a few days. I had two very powerful reasons for this
excursion:--first, because an old and valued friend of mine was there,
whom I had not met for many years, and whom I could not think of leaving
this country without seeing again; and secondly, because I was desirous
of visiting the residence of my forefathers on the Tweed, which,
although it had passed out of their possession many years ago, was still
endeared to me as their home, as the scene of the family traditions; and
above all, as their burial place.

The grave is the first stage on the journey, from this to the other
world. We are permitted to escort our friends so far, and no further; it
is there we part for ever. It is there the human form is deposited, when
mortality is changed for immortality. This burial place contains no one
that I have ever