ze; and then,
hastening on my way, vowed deeply and oft, by the help of God, to live
and act so as never to grieve or dishonor such a father and mother as He
had given me. The appearance of my father, when we parted,--his advice,
prayers, and tears--the road, the dyke, the climbing up on it and then
walking away, head uncovered--have often, often, all through life, risen
vividly before my mind, and do so now while I am writing, as if it had
been but an hour ago. In my earlier years particularly, when exposed to
many temptations, his parting form rose before me as that of a guardian
angel.

CHAPTER VI.
EARLY STRUGGLES.

I REACHED Glasgow on the third day, having slept one night at Thornhill,
and another at New Cumnock; and having needed, owing to the kindness of
acquaintances upon whom I called by the way, to spend only three
halfpence of my modest funds. Safely arrived, but weary, I secured a
humble room for my lodging, for which I had to pay one shilling and
sixpence per week. Buoyant and full of hope and looking up to God for
guidance, I appeared at the appointed hour before the examiners, as did
also the other candidate; and they having carefully gone through their
work, asked us to retire. When recalled, they informed us that they had
great difficulty in choosing, and suggested that the one of us might
withdraw in favor of the other, or that both might submit to a more
testing examination. Neither seemed inclined to give it up, both were
willing for a second examination; but the patrons made another
suggestion. They had only L50 per annum to give; but if we would agree
to divide it betwixt us, and go into one lodging, we might both be able
to struggle through, they would pay our entrance fees at the Free Normal
Seminary, and provide us with the books required; and perhaps they might
be able to add a little to the sum promised to each of us. By dividing
the mission work appointed, and each taking only the half, more time
also might be secured for our studies. Though the two candidates had
never seen each other before, we at once accepted this proposal, and got
on famously together, never having had a dispute on anything of common
interest throughout our whole career.

As our fellow-students at the Normal were all far advanced beyond us in
their education, we found it killing work, and had to grind away
incessantly, late and early. Both of us, before the year closed, broke
down in health; partly by hard study,