me, otherwise I would have commenced
manufacturer upon my own account, as was my intention had I married
Eliza. In as short a period as convenient, I sold off the furniture of
the house I had taken, at little or no loss, and found that I still was
master of a considerable sum. Having made a present to my landlady for
her care of me, I bade a long adieu to Glasgow, and proceeded by the
coach to Leeds, where I procured a situation in a house with which our
Glasgow house had had many transactions.

As I fear I am getting prolix, I shall hurry over the next few years I
remained in Leeds. I became a partner of the house; our transactions
were very extensive, more particularly in the United States of America,
where we were deeply engaged in the cotton trade. It was judged
necessary that one of the firm should be on the spot, to extend the
business as much as possible. The others being married men, I at once
volunteered to take this department upon myself, and made arrangements
accordingly. I proceeded towards Liverpool by easy stages on horseback,
as the coaches at that period were not so regular as they are at
present.

On the second day after my leaving Leeds, the afternoon became extremely
wet towards evening; so that I resolved to remain all night in the first
respectable inn I came to. I dismounted, and found it completely filled
with travellers, who had arrived a short time before. It was with
considerable difficulty I prevailed upon the hostess to allow me to
remain. She had not a spare bed; all had been already engaged; the
weather continued still wet and boisterous, and I resolved to proceed no
farther that night, whether I could obtain a bed or not. I, at length,
arranged with her that I should pass the night by the fireside, seated
in an arm-chair. Matters were thus all set to rights, and supper over,
when a loud knocking was heard at the door. An additional stranger
entered the kitchen where I sat, drenched with rain and benumbed with
cold; and, after many difficulties upon the side of the hostess, the
same arrangements were made for him.

As our situations were so similar, we soon became very intimate. I felt
much interest in him. He was of a frank and lively turn in conversation,
and exceedingly well informed on every subject we started. A shrewd
eccentricity in the style and matter of his remarks, forced the
conviction upon his hearers, that he was a man of no mean capacity;
there was also a restless inquiet