mes, however, may be forgiven for having set John to study after the
orthodox fashion of Ruddiman, for he had never been out of his own
glen, and in those days new ideas were long in penetrating to the
country districts.

When John Dickson was promoted to assist in waiting at table, an
incident occurred, which no doubt had some influence on his dreams, if
not on his fortunes. A stranger, in regimentals, was at dinner one
day, and being prepossessed by the lad's pleasing manners and
expression of face, he turned to him, and clapping him on the
shoulder, said: 'I was once in your present station, my boy, and if
you are steady, and behave well, you may one day rise to be in mine.'
The speaker was Dr Miller, a physician in the army. John, however, had
few dreams and little ambition. He was not what is commonly called a
genius; but he possessed sterling qualities of head and heart,
perseveringly cultivated his natural abilities, and invariably
conducted himself with the greatest propriety. It was no wonder, then,
that he became a general favourite in the family; and that, when he
carried the game-bag for the gentlemen, they purposely made long
detours, and met him again at an appointed spot, in order to give him
an hour at his book; for John always had a book in his pocket for a
spare moment. Once, indeed, this custom occasioned some annoyance to
his master, whom he had accompanied to a shooting-hut in the moors,
nicknamed 'Grouse Hall,' where the unfortunate laird was detained by
an intolerable fit of gout; a circumstance not apt to engender
patience and resignation, especially when, from the other side of the
cloth partition which divided the single apartment of the hut, he
heard bursts of laughter pealing forth in succession--for John Dickson
had managed to carry off a copy of Don Quixote to the moors.

When the younger sons of the family were sent to college in Edinburgh,
John was chosen to accompany them. Let us now see how he conducted
himself in this new and trying field; for trying it is. Country lads,
in coming to a large town, meet with many temptations, and by these,
hundreds of them fall. They cannot resist petty attractions to
amusement and misspending of time. They enjoy themselves while they
should work. They take to fun, instead of to labour. Well; to which
did our hero attach himself? To regular, hard work, to be sure. He had
the good sense to see, that here was his chance of getting on in the
world. While