Her Father, Like Herself, Was An Only Child, And Followed
The Same Vocation, And Rought Under The Same Roof That His Father
Had Done Before Him.
The elder Burns had met with many reverses,
and now helpless and blind, was entirely dependent upon the charity
of his son.
Honest Jock had not married until late in life, that he
might more comfortably provide for the wants of his aged parent.
His mother had been dead for some years. She was a meek, pious
woman, and Jock quaintly affirmed, 'That it had pleased the Lord
to provide a better inheritance for his dear auld mither than his
arm could win, proud and happy as he would have been to have
supported her when she was no longer able to work for him.'
"Jock's paternal love was repaid at last; chance threw in his way
a cannie young lass, baith guid and bonnie: they were united, and
Jeanie was the sole fruit of this marriage. But Jeanie proved a
host in herself, and grew up the best natured, the prettiest,
and the most industrious lass in the village, and was a general
favourite both with young and old. She helped her mother in the
house, bound shoes for her father, and attended to all the wants of
her dear old grandfather, Saunders Burns; who was so much attached
to his little handmaid, that he was never happy when she was absent.
"Happiness is not a flower of long growth in this world; it requires
the dew and sunlight of heaven to nourish it, and it soon withers,
removed from its native skies.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 649 of 670
Words from 175982 to 176252
of 181664
