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the matter was exhausted; a long pause ensued, which at length broke, by bursting into a loud fit of laughter. Duncan rose hastily, and, without once lifting his head, went crying to his bed; and as I continued to indulge in laughter, my mother, for my irrev(illegible text)d behaviour, struck me across the shoulders with (illegible text)gs; our evening devotions terminated exceedingly(illegible text) I went crying to my bed after Duncan, even louder than he, and abusing him for his useless prayer, for which I had been nearly felled.
By the time that we were recalled from school to tend the cows next summer, we could both read the Bible with considerable facility, but Duncan far excelling me in perspieacity; and so fond was he of reading Bible history, that the reading of it was now our constant amusement. Often have Mary, and he, and I, (illegible text) under the same plaid by the side of the corn or shadow, and read chapter about on the Bible for hours (illegible text)ether, weeping over the failings and fall of good (illegible text), and wondering at the inconceivable might of the woes of antiquity. Never was man so delighted as Duncan was when he came to the history of Samson, and afterwards of David and Goliath; he could not be satisfied until he had read it to every individual with whom he was acquainted, judging it to be as new and interesting to every one as it was to himself. I have seen him standing by the girls as they were milking the cows, reading to them the feats of Samson; (illegible text), in short, harassing every man and woman about (illegible text) hamlet for audience. On Sundays, my parents accompanied us to the fields, and joined in our delightful exercise.
Time passed away, and so also did our youthful de(illegible text)ts! but other cares and other pleasures awaited us. As we advanced in years and strength, we quitted the (illegible text)ling, and bore a hand in the labours of the farm, Mary, too, was. often our assistant. She and Duncan were nearly of an age-he was tall, comely, and affable;
