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with Duncan, to whom she seemed attached at firt “Lexy, my dear," said he did you see my spectacles? "Yes," said she, "I think I saw them on your nose to-day at breakfast." Well, but I have lost them since," said he: "You may take (illegible text) the next you find then, Sir," said she.—The servant laughed. "I might well have known what information I would get of you," said he, regretfully. “ How can you speak in such a style to your father, my dear lady?" said Duncan.— "If I were he would place you where you should learn better manners. It ill becomes so pretty a young lady to address (illegible text) old father thus.” “He!” said she,“who minds him? He's a dotard, an old whining, complaining, superanuated being, worse than a child.” “But consider his years," said Duncan; “and besides, he may have met with crosses and losses sufficient to sour the temper of a younger man.— You should at all events pity a(illegible text) reverence, but never despise your father.” The (illegible text) lady now joined them. “You have yet heard (illegible text) thing, young man,” said the old laird, "if you (illegible text) how my heart is sometimes wrung—Yes, I have had losses indeed” “You' losses!” said his spouse "No; you never had any losses that did not in the end turn out a vast profit."--"Do you then count the loss of a loving wife and a son nothing?” said he --- “ but have you not got a loving wife and a daughter in their room” returned she; “ the one will waste your fortune as a prodigal son would have done and the other will take care of both you and that w(illegible text) you can no longer do either --the loss of your soul indeed! it was the greatest blessing you could have received!" "Unfeeling woman," said he; "but Heaven may yet restore that son to protect the gray hairs of his old father, and lay his (illegible text) in an honoured grave.' The old man's sp(illegible text) were quite gone -- he cried like a child and his lady mimicked him --and at this, his
