209
"Aye," said the father, sighing; "its just the way wi' ye a'! ye just do what ye like yoursel's! Now, see what comes o' it! Here's Sandy done for himsel' wi' a vengeance! He, too, wad do naething but what he liked! see what he'll mak o' it now, but to be tied up to a stake, and lashed like a dog! a disgrace, as he is, to us a'! I wou'd rather he had ne'er been born!"
"Alace! gudeman," cried the poor mother, weeping bitterly; "alake! hae pity on me, and try to get him aff."
"It will do nae gude," says her husband, in a softened accent, and wiping a tear which stole down his cheek, "it will do nae gude, I tell ye. We shall never have comfort in him while we live, for he is ane that will never be advised. Ye ken he never minds a word we say—yet I canna think o' his being made a reprobate."
"He need not necessarily be a reprobate in the army," said Mrs Mason. "I should hope his principles will preserve
o
