Page:History of Duncan Campbell, and his dog, Oscar (1).pdf/20

 20 with Duncan, to whom ſhe ſeemed attached at first ſight“ Lexy, my dear,” ſaid he, did you ſee my fpectacles?" "Yes," ſaid ſhe, " I think I ſaw them on your noſe to day, at breakfaſt.” Well, but I have loft them ſince," ſaid he, “You may take up the next you find then, Sir, “ſaid she: -The ſervants laughed. "I might well have known what informa- tion 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, I would place you where you would learn better manners-- It ill becomes ſo pretty a young lady to addreſs an old father thus." “ He," ſaid ſhe, " who minds him? He's a dotard, an old whining, complaining, ſuper- anuated being, worſe than a child." " But conſider his years,” ſaid Duncan; "and beſides, he may have met with croſses and tosses ſufficient to four the temper of a younger man - You ſhould at all events pity and reverence, but never despise your father." The old lady now joined them. “ You have yet heard no- thing, young man," ſaid the old laird, "if you ſaw 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 daugh- ter in their room," returned the ; "the one will not waſte your fortune as a prodigal ſon would have done, and the other will take care of both you and that, when you can no longer do either the loſs of your ſon, in- deed; it was the greatest bleſſing, you could have received ;' "Unfeeling woman" said he; "but Hea- ven may yet reſtore that son to protect the gray hairs of his old father, and lay his head honoured grave." The old man's ſpirits were quite gone -- he cried like a child; - his lady mimicked him-and, at this, his daugh-