Page:History of Duncan Campbell, and his dog, Oscar (1).pdf/3

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bleſs you, my dear Oſcer: Duncan mounted before a ſervant, and rode away--Oſcar ſtill followed at a diſtance, until he reached the top of the hill-he then ſat down and bowled. Duncan cried till his little heart was like to burſt-"What ails you?” said the ſervent, "I will never see my poor honest Oscar, again," ſaid Duncan, “an' my heart canna bide it." Duncan ſtaid a year in Edinburgh, but he did not make great progress in learning. He did not approve highly of attending the ſchool, and his aunt was too indulgent to compel his attendance. She grew ex- tremely ill one day-the maids kept constantly by her, and never regarded Duncan He was an additional charge to them, and they never loved him, but uſed him harſhly. It was now with great difficulty that he could obtain either meat or drink. In a few days af- ter his aunt was taken ill the died.-All was in con- fuſion, and poor Duncan was like to periſh with hun- ger :- he could find no perſon in the house : but hear- ing a noiſe in his aunt's chamber, he went in, and be. held them dreſſing the corpse of his kind relation :- it was enough - Duncan was horrified beyond what mortal breaſt was able to endure ;-he taſted down the flair, and ran along the High Street, and South Bridge, as fast as his feet could carry him, crying in- ſſently all the way. He would not have entered that house again, it the world had been offered him as a reward Some people ſtopped him, in order to aſk what was the matter, but he could only anſewer them by exclaiming "Oh, dear! Oh. dear!" and struggling till he got free, held on his course, careleſs whether he went, provided he got far enough from the horrid scene he had ſo lately witneſsed. Some have ſup- poſed, and I believe Duncan has been heard to con- fess, that he then imagined he he was running for the Highlands, but miſtook the direction. However that was, he continued his course until he came to a place