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

 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 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 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 reverence, but never despise your father.” The lady now joined them. “You have yet heard thing, young man,” said the old laird, "if you 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 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 in an honoured grave.' The old man's sp were quite gone -- he cried like a child and his lady mimicked him --and at this, his