Page:History of Duncan Campbell, and his dog Oscar (4).pdf/11

 11 him as if he had been their own son, clothed him in blue drugget, and bought him a smart little Highland bonnet : in which dress he looked so charming, that I would not let them have peace, until I got one of the same. Indeed, all that Duncan said or did was to me a pattern, for? loved him as my own life. I was, at my own request, which he persuaded me to urge, per- mitted to be his bed-fellow, and many a happy night and day did I spend with Duncan and Oscar. As far as I remember, we felt no privation of any kind, and would have been completely happy, if it had not been for the fear of spirits. When the conversa- tion chanced to turn upon the Piper of Dewar, the Maid of Plora, or the Pedlar of Thirlestane Mill, often have we lain with the bed clothes drawn over our beads until nearly suffocated. We loved the faries and the brownies, and even felt a little partiality for the mer- maids, on account of their beauty and charming songs, we were a little jealous of the water kelpies, and al- ways kept aloof from the frightsome pools. We hated the devil most heartily, but we were not much afraid of him ; but a ghost! oh, dreadful ! the names, ghost, spirit, or apparition, sounded in our ears like the knell of destruction, and our hearts sunk within us as if pierced by the cold icy. shaft of death. Duncan herd- ed my father's cows all the summer--so did I-we could not live asunder. We grew fishers so expert, that the speckled trout, with all his art, could not elude our machinations we forced him from bis watery cave, admired the beautiful shades and purple drops that were painted on his sleeky sides, and forth with added him to our number, without reluctance. We assailed the habitation of the wild bee, and rifled all her accu- mulated sweets, though not without encountering the most determined resistance. My father's meadows abounded with lives ; they were almost in every swath -in every hillock. When the swarm was large, they would beat us off, day after day. In all these despe-