Page:Life memoirs & pedigree of Thomas Hamilton Dickson.pdf/21

 was attending the cows, I used to bathe, and became an expert swimmer, so that few or none could compete with me. When I grew up to near manhood, I generally went from house to house, and rose in the morning at four or five o'clock, and thrashed grain till breakfast-time. I remember of coming once to a house to ask permission to remain for the night, and the master would not allow me to lie in the barn for the night. It is worthy of notice, that on that very night the barn was burned, along with all that it contained, to the ground, and I providentially escaped.

One house, in particular, I made my headquarters, and generally stopped there on the Saturday and Sunday evenings. The landlord was a good, honest, even-down countryman, and was kind and indulgent to every person, and lived respected, and died justly regretted by all who knew him. He had six sons. The oldest was an ingenious mechanic, and could put his hand to anything. The second was destitute of these attainments, but was a very good farmer. The third was like too many in this world, who attempt to make an appearance different from what they really are. The fourth was a remarkably hard working man, and celebrated for game and bottom, as the pugilist would term it. The fifth was a strapping youth, likely to a woman's eye, and seemed always cheerful and happy. The sixth, and youngest, a promising youth, had nearly completed his time as a civil engineer, when he was cut off prematurely. There were three