Page:Original stories from real life 1796.pdf/38

Rh a girl deſerving of ſuch a good huſband. For ſome time they continued to live very comfortably; their daily labour procured their daily bread; but Robin, finding it was likely he ſhould have a large family, borrowed a trifle, to add to the ſmall pittance which they had ſaved in ſervice, and took a little farm in the neighbouring county. I was then a child.

Ten or twelve years after, I heard that a crazy man, who appeared very harmleſs, had piled by the ſide of the brook a great number of ſtones; he would wade into the river for them, followed by a cur dog, whom he would frequently call his Jacky, and even his Nancy; and then mumble to himſelf,—thou wilt not leave me—we will dwell with the owls in the ivy.—A number of owls had taken ſhelther in it. The ſtones which he waded for he carried to the mouth of the hole, and only juſt left room enough to creep in. Some of the neighbours at laſt recollected his face; and I ſent to enquire what misfortune had reduced him to ſuch a deplorable ſtate. The information Rh