Page:Remarkable family adventure of Saunders Watson (1).pdf/5

Rh progress, young Sandy was altogether intractible. His father, after labouring very patiently with him for some time, at last remarked to Tibby that it was “needless learning folk the thing they couldna learn,” and relinquished wholly the task of teaching. This is an accurate view of the extent of education possessed by the family of Saunders Watson. Yet they were as well as any around them in this respect; and the daughters when grown up, were allowed to be not only sensible, but fair and aimiable. Young Sandy wrought and carted along with his father, and was just on the point of venturing upon matrimony, when his eldest sister, Mary, caught a severe fever and died. This sad event threw the whole family into the utmost grief. Saunders bore it with a fortitude somewhat approaching to philosophy,—though nothing of the stoic was mingled with his feelings.—but Tibby and the two remaining daughters were more vocal in their woe, notwithstanding of all the consolation which Saunders endeavoured to administer to them. The whole neighbourhood flocked round the hapless family upon this occasion to join in the work of comfort, for Saunders and his wife with the whole of his children, were loved and respected by every one.

This was about the time when the greatest