Page:Robert Carter- his life and work. 1807-1889 (IA robertcarterhis00coch).pdf/40

24 Sir Walter Scott. He was sheriff of Selkirk, and was known in our vicinity as the ‘Shirra.’ Great was the love and reverence in which he was held. Many a time have I gazed upon the lovely scene on the banks of the Tweed where the Wizard of the North wrote his wonderful creations. It was nearly midway between my home and Selkirk. The winter I spent in that old borough was one of great value to me. I had the charge of sixty boys and girls, and it was to me a new life. I must have been a very unskilful teacher, but if I did not succeed in giving my pupils much instruction, I learned much myself.

“Mr. Campbell, the parish minister, asked me to visit the jail and give some instruction to a young man, more sinned against than sinning, who lay in his cell there. I went from time to time, and found him ready to drink in every kind of knowledge. I had never been in such a place before, and the sensation was a very strange one when the jailer opened the massive doors and shut them upon me. But when I saw the hapless youth gaze upon me with wistful eyes, and give me a hearty welcome, I felt there was a blessed work for me to do. I never had a scholar who made such progress in so short a time. He did not wish his friends at home to know that he was in prison. One day he asked me to look over and correct a letter he had written to his father, and one expression in it afforded me much amusement: ‘My present situation is very easy, but it is so confining that I am determined to leave at Whitsunday, when I hope to see you.’

“After my half-year in Selkirk, I returned to my loom again. In the following winter, 1823, I was urged to open an evening school in the spare room of our dwelling, I had twenty-eight scholars, most