reasin
passion.

"What circumstances, sir, do I allude to?" replied Mr. Drysdale,
fiercely. "I don't suppose you required to come here for that
information; but you shall have it nevertheless, since you ask it." And,
proceeding to a file of newspapers, he detached one, and, throwing it on
the desk before me, placed his finger, as Mrs. Craig had done on another
occasion, on the bankrupt list, and desired me to look at _that_. I did
so, and read, in this catalogue of unfortunates, the name of "William
Smith, merchant, ----. Creditors to meet," &c. &c.

"Now, sir," said Mr. Drysdale, with a triumphant sneer, "are you
satisfied?"

"Perfectly, sir," I replied; "but you will please to observe that that
William Smith is not my father. He's a totally different person."

"What!" exclaimed Mr. Drysdale, "not your father! Who is he, then? I
didn't know there was any other William Smith, of any note in trade, in
your town. I did not, indeed, look particularly at the designation; but
took it for granted it was your father, as, to my certain knowledge,
many others have also done."

"Indeed!" replied I; "why, that is mair serious. Some steps maun be taen
to remedy that mischief."

"Without a moment's delay," said Mr. Drysdale, who was already a changed
man. "Your father must advertise directly, saying he's not the William
Smith whose name appears in the bankrupt list of such a date. Lose not a
moment in doing this, or your credit'll be cracked throughout the three
kingdoms. It has already suffered seriously here, I can assure you."

Having paid Mr. Drysdale his account, which he wasna noo for
acceptin--sayin that, if we had the sma'est occasion for the money, to
use it freely, without regardin them--and havin thanked him for his
advice as to counteracting the evil report that had gane abroad
respectin us, I hurried awa to put it in execution; and thinkin it very
hard to be subjected to a' this trouble sae innocently, and to hae, at
ane and the same time, a pair o' such calamities sae oddly thrust upon
me, as my ain death, and the bankruptcy o' my faither. However, sae it
was. But my business noo was to remedy, as far as possible, the mischief
that had been done by the unfounded rumour o' oor insolvency. Wi' this
view I hastened awa to a newspaper office, to begin the cure by an
advertisement; and, in doin this, I had occasion to pass the
coach-office whar I had landed the day before. Observin the place, I
thocht I micht as we