I had given him
credit to be, and I desired Sandy not to lay it so sair to heart, for
that something else would cast up. But, in a day or two, I received a
letter from the gentleman himsel, showing me how matters stood, and
giving me to understand the _why_ and the _wherefore_.

"O the gowk!" said I, "what business had he to fa' in love, when he
had the bairns and his books to mind?"

So I determined to rally him a wee thought on the subject, in order to
bring him back to his senses; for, when a haflins laddie is labouring
under the first dizziness o' a bonnie lassie's influence, I dinna
consider that he is capable o' either seeing, feeling, hearing, or
acting wi' the common-sense discretion o' a reasonable being. It is a
pleasant heating and wandering o' the brain. Therefore, the next time
I saw him--

"Sandy," says I, "wha was't laid Troy in ashes?"

He at first started and stared at me, rather vexed like, but at last
he answered, wi' a sort o' forced laugh, "A woman."

"A woman, was it?" says I; "and wha was the cause o' Sandy Rutherford
losing his situation as tutor, and being sent back to Annan?"

"Sir!" said he, and he scowled down his eyebrows, and gied a look at
me that wad hae spained a ewe's lamb. I saw that he was too far gone,
and that his mind was in a state that it would not be safe to trifle
wi'; so I tried him no more upon the subject.

Weel, as his mother, puir woman, had enough to do, and couldna keep
him in idleness, and as there was naething for him in Annan, he went
to Edinburgh to see what would cast up, and what his talents and
education would do for him there. He had recommendations from several
gentlemen, and also from myself. But month after month passed on, and
he was like to hear of nothing. His mother was becoming extremely
unhappy on his account, and the more so because he had given up
writing, which astonished me a great deal, for I could not divine the
cause of such conduct as not to write to his own mother, to say that
he was well or what he was doing; and I was the more surprised at it,
because of the excellent opinion I had entertained of his character
and disposition. However, I think it would be about six months after
he had left, I received a letter from him; and, as that letter is of
importance in giving you an account of his history, I shall just step
along to the school for it, where I have it carefully placed in my
desk, and shall bring it and any other papers that I thi