me I parted with Maister Glen,
the Lauder carrier, limping Jamie, brought his callant to our shop-door
in his hand. He was a tall slender laddie, some fourteen years old, and
sore grown away from his clothes. There was something genty and delicate-
like about him, having a pale sharp face, blue eyes, a nose like a
hawk's, and long yellow hair hanging about his haffets, as if barbers
were unco scarce cattle among the howes of the Lammermoor hills. Having
a general experience of human nature, I saw that I would have something
to do towards bringing him into a state of rational civilization; but,
considering his opportunities, he had been well educated, and I liked his
appearance on the whole not that ill.

To divert him a while, as I did not intend yoking him to work the first
day, I sent out Benjie with him, after giving him some refreshment of
bread and milk, to let him see the town and all the uncos about it. I
told Benjie first to take him to the auld kirk, which is one wonderful
building, steeple and aisle; and as for mason-work, far before any thing
to be seen or heard tell of in our day; syne to Lugton brig, which is one
grand affair, hanging over the river Esk and the flour-mills like a
rainbow--syne to the Tolbooth, which is a terror to evil-doers, and from
which the Lord preserve us all!--syne to the Market, where ye'll see
lamb, beef, mutton, and veal, hanging up on cleeks, in roasting and
boiling pieces--spar-rib, jigget, shoulder, and heuk-bane, in the
greatest prodigality of abundance;--and syne down to the Duke's gate, by
looking through the bonny white-painted iron-stanchels of which, ye'll
see the deer running beneath the green trees; and the palace itself, in
the inside of which dwells one that needs not be proud to call the king
his cousin.

Brawly did I know, that it is a little after a laddie's being loosed from
his mother's apron-string, and hurried from home, till the mind can make
itself up to stay among fremit folk; or that the attention can be roused
to any thing said or done, however simple in the uptake. So, after
Benjie brought Mungo home again, gey forfaughten and wearied-out like, I
bade the wife gave him his four-hours, and told him he might go to his
bed as soon as he liked. Jealousing also, at the same time, that
creatures brought up in the country have strange notions about them with
respect to supernaturals--such as ghosts, brownies, fairies, and
bogles--to say nothing of witches