was
his father--his own actions must bring him fame or shame. The first
sounds that ever attracted my particular attention, were those of the
music bells of old St. Giles', and the firing of the guns in Edinburgh
Castle. I had reached my twelfth year, when my father, who was a
Jacobite, joined the Highland army at Duddingstone, while Prince Charles
was in Holyrood House, and I never saw him again. My mother, who was
weakly at the time, and our circumstances very poor--for my father was
only a day-labourer--took it so much to heart that she survived only a
few months, and I was thrown destitute upon my own resources, which,
God knows, were scant enough. I was tall and stout for my age, and
roughed it out, ragged, hungry, and cold, about the city, for three
years and some months--running messages, or doing any little thing I
could get to do for a piece of bread or a mouthful of victuals; and
choosing the warmest stair, or any other convenient place, for a
bedroom. Rough as this training was, I was far from being unhappy; for I
had my enjoyments, humble as they were--as yet innocent, and as keenly
relished as if they had been those of luxury. These few years of
hardships were soon to be of eminent service to me--perhaps the means of
saving my life.

It was the spring of the year. The winter had been very severe, and I
was rejoicing in the thought of summer, which, for the poor, has fewer
wants and less of suffering. Loitering, as usual, upon the High Street,
hungry enough, and looking for some little job to earn a breakfast, I
was accosted by a rough-looking man, rather genteelly dressed, who
inquired if I would carry a parcel for him to Leith, and he would give
me a sixpence. My heart bounding with joy at the rich reward, I said I
would. Whereupon he inquired if my parents would not be angry at my
going, or my master, if I had one. I told him I had neither parent nor
master, not even a friend in the world to find fault with me how I spent
my time. A grim smile of satisfaction came over his countenance; he put
the offered sixpence again into his pocket, and gave me a small paper
parcel, with the direction where I was to carry it; adding, as I stood
waiting for my reward--'Run quick, like a good boy. Tell them to give
you some breakfast, and wait until I come and give you the sixpence.'
Away I ran, like a greyhound from the slip, to get a breakfast and earn
my sixpence. Swift as was my flight, never did the Canongate or the