When Mr. Stuart first came to our village he again took up his aul'
habits o' industry, an' for a long time would'na taste drink ava; but
when the excitement o' the sudden change had worn off, his aul' likin'
for strong drink cam' back wi' fu' force, an' he, puir weak man--had'na
the strength o' mind to withstand it. He soon became even war than
before; his money was a' gane, he did'na work, so what was there but
poverty for his wife an' child. But it is useless for me to linger o'er
the sad story. When they had lived at Mill-Burn a little better than a
twelve month, his wife died, the neebors said o' a broken heart. A wee
while afore her death she ca'd Davie to her bedside, an' once mair
talked lang an earnestly to him o' the evil habit which had gotten sic a
hold o' him, an' begged him for the sake o' their dear' Geordie, who,
she reminded him, would soon be left without a mither to care for him,
to make still anither effort to free himself fra the deadly habit. I
believe Davie was sincere when he promised the dyin' woman that he wad
gie up drink. Wi' a' his faults, he had tenderly loved his wife, an' I
hae nae doubt fully intended keepin' the promise he made her. For a lang
time after her death, he was n'er seen to enter a public house ava', an'
again he applied himsel' to his wark wi' much industry.
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