John Leech and other papers

Biggar and the House of Fleming. 325
taught by Mr. Robert Thomson, a brother-in-law of
the author of the Seasons. Here he made more
advancement in a few months than he had done for
years previously. When attending this seminary, he
returned to Biggar every Saturday, and remained till
Monday. His aged grandmother was wont to
" hirple " out the Lindsaylands road to meet him on
his way home ; but young Forsyth sometimes spent
a few hours in climbing trees at Carmichael, or looking
for birds' nests at Thankerton, and this sorely tried the
patience of the old dame as she sat by the wayside
chafing at his delay, and longing for his return.
' Forsyth then studied four years at the University
of Glasgow, and manfully struggled with all the
obstructions arising from the res angnsta domi.
During one of these years, a severe and protracted
storm of frost and snow occurred, and prevented all
communication from place to place by means of carts.
The Biggar carrier was consequently unable to pay
his usual visits to Glasgow for several weeks. Old
Forsyth was thrown into great distress regarding the
state in which he knew his son would be placed from
want of his ordinary supply of provisions. He there-
fore procured a quantity of oatmeal, and carried it on
his back along the rough tracks on the top of the snow
all the way to Glasgow, a distance of thirty-five miles,
and just arrived when young Forsyth had been
reduced to his last meal.'