Then it came in upon my mind that this was all his sorrow at my departure; and my conscience smote me hard and fast, because I, for my part, was overjoyed to get away out of that quiet country-side, and go to a great, busy house, among rich and respected gentlefolk of my own name and blood.
"Davie, Davie," I thought, "was ever seen such black ingratitude?
Can you forget old favours and old friends at the mere whistle of a name?
Fie, fie; think shame." And I sat down on the boulder the good man had just left, and opened the parcel to see the nature of my gifts.

That which he had called cubical, I had never had much doubt of; sure enough it was a little Bible, to carry in a plaid-neuk.

That which he had called round, I found to be a shilling piece; and the third, which was to help me so wonderfully both in health and sickness all the days of my life, was a little piece of coarse yellow paper, written upon thus in red ink: "TO MAKE LILLY OF THE VALLEY WATER .-- Take the flowers of lilly of the valley and distil them in sack, and drink a spooneful or two as there is occasion.

It restores speech to those that have the dumb palsey.

It is good against the Gout; it comforts the heart and strengthens the memory; and the flowers, put into a Glasse, close stopt, and set into ane hill of ants for a month, then take it out, and you will find a liquor which comes from the flowers, which keep in a vial; it is good, ill or well, and whether man or woman." And then, in the minister's own hand, was added: "Likewise for sprains, rub it in; and for the cholic, a great spooneful in the hour." To be sure, I laughed over this; but it was rather tremulous laughter; and I was glad to get my bundle on my staff's end and set out over the ford and up the hill upon the farther side; till, just as I came on the green drove-road running wide through the heather, I took my last look of Kirk Essendean, the trees about the manse, and the big rowans in the kirkyard where my father and my mother lay..