 the meantime, every advance that Reuben made in
learning (and, considering his opportunities, they were uncommonly great)
rendered him less capable of attending to the domestic duties of his
grandmother's farm. While studying the pons asinorum in Euclid, he suffered
every cuddie upon the common to trespass upon a large field of peas belonging to
the Laird, and nothing but the active exertions of Jeanie Deans, with her little
dog Dustiefoot, could have saved great loss and consequent punishment. Similar
miscarriages marked his progress in his classical studies. He read Virgil's
Georgics till he did not know bere from barley; and had nearly destroyed the
crofts of Beersheba while attempting to cultivate them according to the practice
of Columella and Cato the Censor.
    These blunders occasioned grief to his grand-dame, and disconcerted the good
opinion which her neighbour, Davie Deans, had for some time entertained of
Reuben.
    »I see naething ye can make of that silly callant, neighbour Butler,« said
he to the old lady, »unless ye train him to the wark o' the ministry. And ne'er
was there mair need of poorfu' preachers than e'en now in these cauld Gallio
days, when men's hearts are hardened like the nether mill-stone, till they come
to regard none of these things. It's evident this puir callant of yours will
never be able to do an usefu' day's wark, unless it be as an ambassador from our
Master; and I will make it my business to procure a license when he is fit for
the same, trusting he will be a shaft cleanly polished, and meet to be used in
the body of the kirk; and that he shall not turn again, like the sow, to wallow
in the mire of heretical extremes and defections, but shall have the wings of a
dove, though he hath lain among the pots.«
    The poor widow gulped down the affront to her husband's principles, implied
in this caution, and hastened to take Butler from the High School, and encourage
him in the pursuit of mathematics and divinity, the only physics and ethics that
chanced to be in fashion at the time.
    Jeanie Deans was now compelled to part from the companion of her labour, her
study, and her pastime, and it was with more than childish feeling that both
children regarded the separation. But they were young, and hope was high, and
they separated like those who hope to meet again at a more auspicious hour.
    While Reuben Butler was acquiring at the University of St. Andrews the
knowledge necessary
