Page:Remarkable family adventure of Saunders Watson (1).pdf/4

gained their faither’s consent to attend a teacher of that art during a fortnight; but as they happend, according to Saunders phrase, to have “nae ear for music,” it was merely time and money wasted. Saunders who had always a great antipathy to such amusements, was no way sorry at the dullness of his family; but it was not till a year or two had elapsed that he could contemplate with any degree of patience the circumstance of his mispending his money so; and as his much loved partner, Tibby, had given her vote in favour of the children on that occasion, he very frequently felt disposed to question her prudence in future when anything material came under consideration. Upon this principle he determined not to send them to a singing school, but to endeavour to give them what he called “a swatch o’ that branch o’ lear’ himself. Five church tunes were his whole stock, and these too had lost many a note and quaver in his hands; but he thought he knew them in perfection, and besides giving his pupils two or three lessons each day, they were enjoined to be most attentive in accompaning him while at the “buik” so that no opportunity of improvement might be lost. Saunders was nearly as unsuccessful in this department as the dancing-master had been in his; for though the girls made some little