But that even his father had doubts and hesitations was proven to David
by the contradictory nature of his advice and charges. Thus on the
morning he left Glasgow, and as they were riding together to the
Caledonian station, the old man said, "Your uncle has given you a seat
in his bank, Davie, and you'll mak' room for yoursel' to lie down, I'se
warrant. But you'll no forget that when a guid man thrives a' should
thrive i' him; and giving for God's sake never lessens the purse."
"I am but one in a world full, father. I hope I shall never forget to
give according to my prosperings."
"Tak the world as it is, my lad, and no' as it ought to be; and never
forget that money is money's brither--an' you put two pennies in a purse
they'll creep thegither.
"But then Davie, I am free to say gold won't buy everything, and though
rich men hae long hands, they won't reach to heaven. So, though you'll
tak guid care o' yoursel', you will also gie to God the things that are
God's."
"I have been brought up in the fear of God and the love of mankind,
father. It would be an ill thing for me to slink out of life and leave
the world no better for my living."
"God bless you, lad; and the £20,000 will be to the fore when it is
called for, and you shall make it £60,000, and I'll see again Ellenmount
in the Lockerby's keeping. But you'll walk in the ways o' your fathers,
and gie without grudging of your increase."
David nodded rather impatiently. He could hardly understand the
struggle going on in his father's heart--the wish to say something that
might quiet his own conscience, and yet not make David's unnecessarily
tender. It is hard serving God and Mammon, and Andrew Lockerby was
miserable and ashamed that morning in the service.
And yet he was not selfish in the matter--that much in his favor must be
admitted. He would rather have had the fine, handsome lad he loved so
dearly going in and out his own house. He could have taken great
interest in all his further studies, and very great pride in seeing him
a successful "placed minister;" but there are few Scotsmen in whom pride
of lineage and the good of the family does not strike deeper than
individual pleasure. Andrew really believed that David's first duty was
to the house of Lockerby.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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