magic power, into a being of almost child-like obedience,
while he listened attentively and deferentially to the
lecture of Major Grantham, whom he both feared and loved.
On these occasions, he would hang his head upon his
chest--confess his error--and promise solemnly to amend
his course of life, although it must be needless to add
that never was that promise heeded. Not unfrequently,
after these lectures, when Major Grantham had left him,
Sampson would turn his horse, and, with his arms still
folded across his chest, suffer Silvertail to pursue his
homeward course, while he himself, silent and thoughtful,
and looking like a culprit taken in the fact, sat steadily
in his saddle, without however venturing to turn his eye
either to the right or to the left, as he passed through
the crowd, who, with faces strongly expressive of mirth,
marked their sense of the change which had been produced
in the old interpreter. Those who had seen him thus, for
the first time, might have supposed that a reformation
in one so apparently touched would have ensued; but long
experience had taught that, although a twinge of conscience,
or more probably fear of, and respect for, the magistrate,
might induce a momentary humiliation, all traces of cause
and effect would have vanished with the coming dawn.

To the sterling public virtues he boasted, Sampson Gattrie
united that of loyalty in no common degree. A more staunch
adherent to the British Crown existed nowhere in the
sovereign's dominions; and, such was his devotedness to
"King George," that, albeit he could not in all probability
have made the sacrifice of his love for whiskey, he would