My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org

MY EARLIEST MEMORIES 15I expect was the leader in most of our games andexplorations. My two sisters were five and sevenyears older than John, so that they would have beenabout thirteen and fifteen, which would appear to mequite grown up ; and this makes me think that myrecollections must go back to the time when I wasjust over three, as I quite distinctly remember two, ifnot three, besides myself, standing on the flatstonesand catching lampreys.There is an incident in which I remember that mybrother and at least one, if not two, of my sisters tookpart. Among the books read to us was " Sandfordand Merton," the only part of which that I distinctlyremember is when the two boys got lost in a woodafter dark, and while Merton could do nothing butcry at the idea of having to pass the night withoutsupper or bed, the resourceful Sandford comfortedhim by promising that he should have both, and sethim to gather sticks for a fire, which he lit with atinder-box and match from his pocket. Then, whena large fire had been made, he produced some potatoeswhich he had picked up in a field on the way, andwhich he then roasted beautifully in the embers, andeven produced from another pocket a pinch of salt ina screw of paper, so that the two boys had a verygood supper. Then, collecting fern and dead leavesfor a bed, and I think making a coverlet by takingoff their two jackets, which made them quite comfortablewhile lying as close together as possible, theyenjoyed a good night's sleep till daybreak, when theyeasily found their way home.This seemed so delightful that one day Johnprovided himself with the matchbox, salt, and potatoes,and having climbed up the steep bank behindorour house, as we often did, and passed over a field