CHAPTER I 

I SET OFF UPON MY JOURNEY TO THE HOUSE OF SHAWS 

I will begin the story of my adventures with a certain morning early in the month of June, the year of grace 1751, when I took the key for the last time out of the door of my father's house. The sun began to shine upon the summit of the hills as I went down the road; and by the time I had come as far as the manse, the blackbirds were whistling in the garden lilacs, and the mist that hung around the valley in the time of the dawn was beginning to arise and die away. 

Mr. Campbell, the minister of Essendean, was waiting for me by the garden gate, good man! He asked me if I had breakfasted; and hearing that I lacked for nothing, he took my hand in both of his and clapped it kindly under his arm. 

"Well, Davie, lad," said he, "I will go with you as far as the ford, to set you on the way." And we began to walk forward in silence. 

"Are ye sorry to leave Essendean?" said he, after awhile. 

"Why, sir," said I, "if I knew where I was going, or what was likely to become of me, I would tell you candidly. Essendean is a good place indeed, and I have been very happy there; but then I have never been anywhere else. My father and mother, since they are both dead, I shall be no nearer to in Essendean than in the Kingdom of Hungary, and, to speak truth, if I thought I had a chance to better myself where I was going I would go with a good will." 
Who waited for someone?
Where at?
What was he?
Of what?
Who did he wait for?
Was it a warm meeting?
Had Davie had breakfast?
Where would they be parting ways?
Does Davie like where he lives?
Are his parent alive?
Is he strongly attached to where he lives?
What time of the year was it?
What year?
Was it rainy?
Then what was it like?
What were the birds doing?
Where?
What kind of birds were they?
Was he on a hill?
What was fading?
Mr. Campbell
Mr. Campbell, the minister of Essendean, was waiting for me
by the garden gate
waiting for me by the garden gate
a minister
Mr. Campbell, the minister
Essendean
Mr. Campbell, the minister of Essendean
Davie
Well, Davie, lad," said he
yes
took my hand in both of his and clapped it kindly
yes
He asked me if I had breakfasted; and hearing that I lacked for nothing
the ford
"I will go with you as far as the ford
yes
Essendean is a good place indeed, and I have been very happy there
no
My father and mother, since they are both dead
no
if I thought I had a chance to better myself where I was going I would go with a good will
June
 early in the month of June
1751
the year of grace 1751
no
The sun began to shine
The sun was shining
The sun began to shine
whistling
the blackbirds were whistling
in the garden lilacs
blackbirds were whistling in the garden lilacs
blackbirds
the blackbirds were whistling
no
 around the valley
the mist
the mist that hung around the valley in the time of the dawn was beginning to arise and die away