Betty Morton and the Archbishop.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 42, 20 February 1897, Page 4 (Supplement)

Betty Morton and the Archbishop.

The mother of Archibald Taib died when he was thrao years vAd, leaving him to the care of his nursfj, Betty Morton. At thirteen, he w/jnb fco the Edinburgh Academy, which wan a day school only. The boys lived at homo or bearded in the families of the city, so that little Archibald was, like all the rest, thrown upon the society of some ona outside the school, and for him ib was the company of Betty Morton.

The course of fitudy wa9 very severe ; six hours' continuous work by day, and as many more ab night. But Taib roso rapidly to the head oi his class, though ho had not, like some of the pupils, tha benefit of a private tutor. He scarcely needed one, for Babfcy served instead. And unlearned though she v/as, she eeemad to serve that purpose as well a3 any other. Ho used to repeat his memorised Latin lessons aloud, and Betty held the book close to hor eyes, diligently following every word as be said page after page. To her Latin wf<s an unknown language, bub that scarcely made a difference.

* Ay % ' she wouid say, by way of encouragement, 'it maun ba richb. IoJa jusfc word for word, and it sounds like ib. 1

Then there would be a sudden lowering of the book and an ominous, 'Na! na ! It's no that ava 1' and Archibald knew that he was wrong.

Throe years later he wenb fco Glasgow University. Here again Becfcy accompanied him, and ehe nob only tended him with motherly care, bub made Euro that his hours of study were not interrupted, even repulsing his friends, with inexorable firmnoas, when they cacae to bha door.

He was sbill a young man when ahe died, and throughout her illness he was with her constantly. Aa the end approached he showed a depth of tenderness which no one had suspected beneath his somewhat stern exterior. The two took the ' Lord's Supper' together, and wore then lefbalone. All nighb the young man sab beside the old nurse's bed, and gave her words of comfort, as Bhe could bear them, and as the morning broke, on New dear's Day, she died, with her hand clasped in his.