It was a grand thing, his mother and I thought, that we could see him gae to Cambridge, as we'd dreamed, once, many years before it ever seemed possible, that he micht do.

And before the country called him to war he took his degree, and was ready to begin to read law.
We played many a game o' billiards together, John and I, i' the wee hoose at Tooting.

We were both fond o' the game, though I think neither one of us was a great player.

John was better than I, but I was the stronger in yon days, and I'd tak' a great swipe sometimes and pocket a' the balls.

John was never quite sure whether I meant to mak' some o' the shots, but he was a polite laddie, and he'd no like to be accusing his faither o' just being lucky.
"Did ye mean that shot, pal" he'd ask me, sometimes.