American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1822-10-22
From "Lights and Shad0ses IF Scottish Lifs'
THE COVENANTER'S MARRIACE-DAY

Marys Loon. range OF bright green hills goes
southwark from its shores, and between them and
the high healthy mountains lies shapeess scene
OF cliffs, MOSS and PASTURE partakng both of beau
| ~ and grandeur between which it so widely Hes
All these cliffs covered with native birch tieess
except lew OF the lotest that shoot up their
bare points In many fantastic forms that moss, full
OF what the shepherds call "hags," or hoilows worli
by the weather. or dug out os fuel, waves when the
wind goes by, its high rich blossomed and fragrant
heath and that pasturage, here and there In circu
lar spots of emerald verdure, affords the sweetess
sustenauce to the sheep to be found among all that
mountainous region. 1t wasin one of these circles
OF beautiful heritage, called by the Shepherds The
Queen Fairy's PalIor,' that Mark Kerr and Chris
tian Lindsay, who had been long betrohed, were
now TO be made man and wife. 1t was nearly sur
rounded by large masses or lodges of loose rocks
piled to considerable height upon each other by
some strong CONFUSION, and all adorned with the
budding and sweet breathing brches, while the cir
Gle was completed by one overshadowing cliff that
sheltered it from the north blast and on whose airy
summit the young hawks were shrily and wildly
lcrying in their nest.
The bridegroom was sitting there With his brdes
and her bridemaid and by and by, one friend after
another appeared below the natural arch that all
dropping with wild flowers, formed the only en-
trance into this lonely Tabernacle At last they all
stood UP in circle togelher-shepherds decen,ly
Pparelled--shepherdeese all dressed in rameht
oleached whittier than the snow in the waters OF the
mountain spring, and the gray headed Minister Of
Cod who driven from his kirk by blood thirsty pera
secution, prayed and preached in the wilde ness
baptized infants with the water Of the TIMING brook
and joined in wedock the hands Of those whose
hearts onged TO be united in those dark and deadly
times Few words were uttered by the gracious old
man but those few were solemn and full of cheers
impressed upon the hearts of the welded pair, by
the tremulous tones of voice that was not long
Tor this world by the sanctity of his long white locks
unmovedby breath OF air, and by the fatherly and
apostocal motion of his uplited hand that seemed
to conduct down upon them who stood in awe be-
lore him the blessing OF that God who delightetf1
In an humble heart. The short ceremony was now
closed,-and Marx Kerr and Christian Lindsay
were united, till death should sunder them on earth
to reunite them 10 heaven.
Greetings were INTERCHANGEABLE smiles
went round, with rosy FLASHES, and mnrmurinE
and whispering voices of irreproachable ninth.
What though the days were dark, and the OPP
pressor strong? Here was place unknown TO
his feet and now was time to let the clear spark
ling fountain of natures Joy well up in all hearts.
Sadness and sorrow now oyershadowed the land
but humble life was not yet wholly waste and the
sweet sunshine that now fell down through screen
LOT heecy clouds upon the Queen Fdi'y's Par
lour, was 1t not to enliven and rejoice all their
souls Was it not to make the fair bride fairer i'm
her husbands eyes--her smile brighter, and the
rnglets more yellow as they hung over a fore-
head that wore its sken snood no longer, but
in its changed covering gracefully showed that Chrs-
tan Lindsay was now wife The tabor and the
pipe heard and footsteps, that left no print
on the hard smooth verdant floor, kept time to the
merry measures. Perhaps the old man would have
frowned on such pastime perhaps Covenanters
ought not TO have INDUCED in promiscuous dancing
perhaps it may be said to be false that they did
Al L.2
hiding place. These Coyenaners were young, and
this occasion was happy one; and dance they did,
most assuredly wicked as it may have been, and inn
proper as il may be to record such wickedness.-s
The young hawks were moi little alarmed and
an old ram, who happened to put his twisted horns
below the arch, got fright, that made him bound
backwards out OF the enchanted circle The hill
bIackbird wondered; but he himself Joined the
dance upon the birchen spray--and althouch mo-
great songster he did his best, and chiFped cheer
FULLY his mellow notes in the din of the gene al
happiness.
| But as the evening hours were advancing, the
party kept dropping away one by one, or in pairs,
just as it had gathered /; and the Fairy Queen had
her Parour all to herself undisubed, if she chose &C
night to hold court beneath the lamp Of the Moon.
Where had the young married pair their bridal
chamber? Mark Kerr had sheaing on the mountain
side, from which was just visible one bay Of St.
| Mary's Loeb. The walls were built oil turf, and the
roof of healher--and surrounded as it was ON all sides
by large stones wooded cliffs, knows, and uneven
eminences, it almost likely to escape notice
the nest Of bird, or the lair OF roe. Thther he
took his bride. Her little bridesmaid had small
covert Of her own, distant only few rods, and the
friends could each other standing at the door Of
each shealing, through the nterCepting foliage OF
the waving birches that hung down their thin and
Intellectual veil till it swept the blooming heather.
On small seal, framed of the roofs Of decayed
trees Mark Kerr was now sitting with his own
sweet Christian; when he gently raised her head