The Wilmingtonian., 1823-09-18
{ From the Edinburgh MagaSine. ]
MARY AILEN-A TALE.

MARY ALLEN-A TALE.
oh, thou. who sleep'st where hazel bands entwlne
The yerBal grass with paler vioets drest;
Iwould, sweet girl! thy humble bed were mine,
And mine thy calm and cnviable rest; |
For never more, BY human ills opprest,
Shall thy soft spirit frutlessly repne!
The simple tale which am now about
70 relate is one of those which sheds con-
secrating light OH the scene which wit
messed it; and thong its simple incidents
happened within the memory of man, they
breathe SO much of the spirit Of the old
en- time" that to me, at least, they are IN
vested with considerable portion OF that
sacredness, which only remote antiquity
can, in its widest extent, bestow.
Strath-Almond is one of the most lone
iv Of the mountain defiles which inter
yene between the high grounds OF the north
of this kingdom. The SUBMITS OF the mus
which encircle it, are covered over ent're-
ly with black moss and heath, and their
sides, except in a few plots, where some
hardy evergrcens contrive to struggle out
a melancholy existence, are nothing ou'
successive ridges of bare rock. The only
spots where the hand OF cultivation is at
all visible, are here and there on the banks
of the wild brawling stream, which RAM
b,es along the bottom of the defile; and
these are rare, being only lew acres OF
arabic ground around the pastoral huts
which are scattered at long intervals, at
the bottom of the hills.
Mary Allan was an only daughter oil
one of the inhabitants of this mountain re-
treat, and was considered, as we'll from
her superior education. as from the grace
and beauty of her person, the female or
nament of the valley. John Allan, hel
father, was the wealthiest and most res
pectabIe shepherd, or rather farmer, N thu
Strath, and Mary, therefore, was not ne
elected by the rustic gallants, who were
at all aware of the value OF beautiln
wife and bountiful tlowry. The onl,
youth, however, who had made any I'm
preston on Mary's heart was William
Lee, then a farm servant OF her fathers
but who latterly exchanged
s'Followng the plough upon the mountain side,
for the more heroic occupation OF folio"
ing the arms of his native country, IN tn
plains of the new world. The cause
this change was his aspiring to the han
of the Highland maiden, SO generally b'
loved. The marked civilities payed b
Mary to the lowest of her fathers servant
could not fail to attract the attention.
well as to excite the alarm, OF the yout
fu suitors, who had an eye to John Allan
tlocks, as we'll as his daughters perso1
and long time did not elapse before tt
unfortunate young man became the o0Je
of the resentment of all the wealthy you
of the glen. His situation was at last RI
dered so irksome, that he determined
leave the place of his nativity, and taxi
the opportunity of recruiting party v
paraded neighbouring town, without
king leave of his mistress, he accepted
kings bounty, and set sail for the de-
nation of his regiment, from which, i
believed, he never afterwards returned
The grief of Mary for this sudden
unexpected departure of her lover, was
most insupportablc; but she was obi.
to cherish it in silence and secrecy
sutors having got so easily rid OF II
dangerous rival, lost no time in plying
their efforts to get her fettered IN the bo
Of matrimony. Her father, fond OF he
distraction, was too anxious to see
daughter we'll settled in life, to be lon
complying with the unremltted solc
tions Of so many lovers and at last
was united, at his wish, and contrary
her own inclinatlons, to one OF the yo
men who was considered rather opul
and who had been most active in pers
ting the unhappy William Lee. Man
the old women in the glen still remen
the bridal of Mary Allan; and often
heard its ceremonies doletuly chau
over by venerable grandame, for tb'
struction of group of little urchns,
were eagerly crowding round a WI
iusIe side, with gaping earnestness, to
ten TO them.
81 ne'er could think it guide s
said old Margaret Alison to me, the
time | went to inquire respecting NJ
only surviving child, 81 ne'er could
it was owre guide sign,'' said she,
ming look Of mysterious .solemnity
seemed put on for the purpose oi I'm
sing her auditor with an idea OF her
rior sagacity, "when the salt tears ST.
ed down lrae the bonny brides face,
green graves i the kirk-yard."
"And that" continued Elspeth
-, II, 4bo ca,np vnIpn,u tunp "On th