Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-07-17
From the Budget Of Edtcard .4ircasils, Esq
THE FORSAKEN ONE.

Win RIDING, L nau tnroW" my ISih Sait'SSSy
upon my horses neck and permitted him TO
saunter along at his own rate, as l decended III
to ore Of the beautiful glens that abound in the
Western Highlands Of Scotland. The clouds
which during the day had oc occasionally embodi-
ed themselves, were now flying off in small
masses, like the remnants Of u routed army
when the battles lost aud won, ard the Sun as
he retired to the chamber OF his rest, might be
compared 10 a warrior wrapping himself IN his
mantle as he sunk behind a bank of clouds which
she wed their grotesque heads above The western
horizon, iinging their edges with the richest
hues of crimson and gold. The sound OF the
shepherd's whistle was heard Us he Called his
dogs together in the stragslsrs Of his hoeks,and
the drewsy tinkling oil the sheep bells, btoke
upon the ear, as their weathers ieaped from
crag TO crag, in their rapid descent. The cow
herd was driving his charge home, and stopped
occasionally in hummins a%nati'e a'r, to scoid
at some Of MS catIle who, tempted by the rich
herbage turned aside from their path. Inc 81
eantic shadows of the western h'lis were stretch
ing themselves over the bosom o. The valley ana
the yane on the spire Of the village church was
seen sparkling in The Suns last rays, whilst the
hamlet itself was in dark shade. Delighted
with the peacelu,ness and quiet oferery thing
around me, my thoughts had been lulled into a
StdtC VI US "'S'
the projection Of i rock, my attention was liked
by a female figure seated upon 4 fragment,
which i'm the wreck Of time had been torn from
the hill side and rolled to its present position.
Her cheek rested upon Der hand, and her eyes
appeared steadily fixed on some distant Object;
my approach seemed 10 be UNDECIDED by her,
whilst in a wild but exquisitely sweet voice,
she warbled A wae's me WI this sodgering
sac eaudy o." "The Laird's ta'en ava my ain
highland laddie o." For a moment she ceas
ed singing, her eye assumed a more wild ex-
pression; her FEATURES became agitated as II ~
some strong convulsion of feeling, and rising
from her seat she darted across the road, and
swift az an arrow ran toward the spot upon
which she had before been gazing, screaming
smv wean; my weaR, oh save my bairn.' In a
short time l saw her scrambIing Up the hill on
the opposite side Of the valley, where having
reached a point of considerable elevation she
fell near the brink of a mountain torrent, as II
overcome by her exertions. In a few moments
she rose, and pointing at the stream rushed
down along its side; alternately pointing AID
wringing her hands, screaming in a voice that
eave evidence of intense mental agony, "Oh save
nv BARN, my sweet bonnie wean,' until at last
she was hidden from my view by a clump OF
alder bushes, and her cries were lost In the dis
lance. / had been SO engrossed with The wretch
ed female, that my horse had strayed with
out my observing il, a short way from The road,
and was quietly regaling himself with the grass
that grew at his feet. lightning my REIN d-
rected his head TO the road, and accostlng a
s,rapping young fellow, passing at the moment,
with his blue bonnet cooked on one side, and
keeping time to the favorite tune OF "whar hae
We been a day bonnie laddie, highland laddie,"
which he whislled with great spirit, l asked
him who the female was that had just excited
my feelings. He stopped on being spoken TO,
and touching his bonnet answered my question
by another, "What's your wull Sir!' On my
repeating the question he said. "Ou aye its
puir mad Efie ye mean, do you no ken Efhe.-
Hegh me but she was ance the bonnies, and
blythest lass about the toun, wi eyes as black as
ony slae, and cheeks where the white and red
seemed playing wi ane anither-A the lads
were clean daft about her, and they cad her the
silly o. the gleR" but she wadna say'ony thing
till them mair than just a ceevil word. But at
last a party came here to recruit for the Forty
twa, the auld Black watch ye ken, and there
was ane wi them they cad him Sergeant Mac
Claymore, Jamie MacCEymore was his name,
Ell sirs but he was a Draw ohiel, it We had seen
him wi his bonnet, his Kill, and tartan hose, and
the bit pladie Jus, Ringing owre his snouther,-
IFS no wonder Efie fell in love wi him. So il
WAS, dnd tOinS oaAa tSN W.
ried, and the minister had been spoken till, but
lust then an order came for Jamie to gang TIL
the North. There was MAR nor ane sair heart
the morn he gaed ava, but he promised he'd be
back suae. Week after week passed ava, and
he didna come back, and Efie began 10 be shame
faced, and the red left her cheek and she wad
sir by hersel' the hale day and greet a: tho her
heart wad break. Her friends were hard WI
her, and we didna see her for some time, and
when we niest saw her, she had a bonnie BARN
in her arms, and wad wander about wi it the
hale day, out amang the hills. She wad talk
WI herself, and folk said she was daft, and sac
she is, but anee she fell asleep up yon whar ye
seed her gang till, and when she woke her wean
was game, il was ,hoch, by some IT had faen In
to the burn, and sac ihocat she, 1t made her
clean daft alhegi,hsr, aud enow she roas as ye
seed lust now. thinking she sees the wean in the
water.
The poor girls history had completely taken
possession Of my mind, and my servant who had