Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1829-07-17

They were concealed by a rising knoll
from being seen from the cottage which
they now reached. Knocking loudly at the
door after some delay they were answered
by the appearance of a little, thick-set,
grey-eyed, odish looking man, with long
arms, and black bushy beard hung with
grayFthreads and thrums as if he had been
empioyeH in weaving the coarse linen of
countrysat the time. But as he had none
of the muscular strength, which Calum
| Dhu was reported to possess, and which
had often proved SD fatal to their clan, they
could not suppose this to be their redoubt-
ed foeman: and to the qrerulous question
OF wha; they wanted, uttered in the impa-
ten, tone of me who has been interrupted
in some worldly employment, they re-
piled by enquiring if Calum Dhu was at
home.
Ma, he's game to the fishing but an we
hae ony message irae our chief, hea ell
guard him, about the coming Of the red
M'Gregors, and will trust me wi it, Calum
Dhu will get it frae me.-Ye may as well
tell me as him he stays lang when he gaes
out, for he is keen fisher.
We were only wanting to try the bend
ing ofhis bow, said the disappointed young
chief, which we have heard no man can
do save himself. Hoo gin that is "a, we
might have telPd it at fiIst, and no keepet
me sac lang irae my loom, said the old
man; but stop-and giving his shoulders
an impatient shrug, which to keen OBJ
/ server, would have passed for one of salts
faction. triumph, and determination, he
went into the house and quickly returned
bringing strong bow and steal OF ar
rows, and flung them carelessly on the
ground, saying yell be for trying your
strength at ight?-ponting to the arrows;
haze seen Calum send an arrow over the
highest point o. that hill, like a glance O.
lightning and when the M'Gregors were
coming raging up the glen, like red deev.
els as they are, mony q their bast warriors
fell at the far,hest entry o the pass. every
man o. them wi hole in his breast and
its fellow at his back.
He had taken long arrow out Of the
sheaf and stood playing with it while speak
ing, seemingly ready to give to the first
man who should bend the bow The NJ
prime ofyouth and manhood. The young
Chief took up the bow, and after examin-
ing its unbending strength, laying all his
might to it, strained till the blood rushed
to his face, and his temples throbbed al
most to burstng-but in vain, the string
remained slack as ever. Evan and the
other M'Gregor were alike unsuccessful !;
they nigh, as well have tried to root up
the guarded oaks Of their native mountains
There is not maD-cried the young
chief of M'Gregor, greatly chagrined at
the absence of Calumn Dhu, and his own
clansmen's vain attempts TO bend the bow
there is no. man in your clan can bend
that bow, and ifCaIum Dhu were here, he
should not long bend it i-Here he bit his
lip, and suppressed the rest Of the sem
tence for the third M'Gregor gave him
glance of caution. Ha ! said the old man,
still playing with the long arrow in his
:iand, AID without seeming to observe the
latter part OF the M'Gregor's speech, if
Calum was here, he would bend il as ca
silly as ye wad bend that rush, and gin ony
o the M'Gregors were in sight, he wad
drive this long arrow through them'as ca
silly as we would drive your old dirk through
my old PLAID, and the feather wad come out
|
Sometimes even the man behind is wound
ed, if they are ony way thick in their bat
tie. / once saw pair o'tbem stretched
on the heather, pinned together with ane
OF Calum's lang arrows.
This was spoken with the cool compo-
sure and simplicity of one who is talking
to frieEds or is careless if they are foes. A
! locker ron could have discerned checker
ed shade oil pleasure and triumph cross his
conntenance as M'Gregor's lip quivered,
and the scov'l of anger fell along his brow
at the tale of his kiDsmen's destruction, by
the arm Of his most hated enemy.
He must be brave warrior, said the
young chief, COMPRISING his breath, and
looking with anger and establishment at
the tenacious and cool old man, should
like to see this Calum DhG.
Ye may soon see enough; an gin We
were a MGregor, feel him too. But what
is the man gunching and glooming at?-
Gin ye were Black John himself, We could
ma look more deevish like. And what
are you fidgetng at man? addressing the
third M'Gregor, who had both marked and
felt the anger of his young chief, and, had
slowly moved nearer the old man, and had
stood with his right hand below the left
breast of his plaid, probably grasping his
dirk, ready to execute the vengeance Of
his master, as it was displayed on his cloud
ed conference, which he closely watch
ed. The hith of the Gael is deeper than
to hear is to obey, the slavIsh obedience
Of the Eas his is to anticipate or to per-
form--to know and accomplish and die.
1t is the sterner devoiedness Of the North.