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

But the old man kept his keen gray eve
flxed upon him, and continued, in tn.
same unsuspecting tone but is there ony
word o the MGregors soon coming over
the hills? Calum wad like to try shot at
Black John, their chief; he wonders Gin
ne could pass an arrow through his great
heavy bulk as readily as he sens them
through his clansmen's silly bodies; John
mas son, too, he wad like to try his craft
on ne has the name of a brave warrior
forget his name-Calum likes to strike
at noble game, though he is sometimes
forced to Kill that which is little worth.
But I'm fearful thu. lao o'o~ra,as h,S nj,
strength; his arrow will only. | think.
strike well through Black John, but
Dotard, peace roared the Young chief
till the glen rang again: his brow da,k ken.
ing like the midnight :. peace or shall
cut the sacrileglous tongue out of your
head, and nail il to that door, to show Ca
lum Dhu that you have had visitors since
he went away, and bless his stars he was
not here.
"A dark flash Of suspicion crossed his
mind as he gazed at the cool old tormen-
tor, who stood before him, unwa;linp at
ms irowns, but 1t vanished as the imper
turOabie old man said, IIoah! we're no NJ
Gregot-and though ye were. We surely
wad'na mind the like O. me But anent
bending this bow, striking it with the long
arrow he still held in his hand, there is
just knack in II, and your untaught
young strength is useless, as We dnna ken
the gait OF. [ learned it frae Calur1, but
I'm sworn never to tell it to stranger.
lhere Is mony man in the clan | ken
naething about.-But as We seem anxious
to see the bow bent, I'll not disappoint We
rim to yon gray stane-stand there, and it
Will be the same as If We were standing
uear me when Pm doing it, it will Just be
the same to you. tor We can see weel e.
noug1, and when the string is on the bow.
we may come down, an We like, and try a
flight, It's capital bow, and that ye'Il fin.
promise is sacred with the Gael and
as he was under one, they did not insist on
his exhibiting his art while they were in
| hls presence, but curious to see the sturdy
bow bent, feat Of which the best warrior
OF their clan would have been proud, and
which they had in vain essayed; and per-
| haps, thinking Calum Dhu would arrive i'm
the interval, and as they feared nothing
| from the individual, who seemed ignorant
of their name, and who could not be sup
| posed to send an arrow so far with effect :;
| they therefore walked away in the direc-
ton pointed out, nor did they once turn
| their faces till they reached the gray rock
They now turned, and saw the old man
| (who had waited till they had gone the
whole way) suddenly bend the stubborn
yew, and fix an arrow on the string. In
an instant it was strongly drawn to his very
ear, and the feathered shaft, of cloth
breadth length, was fercely launched in
the air.
M'Alp-hooch cried the young chief,
meaning to raise the M'Gregor war-cry,
clepplng his hands on his breast as he fell
lta: cried Calum Dhu, for it was he him.
sell; clap your arm benin the arm shot
that never sent an arrow that came out
where it went in "a rhyme he used i'm
battle; when his foes fell as fast he could
nix arrows to the bow string. The two
M'Gregors hesltated moment whether
to rush down and cut to atoms the old
man who had so suddenly caused the
death of their beloved young chief; but
seeing him fix another arrow to his bow.
OF which thcv had just seen the terrible
effects, and fearing they might be prevent
ed from carrying the news of his sons
death to their old chieftain, and thus
cheat him OF his revenge, they started, o.
yer the hill like roes But a speedy mes
senger was after them, an arrow caught
Evan as he descended out of sight over
the hill sent with powerful and unerr.
ing aim, it transfxed him in the shoulder.
1t must have grazed the bent that grew
on the hill top to catch him, as only his
shoulders could be seen from where, G.. Dhu
stood. On flew the o.igr M'Gregor with
little abatement OF speeG'tII he reached
chIettain with the bloody tidings of his
sons death. Raise the clan ! was Black
Johns first words, dearly shall they rue it.
a party was soon far on their fierce retail.
laton, with black John at their head
Calum Dbu was in the mean time not idle;
knowing from the escape Of one of the
three M'Gregors, that battle must quick
ly ensue, he collected as many of his clans
men as he conld, and taking his terrible
bow, which he could so bravely use, calm
ly waited the APPROACH OF the M'Gregors,
who did not conceal their coming,
for loud and fiercely their pipes flung
the notes of war and defiance on the
gale as they approached : and mountain
cliff and glen echoed far and wide the
martial strains. They arrived, and des-
perate struggle Immediately commenced
The M'Gregors carried all before them
no warrior of this time could withstand
the hurricane onset. sword in hand. Of the