The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-06-04

The Match Maker,
OR THE SHOWING Ur OF srEArn LUCAS.

OR THE SHOWING UP OF sTRATH LUCAS.
Jolly old Simon Kirkton thou art the We
ry high priest of Hymen. There is some-
thing softly persuasive 10 matrimony in thy
contented, comfortable appearance and thy
house-why, though it is situated in the far
thermost part Of Inverncsshire, it is as fer
tile in connubial joys as if it were placed up
on Gretna Green.
Half the country was invited TO giand
dinner and ball at Simons house, in Janua-
y, 1912. All the young ladies had looked
forward to it in joyous anticipation and hope,
and all the young gentlemen with considcra-
bic expectation and fear. Every thing was
to be on the grandest scale. The Duke was
10 be there with all the nobility, rank, and
fashion of the district and, in short, such
splendid entertainment had never been
given at Strath LUCAS in the memory of man.
The drawing room was di,maniicd of its fur
niiure, and the floors ndustriously chalked
over with innumerablc groups of flowers
The larder was stocked as if for siege the
domestics drilled into knowledge of their
respective duties; and every preparation
completed in the most irreproachable style
The day came at last, a Gne sharp, clear
day, as ever gave blush tingc to the coun-
tenance, or brought tears 10 " beauty's eyes"
There had been great fall of snow few
days before, but the weather seemed now set
lied into firm enduring frost. The Laird
had not received single apology, and wait
ed in :he hall along with his lady to receive
his guests as they arrived. My dear, is ma
that carriage coming up the BroseGt
knowe? Aud lady Clayers declare She'll
be going to dress here, and the three girls
Anne's turned religious so I'm thinking She,
owre auld TO be married. It's a pity the
ministers no coming his wife's just dead
but Jeanie'll be looking out fer somebody
We maun put her next to Gerfluin. Eliza
beth's thocht owre young she can stay a
the side-iable with Tammy Maxwell--hc'
just a hobbletechoy-it wad be very goot
match in time" In this way, as each part,
made ITS appearance. the Laird arranged il
a moment the order in which every CUES
was to be placed at the table ; and even be
fore dinner he had the satisfaction ol seein!
his guests breaking of into the quiet tcic-d
tetes, which the noise and occupation of
general company rendered sweet aud seclud
ed as a injecting by moonlight alone.
While his eye wandered round the variou
parties thus pleasantly engaged, it rested o
the figure of a beautiful girl whom he ha
not previously remarked. She sat apart fror
all the rest, and was amusing herself wit
looking at the pictures suspended round til
room-apparenty unconscious of the pres
ence of so many strangers She seemed i
deep thought but as she gazed on the reT
resentation of battle-piece, her face chan.
ed its expression from the calmness of spath
to the most vivid enthusiasm.
"Mercy on us a !" whispered the Laird
his wife, "whas she that that beauifl
young lassie in Inc white goon an no
young bachelor within mile o her-De
ane O. them deserves such an angel"
"I,'s Miss Mowbray," was the repl
She came with Mrs Carmichael-a gre
heiress, they say-it's the first time she WI
|. ever in Scotland"
}, "Aha say ye sac ?-Tben we'll see
we can nae keep her amang us noo that 81
. is come. Angus M'Leod-na he'll no do
, he's good enough lad, but he's TO bonn
1 Charles Fletcher-he would do well el
f ough but I'm thinking he'll do better f
l. Bell johnson. Cd, donner'd auld man,
to think o him before Charlie Melville
T. the very man-the handsomest, braves
= y cleverest chield she could hae an if Sd,
d gotten the siller, so much the better f
:, Charlis-they'l ii be bonny couple"
And in all instant the Laird laid his har
on the shoulder of young man, who "