Western Reserve chronicle and weekly transcript of the times. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1854-1855, 1855-03-21

tmedlalely over Ine ueodleaole oouuudIy
line which crossed the kitchen. The
room, though scarcely eight feet square,
was evidently situated between the two
countries; butno one being able TO ascer
tain what portion belonged to each, Pc
ter, after many arguments and alterca'
tons of the subject, was driven 10 the
disagreeable alternative of confesSing he
knew not what countryman he was
What rendered the confessio more pain
full was, that it was Peters highest am
bition to be thought Scotchman. All
his arabic land lay on the Scotch side /;
his mother was cola orally related TO the
Stuarts, and few families were more an
cient, or respectable than the Elliotts.-
Peters speech, indeed, betrayed him to
be walking partition between the two
kingdoms, and living representation of
the Union; for in one word he pronounced
the letter r, with the broad, masculine
sound of the North Briton, and in the
next, the liquid burr of the Northumbri-
ans,
Peter-or, if you prefer it-Mr. Peter
Elliott, Esq, of Marchlaw, in the cOun
ties of Northumberland and Roxburgh,
was for many years, the best leaPer, run
ner, and wrestler between Wooler and
Judburgh. Whirled from his hand, the
ponderous bullet whizzed through the
air like a pigeon on the wing; and the
best putter on the Borders, quailed from
competition. As feather in his grasp,
he seized the unwieldly hammer, swept
it round and round his head, accompany
ing with agile limb its evolutions, swiftly
as swallows play around circle-and
hurled it from his hands like shot from
rifle, till his antagonists shrdnk back, and
the spectators shouted. "Well done,
Squire the Squire forever!" once ex-
claimed a seryile observer of titles
esquire! who are ye squirting at?" re-
turned Peer. "Confound ye! where
was We when l was christened Squirrel
Ny name is Peter Elliott; youI man, or
anybody's man, or whatever they like. "
Peters soul was free, bounding, and
buoyant as the wind that carolled in a
tzephyr, or shouted in hurricane upon
his native hills; and his body was thr-
teen stone of healthy, substantial flesh,
stepped in the spirits of life. He had
long been married, but marriage had
wrought no change upon him. They
who suppose that wedlocR transforms
the lark into an owl, offer an insult to
the lovely beings who brighten our dark
est hours with the smiles of affection, and
teach us that that only is unbecoming in
the husband, which is disgraceful in the
man. Nearly twenty years had passed
over them; but Janet was sill as kind,
and in his eyes, as beautiful, as when
bestowing on him her hand at the altar
and he was still as happy, as generous,
; and as free. Nine fair children sat
. around their domestic hearths, and one
tie youngling of the flock, smiled upon
its mothers knee. Peter had never
known sorrow; he was blest in his wife,
in his children, and in his f1ocks. He
had become richer than his fathers. he
was beloved by his neighbors, by the til
lers of the ground, and his herdsmen;
yea, no man envied his prosperity. But
/ blight passed over the harvest of his
joys, and gall was rained into the cup o.
his felicity.
1t was on Chrislmaa- day, and a more
melancholy looking sun never rose OF
| the 25th of December. One vast, sable
5 cloud, like a universal pail, oyersPreac
: the heavens. For We eks had the grounC
: been covered with clear dazzling snow
and as throughout The day, the rain con
tinued its unwearied and monotoaou:
l drizzle. the earth assumed a cbaracteI
: and appearance melancholy and troubled
: as the heavens. Like mastiif that hac
r lost its master, the wind howled mourn
S fully down the glens, and was re-echoet
l from The caves of the mountains as The
S lamentations of legion of invisible splr
' its. The frowning snow-clad preclPlce:
e were instinct with motion, as avalanche
S upon avalanche, the larger buryIng tht
less, crowded down in their tremendnou:
It journey to the plain. The simple noun
Il tain rills had assumed the majesty OF nv
7 ers; the broader streams were swolier
j into vii torrents, and gushing forth a:
i cataracts, in fury and in foam, envelopec
= the valleys in an angry fool. But a
n MarcllIw, the fire blazed blilhely the
i kitchen groaned beneath the load of prep
ar4iions for a joyful feast; and GLAD
= faces glided from room 10 room.
Peter Ellio. kept Christmas, not Sc
:, much because it was Christmas, as in
: lonor of its being the birthday of Thorn.
e as, his firstborn, who on that day entered
: his nineteenth year. With father.
love, his heart yearnei for all his chill
e dren, but Thomas was the pride of hi
eyes. Cards Of apology had not theI
found their way among the Border hills
and as all knew that, although Peter ad
|; mitted No spirits within his threshold, no
o a drunkard at his table, he was, never
: theless, no niggard in his hospitality, hi
+ invitations were accepted without cere