Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-06-12
NJ | 5 c Ell / \ \ Y
The Laird's Seam.
CHAPTER l..

An old tumhled down house, which had
been white, but was now relieved by sundrv
grass green p tches, stood Sev MY years agO.
at the end OF Il short, straight avenue IA H.
ing thu ough belt of Scottish frs: beyond
which, all around stretched as bleak and
rushy moOrland as ever clad the poor wards
of LInark The house was not without
pretension; it aimed at being a small place
ii lalrd's mansion; but it had no air Of
prosperity, from its name of WatcIv Butts
(and the winter rain lay weeks in tho fur
rows of its sour stin clay sOi) to the grey
stones rent and shattered upon its steep
roof, the lintels OF the small battered win
dows detaced and worn. the wooden work
crumbed down. and the battered door ope-
ming with two leaves like a cupboard
W thin there was the same evidence of mar.
row means and waning fortunes the sitting
room, originally plnelled, was destitute of
all more modern pretensiOns to elegance.
kJr even comfort; the bare carpet of thick,
gray wooden stuff was not superior to what
ght be met with in the best room of the
one story farm house built on the first ara
Bile farm beyond these mDOrs: the table was
of wainscot, and in the light Of the hearth
young woman, with homely striped skirts,
the keys at her side as the mistress of the
house, sat spinning yarn from dark pol
ished wheel.
The mansion might have fllen into the
hands of tenant owners Of the humber
class-moOrlanI farmers only raised II step
above their cOttars-hut for the central fig
ure, a man Of sixty, porng, with keen eyes
whose lashes were white as snow, over the
cobwebbed yellow papers Of the pigeon holes
in an ancient escritoire mounted On spindle
legs and planted by the window, OCCASION
ally laying them down to handle with his
big bony hands "A few duh Clipped stones
contained in the drawer OF the same repOsi-
tory and compare them with n rOugh basket
at his feet filled with the same smuttv ma.
teral. The coarse plaidcn coat, the weighty
peasant shoes, the tangled gray hair, no
more degraded their owner than the pom
derous, clumsy dim frame can over shadow
work OF the painter art.
The October sun now setting behind those
dreary tracks, shot its rays through the
dispersed, erect black pines, and piercing
the lozenged pancs, fell upon the laird Of
Watery Butts, dreaming his phantasy;
and broad, lurrowed brow of genius was
Rlngan Cocknurn's, with sharp features,
and eyes OF wonderful fire looking out be-
meath their silvery brows. There was no
bleness about Ringln CDckburn that no po-
verify could clog, youth that no old age
"
with a flush rising upon his sunken cheek /;
suddenly he threw down stones and papers,
sat erect in his leather covered elbow chair,
and called Thrift, in tones OF CHEEKY com.
mand
Thrift Cockburn-twice Thrift Cockburn,
the old Laird : daughter and only child.
and at iiye-and twenty the composed wife of
the lairds nephew and heir. a Cockburn Of
younger branch of the same gnarled tree
obeyed the summons and there side by side
as II for comparison, were the starry light
OF science-all the purer that i was less u
thing OF facts than of cCnvlctiln, that it
was ideaized in its lifelong struggle against
gropihg ignorance and mum )ersome diG,ul-
tes-and the lowlicr commOncr, more
blessed beam OF household love, lifting as
on angels wings the simple. unrcasonin-,
instructive nature 10 the higher stronger
spirit within whose circle it mad ii1urisued
as if the little social moorland Lark had
futtered iearles-ly to the plumed breast Of
the lonely, royal eagle Thrift C0ckburn
was no exempliication Of the somewhat
hard listed, hOmely virtue, once so esteemed
on Scotch lips that it crcpt into Christian
appellatlYn, pronounced wtha benediction
over tiny, unconscious faces in many a
heathery nook, from the SolwAy to the
highland born Forth and Tay. Thrift
Cockburn was tall and shapcly, with
round, dimpled face, like il scarlet streAked
apple in the Boutwell, orchards. and ewes
bluer than the flower of the fax which
she bade her Wat SOW. 1t was kindly.
blithe face, with its own peculiar bloom.
that neither millew nor rust could wear
away-that would survive the earle time
ana care with the best, and whose httle
lines OF wlltulness never for u moment com
hot ftI .
under her curch as beneath her maiden
snood Thrift Cockburn could dare her
domestic, long-legged, red headed Jean or
ban the dark vagibOnt gypsy that would
fasclnate her with his evil eye, while his
tattered comrade lifted her griddle cakes or
her grey cock : and soundly shake her
little urchin when he meddled with his
grandiather's treasures, his dry weeds or
stones and rude wooden models. But she
had faith that never doubted her manly Wat, |
iaith that could lift mountains and cast |
them into the sea for her grey-haired father, |
the Deggared Laird Of Watery Butts.
Thrift the Laird addressed her with |
conhdent congratulation, i see nv way az |
clear as day, When the pits down. Your
fortunes won ''''
DO you say so, father replied Thrift |
with answering gladness, as if she had not |
heard the same story fifty times; I'm blthe |
to hear it not but | can bear purtith, |
but your growing auld, and Wat will Law !