The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1858-05-11

than seventy years. To obtain this, che
still wandered much among the broken
highlands; and there was not a shepherds
lay, song of bird, nor bleat Of flock, she
had not heard among the heathery hills
| She more than once stood concealed, list
ening to the wild notes of mimicry as per-
formed by the "wee bit o laddie," as she
called John Greig, as shc was mocking the
birds on his rustic instrument.
At length she revealed herself, and sur
priscd him while at his music. "You need
na rim, laddie, I'll ma harm ye," said she
soothingly, as John was hastily quitting
his mossy knoll. "Come back, and tune
up that wee bit o pipes once mair. Pm
ma just sure 1 ken'd the likes OF till moo,
save the selfsame mought be among the
spiritual psalterles and holy pipes Of Is
rael's shepherd, when tending his fathers
flock, as we hear OF in holy Kirk"
Re-assured by the kindly soothing of
the old woman, John returned to his seat
and music; and as the humblest performer
loves fatterv equally well with the great
master, the shepherd boy was put in good
opinion of himself, and in favor towards
Nanny, by her unqualified praise.
San noo," said the old woman, "T'm a
land body, they ca me the weird crone o
the hills. oft confabulating wi witches,
elves, fairies, an warlocks an a. scken
deviments; but ma NATTER hac mair nor
eneuch o warlds gear githered amang the
sinful o this Ian, to buy sma' spot o
earth in kirk. yard, and set up a bit grave
stone to my ould head; and sin / moo hae
guide lho'ts o my lang hame, an ii sure
be there Gamma misdoubt it's my ghastly
duty to uphold some poor laddie to the
university, or the kirk, that he might ex-
pound Gods word, VIII m Pm lain doun in
peace myself, as the psalmist says"
Poor John Greig but little knew what
was meant by universities, Of holy callings
to the ministry, in kirk or sessions; yet he
could not fail to understand that it was the
old woman's design, some how or other,
to better his condition by the use of mon
ey. He agreed, therefore, that she might
60 to his father, and obtair his consent to
her plan, whatever it might be. Old shep-
herd Greig had taken lessons of adversely
from the stern book of nature for many
years; or, at least, from that page of it
laid open over tho heathery hills of Scot
land, where the poverty of the soil is in
striking contrast with the richness and va
riety Of the scenery. He knew that to
get a snug living in kirk was far better for
John than tending sheep. To old Nanny's
proposal, heard with some surprise, he re-
piled:
"Wccl o day, wcel o day, Miss Nan
ny, Pm no just sure sic wonderment e'er
cum over me, to hae it tould by yersclf,
that one o NY ano by poorful predeter.
mination, is to hae part in the foregather-
ing o the saints; and that the wee laddie
frao the sheep fauld is to be elected Until
the gospel ministry, fau'd the flock o
Chreest, deal in spirtuals, an the wcch-
tier matters o tho law; albeit, daurna
deny John is heavsnlymnded lad, a
that flu like, and his ganging ava will be
sair wac to me, and missed by the sheep;
nevertheless, guide right hae the Lord to
ca his ain in his ain guide time, an if the
spunkle como to be savory preacher, an
skilfu' like in kirk ordinances, maun say
amen. The BARN is ma mair my an, but
dcdcat till the Lord"
Poor Johnny Of tho sheep fold, for
whom such Tious calculations v ere made,
was no fiji candidate for the university
He still had his letters to learn; and
humble dominic Of PerLhshirc was selected
rs his teacher in til, primer and horn book.
1t is said, however, that the boy made rap
id progress in his early studies; SO that
within three years after his first essay at
letters, he was removed to grammar
school at Glasgow. Yet, previous to that
event, both his father and his old patron
ess were tenants of the grave yard. Nan
ny MGregor was not surprised by death.
Her penitence and faith waxed deep and
bright as she drew near her end and the
hope Of blissful Immortality gildod her
pathway as sho en- cred the valley Of the
shadow of death. But what was moro
important to John Grcig, she forgot not in
her will to provide ample means for his
education at the university. 1t oc 'urred
that his most intimate clSssmate and mess
mate at college was the poet Campbell,
the author of "The Pleasures Of Hopc."-
1t may be known to every one that this al
most unrivaled poem was written by the
author at the age of twenty, while stu
dent in the university, although it was
not published till two years afterwards. l
saw that fine poem in manuscript in the
hands of John Grcig, and committed to
memory many stanzas Of it, willie was
young boy at the academy at Cananda.
qua, Western New York. AS yet, it had
not been published and it was more than
year afterwards, when it first went to
print in Europe. John Grcig being a boz
som companion Of Campbell, full Of poet
ical fire himself, and possessing the finest
taste IN such compositions, had copied at
full length and in his own beautiful chiro-
graphy "The Pleasures Of Hope" and dis
played it to the admiration Of his young
friends in the new world, lonl before it
was seen by tho British public. doubt
whether this fact ha, been generally known
to the literary world.
Nv readers will understand by this, that
about half century ago, John Greig, the
Scotch shepherd boy, was in America
He was; and l knew him there for many
years afterwards. He had taken his de-
grees with honor at the university in Scot
land; but, in the growing prohigacy Of tho
seats of learning IN this countrv ha had