The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-07-19
LlF E's TU Il L q.
THE HEN OE LINN.

Tn re is as beautiful Scotch balla,,
by this title, as | ever saw in my life it
made n very strong Impression upon me;
but, as the ballad is not to be found, |
will cndeavor to tell the story in plain
prose.
The Laird Of Linn, in Galway, was one
of the richest Landed proprctor> in Scot
Land. Besides the lands aud dwellings,
he had fock> aud herds, and good stock
"f gold. Moreover, he was man Of
frugal aud p,r>imonious disposition, SO
that the ,ncn of G'lway avoided his com-
ptny, aud the VI Ole town cried shame
Oh hin. Nevertheless, his riches grew
aud increased to mighty sum, aud there
va, no telling what heaps Of treasure he
had >nugly concealed.
The Laird Of Linn did not marry till
late !" life, aud his wi e died within a
JAR after his marriage. She left him
one child, a son, who Was the joy aud
plague Of his existence. Though natu.
rally "f II noble and generous temper, he
was wild, reckless and extravag agant-
5. eing aud hearing his father ridiculed
every i y, for his mi>e'ly temper aud
habits, he resolved at all events not t. b..
like him, aud spent all he could lay his
hands o., among low, disSolute cpnpan
TONS. IN r'"i"u> hvn go true it is that
one extreme often produces another --
1t was IN vain that his father rcnnonstra-
ted with him; he only grew worse as he
grew older
At last, the Laird of Linn lay on his
death bed He had out lived all his near
relations. aud he had no friends, SO that
he was obliged to leave all his substance
t, his s"n. and. beside, mex, to his gold,
he loved his prodigal heir. Previous to
his death. he c.llcd the heir Of Linn to
his bedside. and thus spoke:
My son, when my lips are c ID in
death, and my tongue 81 'ent in the grave,
| know how it will be with you. You
will spend all the substance of your an.
crst"rs, and all the gold l got toee,her,
in dissipation and rxtravayance. Never,
,hc!css, d, not wish my sou to live Il
b.g.ar Therefore give heed to my only
dying command. aud if you disregard it,
ma father dying curse cling to you.
The upper cha"brr Of my house Ripple.
,rn.a" is now lock- d up, aud l have
thr"wn the ky i"t", sea. When You
have lost both gold aud lands. when you
have not friend who will lend you IA
baub"e. aud when you are actually sutfrr
ing for crust 70 app"asc your hunger,
bread the door open, and you will find a
certain relief; but, if you open the door
before that time, say again, may ia
Tiers curse elm. to YOU
With these words, the old man fell
b 'ck and expired
The heir OF Linn did not crieve long
for his parent. He soon after threw
open his house to all comers. His forests
fell beneath the axe. His chimneys
were always smoking Il hundred men sat
daily ut his toard, nd he bought horses
aud hounds, aud lent money without
counting it, to his dissolu,e companions
lie jest ed, aud drank, and gambled. as il
he could not get rid Of his substance in
all th.-e ways; he took no care of his
affairs. but gave ar the guidance Of them
t" n baiiiff, or steward, named John oi
Seals, who was u knave, aud Il notorious
usurcr. John cheated his master in q
variety OF ways, and put more than hall
hi. rent il his own p"ckct
| At last. what the heir Of Linn's fathe,
had foreseen came to pass. His money
WIS all gone, and he had no means oi
ketpin. up hts excesses, except by sell
ing his lands; but no one was rich
enough to buy them, except John o
Scales, and every one knew how he came
BY his money. The young Laird was
desperatel y i" want of cash to pay hi.
gaming debts. and was, moreover heat,c
with wine, when the unjust steward Of
tered to buy his estate. 1t was hare
case nut, after much discussion, h,
agreed upon the bargain.
live me your gold, good John O
Scales, and my lands shall be yours for
ever.' said the heir Of Linn.
Then John counted down thu ,ooa
cleao gold, and hard bargain his ma,
ter had Of it. For every p,und thu
John agreed, the land was worth three.
The last money went like the first, mn,
the heir Of Linn was beggar He frs
went to the house that had once been hi,
own, but now belonged to John Of Scales
to seek some reli E. lie locked into tn,
window Of the great bannueting hall
but there was no feasting going on in it
The FIRE was out, and the dinner tabl,
taken away. and all was desolate aud dis
NAL. "Hcre's sorry cheer" sa;s tn
heir of Linn.
John would not give him penny, bu
told him TO 20 to tho friends he la,
spent so much money upon foolishly.-
lie did so. but it did no good. Som
| pretended not to know him, aud no on