, 1864-06-27
IrRoM WILSON'S TALES OF THE BoRDERs. j
fs4E The Dream.

About half-Way between tue towns OF
Hamilton and Glasgow, there stand at the
distance of about quarter of a mile from
the highway, and on the left asyou approach
the latter place, the remains of what was
once small farmhouse. 1t is now long
since the last inhabitant left this little dom-
icile, whose handful Of ruins would excite
but little attention from the passer by, were
they not 50 delightfully."- and conspicuously
situated They stand on the very extremi-
ty and summit Of beautiful green pro-
montory Of considerable height, that pro-
jects into and oyerlooks lovely strath,
skirted with woed, and through which
winds one Of the best troating streams in
Scotland. Thesituation, therefore, Of these
humble ruins invests them with an interest
which would BY no means attach to them
were they situated in less romantic 10
cality.
About the year 1850, The farmhouse Of
which we have spoken was inhabited by
-.Edmonstone--a man Of excellent
character, and who, humble as his station
was, had contrived, in the course Of a long
life Of indastgs and economy, to scrape to-
gether very considerable sum Of money,
besides good deal Of property invested
10 stock, such as, cattle, grain, farming i'm
plements, &c. The former namely, the
eash-accOrding to the good old custom Of
Scotland, amongst Johns class, was slowed
into aslocking-foot, which again was slowed
into certain hole in the wall, known only
to the members Of the family. But, ig-
noble aud odd as this may seem, it yet con-
tanned no inconsiderable treasure, and that
not whit the worse or the less valuable
for the LONELINESS of its abode. In one
end Of the stocking aforesaid was bull
bous swelling,as as large as a well-sizsd fist
This contained tempting store Of bright
and shining guineas, to the number Of
about. perhaps, 250. These being at once
confined and secured by string tightly tied
round the stocking, produced the appear
ance above alluded to, Next followed,
but in the same general depository namely
the stocking--a huge conglomeration of
crowns, haIf.crowns, and shillings, to the
amount Of about $50 moro, which were
also scared by tight ligature Civ
ing, L there had been bat another link or
two, to the stocking something Of the ap-
pearanee Of 4 string Of sausages.
Atthe period Of ourstory, John Edmon-
stone vas widOWer, with two daughters
the one, at this time, about twenty, the
other some four or Eve years older. They
we're both unmarried, and lived with their
father Jane EdmOnstoRe, the younger Of
the two, was very pretty and interesting
looking girl. sier sister Mary did not
possess such striking personal advantages;
but tbs vas amply compensated By apleas-
ant manner and Kind and gentle DISPOSE
ton. For many years these relatives lived
happily together, in their little, lonely cot
tage AZ Bfaehead, They led sober, in
d1strious, and piOus life; for, duly as eyen-
ing came round. the big ha' Bible" was
placed on the kitchen table, and, BY the
lightof clean and Well-trimmed lamp,
iided by the blaze of cheerful fire, John
.fsad aloud to his daughters from the sacred
page. But the best regulated life must
have an end, as Well as the most reckless
Ind abandoned Wassuddenly seized
With mortal illness, of which he shortly
lied, leaving his two daughters sole and
equal interiors Of his wealth. The death
g their father was grieyous calamity to
lie two unprotected girls; for they were
aithout relations-at least, there wereNAone
bear them-though certainly not without
hose who wished them we'll, as they were
Universally respected in their own neigh
horhood, both on their fathers account and
ihir own. Yet did they feel, on the death
of thtr only parent, sense Of loneliness
and Of liability to cope with the world,
which once alarmed and dispirited them,
notwithstanding the considerable resources
which tlbir fathers industry and economy
had led to them. Nor did their local
situation tend to lessen the former feeling;
for It as a solitary ons-the house in
which they lived being at considerable
distanle from any other habitation. The
neigh oFhood in which they resided, more
over, vas q loose one. Il was flled with
eoaLp ners and cOal-earters-tho latter,
IN psrticular, brutal, rufian race; and
ioa6 these the poor solitary women be-
heVia It to be well known, as il certainly
vas to great many Of them, that their
stker had left them money, and that twas
he house; and thus, to their. other fears
: added the dread Of their dwelling be-