Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-06-26
srIrr, Talr.
"THE BEST MAN WINS HER

Il
Hid away in the lovelic't part Of Perthshire
nesting among the often-snug Braes of Bllquhii-
der, lies LOch Noel. upon the shores Of which Rob
! Roy lived and died aud where n the 1uiet lonely
kirkyard. rests q" Clan Alpias omen and her aid"
There are Miregors still 10 the claehan Of Bal
qubidier, MGreg1rs who speak with glstening
aud heightened cJlor of the chief. aud amongst
whom no tales are so popular as those which treat
Of the wild days when the elan with the name
nameless by day was once the terror and protec-
ton o. the country. Every child knows the story
r of the leuds between ths MLareus aud the NJ
Grcgors, and how the Stewart, of Appin. coming
60 help ther kinsmen, were met by the clausmcn
az the clachln, where Rob Roy challenged any
one of Appin TO single combat eager, by even
such personal hazard, to avert the horrors of a
battle. They will tell you too how the great
Duke Of Athol exhausted bis time aud patience
trying 20 catch Rob Roy; ani the story OF the fu-
neral. when Lady Glenialoch, thinking her broth
or was slain, sprmg upoa the Duke. and dragging
him from his horse, gave him such a taste of the
tenderness Of the MGregors that he took timely
warning aud retired, leaving Rob 20 bury his
mother in peace aud quiet.
Some ten years ago a descendant of Rob Rjy's,
Helen MGregor wa, the b. liiy Of Bhquhilder.
Helen was a fair. biue-eysa Qklsn-hlird lassie,
with whom life had been one long laugh, aud TO
whom the world seemed to bel- neither frowns
nor clouds. Her father Tam Miregor was
farmer, and well-to-do for his station; his sons
helped him Ola the bills, and Helen was tidy
hand in the house, quite able TO take many cares
from her mothers shoulders.
Their cottage stood away from the ciachan, near
ths foot Of the Msal-mseh. a lovely little stead
ing lt was too, with high gray rocks on one side,
on the other an oak ani birch wood, among the
branches of which the soft summer brcezes, when
they had kissed tlr Lake into ripple OF delight,
would Ugh, and whisper their pleasant songs OF
brighter and warmer lauds.
Iams cottage had served the wants Of many
generation of MGregors, hero a little and there a
lrtle being aided, as the owners family increased
or his ioriunes prJspered. The tharch was mat
ted together by H l1uushiug growth OF various
plants. wall flowers aud h,uss-lee1 pre- eliminating
Roses and h9neysucNe .lp10shed in the narrow
border, all. clustering round the windows met
gay and thriving esrlniums. votive Offering. from
the gardener In Glenbuskie. who was one Of Hell
ems many admirers. Helen being flucy-free her
self. was wont ID make q i1ks about love. AMI not
caring for either fairs or gatherings escaped much
OF the gossip which attlch.. to othsr Girls. Yet.
quietly as the linle maiden lived. shs could no
mlre avoid lover, than can the violet bid. away
10. tr-ttlr.. from tbs be.. "L,vs will v.nfur,
in wh,r hc daraa wecl DE seen and accordingly
uelen's lovers were neither gew nor slack in max
ing their way TO the farm; while. much to the
girls discomfort her mlthsr took priie 90 herself
Ia counting the stalwlrt, slltoI5'lals who wond
take place To-, ths iugle-aook. and while talking
70 the farmer Of tbe ew... v,,l and mtrt.tS
"a
usual. from Helen: who. hjwsyer. went ON with
her spinuing as Il no ewes we're seeking hers. and
there were III such thing AZ love or wooing. -
And many a lad doubties. thouvht with Hobhie
Elliot thtt whirlinu A biz stick wi a threal trail
inc 10 if 90 was but moor and tirespm. work.
One man came ofener than the rest. So often
that it was whispered about that Helen aud Dun
can were courtins, nor did Duncan attempt to de-
nv what he wished in his iufu,st heart yts true
lie had loved Helen long, and had only waited for
a farm 70 enter the lists Openly. Now he had
farm and deeant b,u T., tara ,yif. t, ba tton ,lt
the rirht tim bad come: as soon seein, he td he
good win of D. 9TH father aul mother. he was con-
tent to wait patiently until some happv d,v when
Marrie's heart would wtxeri.up an ne love meet
It's reward And il Dlncnfl7,.s plt,ent, &C was be-
cause, never having doubted his success, he eX-
perenced a sort OF gritid alton in beating down
his passion or anticipating from distance the
time wnen Helen would spin by his own hearth
and pay him back teniold for what she made him
suiisr now.
rhe honest folk in Blquhid Ter called Helen a
lucky ass.e, aud watched the courting with gener-
al interest, not unmxed with envy, for Duncan
was one Of the hanis0m.st and steaiiest of the
young men; more than that, anil what went per-
hlps even further among the girls, Duncan was
the chImpion wrestler, runner. aud hammer-throw-
err and twice had he carried oil prizes from the
Bmemer Gathering.
Danclns courtng made no further impression
Aii the world went 10 Baemer that year, aud
Duncan, much To his own surprise and the ndigua-
ton Of the Ba'quhdier people was beaten both
in wrestling and throwing by anew-comer, a young
man who, by his superior style of dress aud man
ner OF speech, was evidently from different part
of the country, If not indeedisf different rank in
life to that Of the rate young Highlander; and
when standing hot and angry after his last failure,
he was by no means comiorted by seeing IIelen's
cheek redden before the glances of the victor vino,
cap in hand introduced himself to Tam MGregor
the son of his old friend, Neil Lesley, and say
ing that he had ohe to the Gathering on the way
to Balquhidler, his father having told him Of the
sheep-iArming there, aud how, for auld acquant-
ance sake, ho might be lucky enough TO get his
lesson in the management OF locks from Tam HIM
self, lesson be meant to put in practice a far
mer in Australia Tam was pleased TO find his
friend had not forgotten him. nor was he proof
against the compliment neatly offered TO his farm
ing skill. Moreover there is never a lack of hos
pitality among the Celts, and Tam made his young
friend welcome TO the best his house afforded so
long as he liked to stay.
Mel was a fair-haired, bue-eyed man, tall aud
light-imbed but with the muscles and sinews of a
, puze-ighter lie had been at the High School in
Edinburgh was well up in modern topics, and
able to hold forth on subjects which rarely reached