The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-03-17
Tho Heir OF linn.


There is q beautiful Scotch ballad by
the title that never saw but once In
my life-butit made a very strong
impression on me. AS the ballad Is
not to be found, Will endeaVor 70
tell the story In plain prose: r "a ...--
The Laird of Linn, In Galway, was
one OF the richest land proprietoFs in
Scotland. Besides his lands and dwell
Iings, he had flOcks and herds and q
good store Of gold. Moreover, he was
man Of frugal and parsimOnious dis
position, so that the gentlemen of Gal
| way avoided his company, and the
whole country cried shame on him.
Nevertheless his riches grew and In-
creased to 3 mighty sum, and there
was no telling what heaps of tTeasure
he had concealed. 'f-
The Heir Of Linn did not marry till
late in life, and died within year af.
ter their marriage. -, rs.-
Though naturally q noble and gen
eroqs temper, he was Wild, reckless
and extravagant. Seeing and hearing
his father ridieuled every day, for his
miserly temper aud habits, he resnlY-
ed at all events not 10 be like him,
and spent all he could lay his hands
upon, among low and dissOIute COM
paniops, in drinking and FlotOus IiV-
Ing So true 1t is that one extreme
often produces the other II was In
vain that his father demonstrated
with him, but he only grew worse az
he grew older, ---.-. ....-.
At last the Laird of Linn lay on his
death bed. He had outlived all his
near relations, and he had no friends,
so that he was in a manner obliged to
leave all his substance to his son, and
besides, next to his gold, he loved his
prodigal heir. Previous to his death,
he called the heir of Linn to his bed.
side, and spoke TO him thus
my son, when nay lips are cold In
death, and my tongue silent in the
grave, know how it will be with
you. You will spend all the substance
of your ancestors, and all the gold l
have got together, In dissipation and
extraVagance, Nevertheless, 1 do not
wish my son to live q beggar, There.
fore give heed to my dying command,
and if you disregard it, may fathers
curse cling to you, You know the
upper chamber Of my house In Kip
pletringar, It Is now locked up, and
| have thrown the key, into the sea,
When you have lost both gold and
land-when you have not q friend
who will lend you q baWbee, and
when you are actually suffering for a
crust to appease your hunger, break
tain relief, but II you open the door
before that time, I say again may q
fathers curse cling to you,s
With these words the old man fell
back on his pillow and died,
The heir of Linn did not grieVe long
for his parent. He threw open his
house to all comers. His forest fell
beneath the axe, his chimneys were
always smoking, a hundred men sat
daily at his board, and he bought him
horses and hounds, and lent money
without counting to his dissolute
companions He feasted and drank,
gained, aud as If ha could not get rid
Of his substance fast enough ia these
ways, he took ne care OF his affairs,
but gave up the guidance of them to
a bailiH or Stewart, named John of
the Scales, who WAS q knRVe and
notorious Insurer. John cheated his
master in Vario0s ways, and put more
than half his rents and money in his
own pockets. i@ ~
E at last, what the heir of Linnas
father had foReseen had come to pass.
His money was all gone, and he had
no means of keeping up his excesEes
except by selling his lands, but there
WAS no one rich enough to buy them
except John of the Scales, and every
one knew how he came Dy his money.
The young Laird was in desperate
want Of cash te pay his gaming debts,
and was moreover heated with wine, |
when his unjust steward offered to
buy his estate It was hard case,
but after much reluctance he agreed /
upon bargain. 'tGive me your gold,
good John of Scales, and my lands |
shall be yours forever" said the heir /
Of Linn. z,fF
Then John counted down the good |
yellow gold, and q hard bargain his |
master had for it, for every pound Of |
gold that John gave, the land was
we'll worth three. a- ~ a
The last money v ent like the first,
Ind the Heir of Linn was a beggar.-]
He first went to the house that had i
1nce been his own, but now belonged /
o John of the Scales, t., seek some re-
IeE He looked in at the window of
he great banqueting hall, but there
vas no fastening on 1t. The fire was
'ut, the dinner table was taken away.
md all was desolate and dismal
Here's sorroy cheer" said the Heir
# Linn. '-As ~ .s--t
John would not give him a penny,
'ut told him to go to the friends he
lad spent his money upon SO foolish
y. He did SO but 1t did no good,
ome of them pretended not to know !
him, and not one of them would lend
lin farthing, or offer him q dinner,
% he wandered about foYloFn and
iungry, for two days, fol work he
'ould not, and TO beg he was asham-
ID. AT last, In extreme misery, he
)ethought himself Of his fathers ciy-
ng words. have not sold the old
louse In K1ppletFingar yet" said he,
for no one will buy 1t. i will 90 and
lreak open the upper chamber. My
ather told me should find relief
here, and perhaps he meant treasure.
Il 1t should prove so, j will be wiser
nan than was, and not waste it up
IN knaves.n - n.El
To the house he went then and
1rOke open the door. He found relief
indeed. There was nothing In the
'Oon eXceptinga q high stool, and d.
'eetly over it halter dangling from
hook In the ceiling. He looked up
ind read these words: s. mad II.
"Ah, RraceIess wretch and WfantOn
Ooa--yOn are ruined forever. This is
he only relief for those who waste
heir Patrimony as you have done, -
Behold. then, put the rope around
your neck, jump from the stool, and /
ave your family from the disgrace Of I
sndinR life beggar." ..-s.g.
"Very exoalIent OosnsellS said the /
Heir Of Linn, "and I must either
1ang or starve, I think I'iI take my
ather's advice and hang. Et Is the
IhoFtest death Of the tWo.n So he
fastened the halter around
AIS neck and kicked the stool from
IndeE him. -..,.,s-
But the heir OF Linn was not 20 die I
70. The board in which the hook was
lriVea, gave way with his weight
md he fell to the floor with a shower
1f gold coin Iattling. about his ears 1
will not say that be felt no pain In
his neck the next day, but at the nAO-
nent he certainly felt mona. JOY rush
d into his heart like O torrent at see
ng himself rescued from beggary.-
The space between the ceiling and