The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-04-24

side o the Tweed, wha are roastin' or oa-
kim in the oven every day o. the week, and
maxim q stane weight O. meat no gang sac
iar as twa or three pounds wad hae dune.
Therefore, sir, IL ye win tax my advice, IL
we are to hae feast, there will be nae roast
in' in the way. There was . fine, sharp
frost the other NIGHT, and observed the
rime lying upon the kali; 90 that baitl. green's
and savoys win be as tender as weel D.. ed
three-month-auld chicken. and say, tlsrs-
fore, let the beef be boiled, and let them nae
f1adlefu's O. ksil, and ye will 6nd, sir, that
instead O. . hail bullock, even if ye intena
to feast auld and young, male and female,
upon the lands o. Oakwood, q quarter o. .
buiicck viii be amply sufficient, and the rest
can be sauted doun for winters provisions
Ye ken, air, that the Murrays Wilma let US
lichtly slip for this NIGHTS wark; and it
is aye safest, as the saying Is, TO lay by for
q sair fitp
well argued. good S,mon," said the
young laird; "but your economy Is ill-timed
After y nights work such as this, there is
surely some license for girsvishing. say
it-and who dare contradict mef--se-night
there 10 not one belonging to the house
Of HRrden--be they old or young-wh0
shall not eat Of roast meat, and drink OGsshe
best"
"Weel, sir" replied Simon, "wl' reverence
be 1t spoken, but would beg to say that ye
sre wrang. Folk that ance get liking for
daintes TAX III wi palmer fare again; aud,
moreover, sir, 10 a. my experience, | never
kenned dainty bits and hardwood to 90 hand
in hand; but, on the contrary, Injuries
max men eliminate, and discontented into
the bargain"
The alteration between the old retainer
and bis young master ran farther; butiI was
suddenly interrupted by the deep-mouthed
baying OF q sleuth-hound; and iIs threaten
ing howls we're f owed by loud cry, as if
by 6f'y voices, OF
Tonight fOI Sir Gideon and the house Of
Efibank r.
But here we pause to say that Sir Gideon
Murray, Of Elibsnk, was q man whose name
was q sound u terror to all who were his
enemies As foe, he was fierce, resolute,
unforgiving. He had never been known to
turn bis back upon q foe, or forgive an iniu-
ry. he knew the meaning Of justice 10 its
severest sense, but not Of compassion; he
was g stranger to the attribute Of mercy, and
the life of the man who had injured him, he
regarded as little as the life Of the worm
which he might tread beneath his heel upon
his path. He was q man Of middle age, and
had three daughters, none Of whom were
what the world calls beautiful; but, on the
contrary, they were what the dependents uD-
on h's estates described as Ordinary looking
young women"
Such was SIR Gideon Murray, Of Elibank;
and, although the yoang laird of Harden
conceived that ne had come upon him As "a
thief IN the night, and some Of my read
ers, from the transaction recorded, may be
somewhat apt to take the scriptursl quota
tion in a literal sense-yet | would say, as
old Satchel sings Of the Borderers Of those
days, they were men
4 Somewhat unruly and very III to tame
would have think that call them thieves.
For, III did, Ii would be Arrsnt lies."
But, stealthily as the young master Of
Harden had made his preparations for the
forsy, old Sir Gideon had got timely notice
Of u; and hence 1t was, that not Murray
seemed astir when they took the cattle from
the byres and took them towards Oakwood.
But, through the moonlight, there were eyes
beheld every step they took-their every
movement was watched and traced
and among those who watched was the
stern old knight, with fifty followers al his
beak
"Queti quiet - he again and again, in
deep murmur, uttered to his dependents,
throwing back his hand, and speaking in a
deep and earn est whisper, that awed even
the slow but ferociOus sleutb-hound that ac-
companied them, and caused it t. crouch
back to its feet. In yet deeper whisper,
he added eneOuragingly-''Patence, my
merry menl-bide your time! we shall hae
work before long 20 BY"
When, therefore. the young laird and bis
followers began to disperse in the thick est
Of the forest, a. they drove the cattle before
them, Sir Gideon suddenly exclaimed
Nov, for the onset And, at the sound Of
his voice, the sleuth-hound howled loud and
savagely.
"We are followed Halt i-Halti-T
arms To arws u cried the young heir Of
Harden.
Three or four were left in charge Of tue
now somewhat scattered herd Of cattle, and
20 drive them to a distance; while the rest
Of the party spurred back their horses as
, -spidly "a the tangled pass in the foTes,
would permit, to the spot from whence the
voice Of their Young lea Ter proceeded. They
arrived speedily, but they arrived too late.
In q moment, aud with no signal save the
bsying Of the hound, old Sir Gideon and his
armed company had burst upon young
Scott and Old Simon, and, ere the former
could cry for assistance, they had surround
ed then.
"W.llie Scott, ye rash laddie |" cried Sir
Gideon-''yield quietly, or thief's death ye
shall die; and IN the very forest through
which ye have this night driven my cattle,
the coFbies and you shall become scquaint-
or, at least, 4 ye see not them. they shall
see you and feel you. too"
"Brag on, ye auld grrybeard," exclaimed
the youth; but while Scott O. Harden has
finger TO wag, no power on earth shall
make his tongue say, Il am conquered 2 So,
come on do your best--de your worst
here is the hard and the sword to meet ye
and were ye ten to one, We shall fiad that
Willie Scott isna the lad 70 turn his back
though tan fuIl-grown Murrays stand befor.
his face
"By my sooth, then, callaat," cried ths
old knight, -and IL was small mercy, after
4 what ye hse done, that intended 20 show
ye; and, after what We hae said, Ii shall b,
less that will grant We. Sac come % lads
and now to humble the Hardens"
"Armi-every Scott TO armsi' agsiI
shouted the young laird; land now, Sir Gid
con, If ye will measure weapons, and leave
your weIl-faured daughters rs legacy "a
the world, be II sac. But there are laas
among your clan o whom they would has
been glad, and who, behke in pity, nigh,
hae Offered them their hands, but who wi
this night max bride O. the green sward
Sac come on, Sir Gideon, and on you and
yours be the consequences r.
"Before sunrise," returned Sir Gideon,
and the winsome laird o. Harden shall boast
less vauntlngly, and rue that be broke bis
ljeers upon an old man. Touch me, sir, bui
not my bAirns."
The conflict began, and on each side the
strife was bloody and desperate. Bold men
grasped each other by the throat, and they
held their swords to each others breasts
scowling enc upon tnother with the ferocity
Of contending tigers, ere each gave the dead
ly plunge which was to hurl both into eter.
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