Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-05-11
BOOK. .OF.TRAVEL SKETCHES.
NUMBER ".
doom a THE BRAE."
A TRUE STORY OF ENGLISH LIFE.
BY AlTcH.
PART SECOND.

PART SECOND.
With all speed we rowed away, and
soon landed in a small inlet on the east
side of Tandauk Point, where, fortunate.
", we found two fishermen just hauling
their boat upon the beach, having but
that moment returned from the early
market. The assistance of these rough
but kind-hearted men was secured, and
having hastily improvised litter, out oi
four oars and square sail, little Robbie
was placed thereon, and they bore the
precious burden away toward Tandauk
Place, the residence of Lady Anna Mott
Dudley, the widowed mother of the un.
fortunate boy.
Ruff and myself, in company with old
John Byron, followed behind the litter,
to render any possible assistance, and to
give attendance to the sufferer.
My friend was an old time acquaint-
ance of Lady Anna, Though, from some
false notion of pride or Independence, he
had not sought to renew the acquaintance
during our sojourn in the neighborhood.
he, therefore, on learning the nature Of
the relation existing between that lady
and little Robert, was interested to make
certain inquiries concerning the causes
which led 10 the unfortunate accident of
the morning, little suspecting that there
existed, at the bottom of the subject, 3
secret, which was as little suspected even
by the lads mother.
In return, then, the old gsmekeeper,
out of regard for the timely assistance
which we had been happily able to rem
der, voluntarily communicated, in an
undertone, inaudible to the others, the
following interesting particulars:
Old John Byron had for several years,
since the death of "the master" in fact,
been the protector, guardian, and almost
constant psnion, | may say, of " little
Robbie" the their of Tandauk." They
we're out on the water together, and he
taught the lad the use Of the oar and the
skiltul management of the boat. They
rode together over the broad estate, and
Robbie learned horsemanship, the art of
gunnery, the stalking of deer, the lead
ing of the chase-every manly exer-
else, in fact. he acquired of the
faithful servant, who was, not re-
lying on his own modest estimate
in these accomplishments, not DER
much behind the briskest of them, in his
time. And it was q question which the
old man himself could not decide,
whether they spent most time an the
forest, on the coast, or in the boat.
Robbie, in these frequent rambles-
sometimes in the wooded valleys, again
on the cliff, or on the brach-often met
By chance little Mary Purcell, the win
some daughter Of q poor widow OF the
neigLborhood, on her frequent excnr-
sions in quest of wild berries on the hills,
or Of CLANS among the pebbles of the sea
shore.
The little folks made acquaintance
rapidly, and in their frequent and inti-
mate intercourse, a strong attachment
grew up between them. This feeling in
creased to such an extent, in the few
months Of each summer that Robbie
spent at home, during the school vaca-
,ioas, that each come TO fad little enjoy
ment in any society but that Of the other.
Il was ell the compapionship they de-
sired, aud they were happy only when
together.