The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-23


rel, foolish, and in this instance, one would
say, not whit more justifable than such
affairs generally are. The Marquis inherits
much of the stormy temper as well as philo-
sophie ability Of his father. the Duke of
Argyll, and perhaps his philosophy has got
the better Of him in this marriage. He was
always headstrong, dashing, and physically
courageous, although his moral courage
appears not to be great enough TO allow of
his correcting a mistake which will be very
! likely to cause vast deal of trouble to him
self, bis wife, and good many other people
| who are entirely innocent. + OF course, no.
body but a mans own self has right to saw
whether not he viii keep his marriage
VOWS, and a suit for breach of promise,
should he suddenly withdraw from his con-
! tract to marry the Princess and return to his
former love, would not be so natural con-
sequence as it would be in this country.
In town not far from the castle in which
the Marquis lives there is q tavern, in which
he and kindred spirits were accustomed to
meet at night, some years ago, and discuss
politics, philosophy, morals, dogs, whisky,
and other entertaining questions of the day.
One of the habitues of this hostelry was q
laird with bumpy forehead, decided ten
dency towards philosophy, and no dislike
whatever to Scotch whisky. Ee was old
enough to remember DIR. Maginn, Kit North,
and other worthless of the old time, who
burgh, where they made up the greater part
of the 'Noctes Amorosian@," book by
which the old gentlemen was accustomed
to swear. He had the notions of the old time
in regard to Toryism and responsibility in all
questions, and the Marquis had many an
amicable encounter with him. and at that
period of his life, being addicted to low COM
panlons and whisky, made philosophically
hot, he became quite intimate with the old
gentleman, who, of course, was we'll pleased to
be taken home by him one night, stopping at
various places to wrench off turnpike gates
and throw them into the river, for the laird.
even in his old age, retained many of the
frivolities of youth, and, like an old reprobate
as he was, gloried in them.
This laird had daughter, apparently
combination of Burns MARY in Heaven"
Helen Mar, Jeanie Deans, aud the Highland
fling. She was more beautiful than Lochna-
gar and Ben Lomond when the rising sun
gilds them with transcendent glory, but she was
not so tall The Marquis was taking the laird
home one evening, or rather very early next
morning. 1t had been the evening of the
anniversary OF the birth of the great Scottish
poet, Robert BurLs. The morning was calm
and beautiful. Far off was heard the shrill
growing OF the cock, answered from thou
sand barn yards, and the two enioyed the
scene. p,..,c .-" in fit condition to do So
This may be consiuv;sed ridiculous condi-
tion for q man when first he meets his sweet
heart but at that time the Marquis was wild
in the extreme. He was partially alienated
from his father on account of his liberal
views in religion. His father, VINO was then
preparing for the press his ''Reign of Law"
bad wished his son to aid him in its compost
ton; but, inasmuch as the Marquis views
were radically opposed to those of the Duke,
any amalgamation of the two was rendered
impossible. Lorne had Just returned from
the university, and was full of the liberalism
of the day-a worshipper of Mill, and almost
an ultra -materialist. The disagreement in
ways of thinking had brought about some
family trouble-a by no means unusual oc-
currence-and the Marquis was utterly care
less and trife dissolute.
On the morning above referred to, the
Marquis found himself unable to return home,
or even get back to the tavern, and was forced
to stay all night at the laird's house. In the
morning he met the laird's aughter-Lairds
Bloom of Youth personified. Sad as he neces-
sarily was after his nights debauch, he pos
sessed enough of the resiliency of youth to
admire the young lady's beauty. An intimacy
between the two sprang up, and for a long
time they two were in nearly constant compa-
nionship. The Marquis relinquished his dis
sipated habits and became model of virtue.
His father was overjoyed at this rehabilita-
ton, but was at loss to account for it until
at last it became the talk of the neighborhood
that the young Marquis was deeply in love
with the lairds daughter Being extremely
pkilosophic, the old gentleman saw nothing
wrong in the love of his son for one SO far
beneath him in station, and also thought
that inasmuch as It was corrective of the
follies of youth, it was worthy of all appro-
baton. And SO for a time the young man
enjoyed loves young dream, for he fondly
believed that his passion was reciprocated
The course of true love has proverbial ten
more foolish than for a man to believe that a
woman who does not understand him
can continue to love him. The laird's
daughter was a simple-hearted girl,
who, prepostereus as it may seem,
cared more for love than for exalted station,
and at any moment was ready to relinquish
all hopes of the latter, provided her expecta-
! tions in regard to the former were not ful-
| filed. AS is too often the case, the man
loves the woman for years and the woman
returns his passion for few months The
Marquis was blindly worshipping goddess of
his own creation, and in his case, at least,
Thackeray's saying that "men serve women
| kneeling, when they get on their feet they go
away" was not shown to be true, for his love
continued, and that of the laird's daughter
was turned in another direction. Scarcely
year had passed before the passion which once
had burned for him went out, and left the
poor fellow ia gloom such as Heinrich Heine
would have been delighted to sing.
Employed by the girls father was one
Donald Macpherson, a man about as fit to be
compared with the Marquis as Beadle Bum
BILE with Mr.. Disraeli. He was brawny and
ill-favored; a shock of red hair bristled on his