The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-08-26
TALES OF THE BORDERS.
CHARLES LAWSON.
By JOHN hAcKAT WILSON,

Marry preserve Us for | dinna ken wha
the generation is turning to, but I'll declar,
bits o lssses now adays haena the doll
weel DOT O their arms, till they tax guild
man by the hand. But aboon everything
earthly, | wad impress it upon ye, BARN
that ye Gamma be Owre careful O. your com
pany; mind that character is a a womar
tas TO carry her through the warld, and {
should guard it like the apple O your e'e
, and remen. Der, that folk are aye Judged 0
trae the company they keep. Now, how
often maun l warn ye 10 to be seen WI
Charles Lawson? He's a clever lad, nae
doubt, naebody denies that but, Oh, Bet
ty, Betty, woman ! wad We only RI feet that
gifts are no graces aud | am far mistak
en # be hasna a serpent heart as weel a.
his tongue. lie has naething O tile fear o
God Leiore bis ecn-ye Gamma deay thrt.
ln ae word, be Ii d wild, thouvhlless ne er
DO Wecl and | charge ye, cOmm4nd ye,
Betty, thar ye ne'er speak 10 hun again ID
your born days; or, if ye do, ye surely Will
hae but little satisfaction to break Your
father > heart, ard bring him to The grave
vi sorrow and vi shame, for that, Betty,
that wad be the END OF
Elizabeth heard him, and bent her head
upon her bosom to conceal her confusion.
The parental homily was too late, she was
already the wife OF Charles Lawson.
Having thus begun our story in the mid
die, it is necessary that We 90 back, and H.
form the reader, IN few words, that An
drew " cir was a respectable farmer on the
north side If the Tweed, and withal a de
cent and devout Presbyterian, and an eld
cr IT lhe kirk. Charles Lawson's parents
we're originally from northumberland
They had known better days, and, at tile
period we have alluded 10, we're struggling
with a hard farm ia the neighborhood OF
Andrew Weir's. Charles was no. exactly
what his father-in-laW bad described him !;
and, were We to express his pOrtIa in Inc
we should say, be bad blue eyes and a
broad brow, a goodly torn and open heart.
The rlnglets which partad on Elizabeth :
oIhe-d we're like the ravens wing, aud love
luesS, if not beauty, nestled around the
dlmples on her cheeks. Their affection for
each Otner began in childhood, and grew
With their years, till it became strong as
their existence.
A few weeks after Andrew Weir bad
delivered the advice We have quoted to bis
daughter Cha les Lawson bade farewell to
bis pare nts, bis wife, and his country. and
proceeded 10 India, where a relative Of bis
mothers bad amassed a fortune, and who,
while be refused to assist them in their dis
tress, bad promised to make provision for
their son. As We are not writing a novel
in three Volumes, we shall not dekcIihe
the scene Of their parting, and tell with,
what agony, with What tears, and with what
bitter words Charles tore himself from his
father, bis mother, and bis yet unack cknowl-
p.1e-L ""e. Inc lmagrnainn ~ the read
er may supply the blank. Hope urged him
TO 60, necessity compelled him.
After his departure, Elizabeth dropped
Ike en- early lily beneath the influence Of
a returning frost. There we're whisperings
among the atrons and msidens of the
nelghboring village. They v ho had form
erly courted her soci,ty began to sbun it !;
and even the rude clown, who la,elv stood
abashed in ber presence, approached her
with indecent familiarity. 4 be fata vhis-
por first reached Andrews ear az a meet
ing of the knk session, Of " hicb he was a
member lie returned home tro oled in
spirit, miserable and humble uan, for
his daughter bad been his pride Poor
Elizabeth confessed that she was married,
and attempted to prove what she affirmed.
But this afforded 10 palliaion Of her offence
in the eyes of her rigid and offended
father.
"Oh, what hse ! been born to suffer II
cried be, stamping his f ct upon the ground
o, you Witch o Endor you Jezebel!
you disgrace O. kith and kin Could
nsetbing, naething serve ye but breaking
your puir auld fathers teart? Get out o
my sicbt get out O. my s.cht!"
He renamed silent tr few moments
the parent arose in his heart, tears "a hered
in his eyes.
But ye are still my BARN." he contin-
ued. Oh, Betty, Betty, woman what
hae We brocLt u4 to -
Again be was silent, and again proceed
ed
but I forgie yc, Betty! Yes, i
naebody else will, your father will forgie
ye for your mother sake, for e are a tha
| bae left O her. But we canra baud VI
our heads again il this part o the country
that's impossible. I've lang Jhocht o gan
to America, and now m driven tilt
Y He parted with bis farm, and in he en-
suing spring proceeded with BIZ daughter
to Canada. We shall not enter upon III
fortunes in the New World-he a. -tii
broken 10 spirit; and, after twelve year,
residence, be was neilber IiUher nor hap
pier than when be left Scotland. Elzlbetl
was now a mother, and the smiles Of M
\ Dung son seemed 70 shorten the years .
her exile; yet, ever as she returned BIZ
smile, the thought of the husband of lie
youth flashed back o. ber remembrance
and anguish and misery shot through he
bosom as the agile Garteth on its prey. He
heart was not broken but it Tell like
proud citadel. burying the determined glr
rison.
Cha les Lawson had not been in Tnd
many months, when party Of native troop
attacking the property Of bis relative
Charles, who had fallen wounded amongs
them, was carried by them 10 their retrpa
into the interior Of the country, where, 70
several years, be was cut of from all m-
tercOulse or communication with his coun-
trymen. On obtaining bis liberty, be found
that bis kinsman had been for some tim
dead, and had left him his heir. His wife
bis parents, doubt-anxlety, impatient af-
fection, trembling hope, all FASTENED bis re
turn. AT length the white cliffs OF Alb o.
appeared before him, like fair cloud sprea,
on the unruffied bosom of the ocean; snt
in few days more the green hills Of hi
childhood met bis anxious eye.