The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-06-03

/
in tears, as we met in the Castle wood on
our way home. 1t was with difficulty that
| drew, bit by bit, the whole truth from
her and resolved to punish, in one way
or other, the rude and ll-bearted aggressor
In this matter. could not think Of pun
ishing her myself; but got Jean Watson,
the servant maid of the factors clerk-a
kind Of haverel, who sometimes threw me
an apple over the hedge in passing--I got
her to catch the culprit after dark, and to
chastise her in her own way. know not
how it was effected, but it produced loud
screams, and much merriment to me for
was lying all the while psrdu on the other
side OF the hedge. W.
libby Murdoch was a most revengeful
person--qulte the antipodcs to sweet Alice
Loriper. She was the daughter Of quar-
ryman. who bad come, only few years be-
fore, to reside in the place, and work at the
Laird. Of Closeburn's lime-works. How
difficult it is for poor blind mortals to see
the consequences Of their actions Had
then fully perceived what this act of retalia-
ton was to lead to-what dismal conse-
quences were to follow would ptber
have sunk at once into perdition than have
been concerned in the affair. libby Muir.
doch's father was brutal and passionate
man ; and, understanding from bis daugbt-
er how matters stood, and that poor Alice
Lorimer had been the cause of his daught-
er's disaster, he left his work at midday,
and. taking horse whip in bis hand, enter
cd the shOemaker's shop, and not finding
Alice, without more ado, he proceeded to
apply it to John Lorimer's shoulders. John
Lorimer was a little, but a strong and we'll
made man, and though the other was tall,
bul-headsd. and extremely athletic, John
Immediately threw aside bis instruments of
labor, which be felt it was dangerous to use
on the occasion, and closed Of once with
the enemy. The struggle was severe but
John LOrimer, having got bold of Muir
doch about the middle, fairly lifted him off
bis feet, and dashed him down on the floor
Murdoch's strength, however, was superior
to Johns; and be contrived to roll over up
on his enemy. and at last to thrust his head
Immediately under CRATE, which stood in
. corner Of the shop containing live GOALS
for melting some rosin which. vas about. to
be used. The orucible, with the melted
and boiling tosin was uptnrned and, un-
fortunately, the whole contents we're spread
over Johns Lorlmer's face. He was dread
fully burned but, what was worse of all,
be lost the sight Of one eye BY the accident,
and was very materially injured ip the other,
On an investigation by the proper autbori-
ties, Murdoch was convicted of the assault,
and imprisoned for twelve calendar months.
During bis imprisonment, reveage upon
poor Lorimer was his constant theme and,
when the time expired, he removed to the
parish of Keir, and found employment in
lime work belonging to DIR, Hunter OF Bar
jarg He was stll, unfortunately, within
an hours walk Of Croalchapel, and lay,
Lac cat In a eoEnegs, watching .hls prey. ]
In the meantime, JOhu LorimeD though
greatly detormed in his sounten2nee, re-
covered the use If cne eye, and pursued
bis quiet and useful labor as formerly. AS
his daughter Alice advanced in years, she
grew in lovliness and virtue At twelve
years of age she became her fathers house
keeper and cond ucted herself in that capa-
city with surprising sense and prudence.
1t was at this time that Left school for
college; and spent the last night with
Alice Lorimer. l was then lad of six
teen, and she, as I have said, was twelve.
What had / to do in the Castle wood, BY
moonlight, and late after her father had
gone to rest, with Alice L orimer! Gentle
reader, have little patience, and exercise
q little christian charity, and. upon my hon
or, will tell you all 7! But, in the first
place, / must know your sex, and whether
or not you have ever been sixteen years
old. If your sex corresponds With my own,
and your information on the other subject
is equal to my own, then you will under
stand the thing completely. was then
as innocent as it is possible for youth Of
sixteen to be nay, was absolutely shy
and bashful to great degree, and would
have shrunk from any advances, even to in
nocent familiarity, with the other sex. But
| was not in love with Alice Lorimer.
True, she preferred my company to that Of
any other person, save her dearly beloved
father true, she sat on my knee, as she
did on that of her parent, unsconscious of
any different feeling in the two positions !;
but we never talked of love; / would as
soon have thought Of talking of our being
king and queen; and as to Alice, her friend
ship for me was as pure as the love Of
angels. She could not think of parting
with me-of perhaps land she burst into
tears) never seeing me again. | must
write to her-and | must come back and
see her, and talk funnily to her father, who
liked ioke-and | mHst-I forget how
many ''musts" there we're; but they lasted
till half past one o'clock. parted with
her at her fathers door. l neve saw her
again !
/ was coming down Enterkin late in a
fine moonlight night in the spring Of 1906.
l was on my way to join family in Call
oway, where long acted in the capacity
Of tutor. | had then attained my twenty
iirst year and | Glanced TO be calculating
as | expected 70 see Alice Lorimer on
the following day-what her age must be-
Let me see. said l. 50 audibly that | start
ed at my own utterance, as did little po-
nv rode /; and what followed was the sum
Of my reflections. l calculated, by the
common rule Of proportion, that if Alice
was twelve when | was sixteen, she would
be seventeen now that / was twenty one.
Seventeen repeated. just seventeen =
and l urged on the pony instinctively, as if
Fastening towards Croalchapel. But !
had come over the spirit of my dreams dur
ing that period. had had to contend
With fortune in many ways; had been often
disappointed, and sometimes driven almost
to despair again had prospered, got into
lucrative employment, become member
Of speaking societies, distinguished myself
by talking sense and nonsense right and
LA LII ....I .a..-- ~, ..--u nunn;raa y,