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

tuls UOne OI mlnQ WAS JOSglnS OHS Will
half bottle Of Mrs. Otto's (of Leadhills)
best port wine under my belt, and endeav,
oring to collect some rhymes to the word
Lorimer but either the muse was upropor'
pitious, or the word, like that mentioned
in Horace, refused to stand in verse; it SC
happened that / had given up the effort,
and was about to dismiss the subject alto
gether, when discovered, near the bottom
Of the pass, number of figures advanc
ing on me in an opposite direction. AS
they came up the pass, under a meridian
moon, could discover that they carried
something on a barrow, which, on nearer
inspection, found to be coffin. drew
my pony to the side Of the road, lifted my
hat reverentially, ard the party, consisting
Of upwards of twenty, passed 10 solemn 81
lence. The incident was little startling.
and somewhat unnatural, not to say super
human for. why were these people carry
ing coffin up the long and narrow pass
which separates Lanark from Dumfriesshire.
50 late at night, and in such mysterious
silence A thought struck me, which con-
tributed not little to ease my mind in re-
gard to supernaturals were they compa-
nyof smugglers from Bowness, taking this
method Of carrying forward their untaxed
goods to Lanark and Glasgow? Rumina-
ting on this subject, and laughing inwardly
at my own ingenuity and discernment, /
arrived at last at Thornbill, where | re-
NAMED for the night Next morning l
reached Croalchapel, on my way to my
birthplace. l went up to that very door
at which / had parted with Alice, some five
years before, and eDdeavored to open it {;
but it was shut and locked. looked in at
the end window, above the FIRE place but
there was neither FIRE nor inhabitant-all
was silence. My heart sank within me !,
and neighbor, who saw my ignorance and
mistake, advertised me that both parent and
child were no more and that Alice Lorimer
was buried here he hesitated, and seem
ed to- retraet the expression--"a ut least, p
said be, committed to the earth last
night"
"Was she not buried by her father in
the burial. ground Of the Lorimers Of Close
burn Z" said |, hastily, and in an agitated
tone. The man looked me in the face at
tentiyely, and, probably then for the first
time recognizing me, waved bis band, burst
into tears, and left me. I fastened to the
home Of my father, half distracted. NV
mother still lived and enjoyed good health
from her | learned the following partieu-
lars.
John Lorimer's sight, she said, served
him for time, during which be wrought
as usual, and his daughter grew to be tall
and handsome woman but at last it began
to fail, and he would put the elsbun into
wrong place, or thrust it into his hand.
Alice perceived this, and was most anxious
to provide for her fathar undar thio ;--A...:
dabEe calamity. She took IN linen and
bIeached it On the bonny knoWe among the
gowans; she span yarn, and sold il al Thorn
hill f,irs in short, she did all she could to
support herself and her father in an honest
an honorable way. Eut il was a severe
struggle to make ends meet In the mcah-
time she had several offers of marriage !;
but refused them all, as she could not think
of leaving her poor blind parent alore and
helpless, and none Of her lovers were rich
enough to present a home to a surpernu-
menary inmate One evening, whilst sfter
severe days labor, she was sitting with
old Poodle her constant companion, but
now likewise blind) by the fire. Mr.. John
Murdoch made bis appearance. Her faith
er had gone early 10 bed in the shop end
of the house, and did not know of the mans
visit. He came, be said, as a repentant
sinner to relieve her necessities. He had
occasioned ber fathers blindness, and be
was glad to be made the instrument Of
bringing some pecuniary relief. Thus say
ing, he put into her hands a FIVE pound
note, and, without waiting for a reply,
took his departure This startled poor
Alice not little she looked at the money,
then thought Of the man, and again listen
ed to see if her father was sIeeping-at
last, she put it into her chest, determined
not to make use of it unless in case of ne.
cessity. The factor, who had hitherto, been
lenient, became urgent for the rent There
was two years due, and the FIVE pound note
exactly covered the debt; away therefore
it went into the factors hands, and poor
Alice returned thanks on her knees Il
Heaven, that had sent her the means Of
keeping from her father the knowledge o.
their situation. 'l '
In few days Murdoch found her at The
washing green, and entered more particu.
larry into the history of the money HI
said it bad been sent BY one who bad seer
and admired her. He was on visit a
Barjarg, the proprietor being bis uncle
He was the son and heir Of very ricE
man, not expected to live many months
He was determined to please himself il
marrying, having observed great misery
arise from adopting contrary plan anc
be wished, in fine, to cultivate further ac
q1aintance with Alice, to whom he haC
sent aDother five pound note in the mean
time. In short, after exhibiting great re
luctance to agree to a secret interview, ant
after trying again and again to get word
to communicate the whole matter to he
father, young gentleman of gaudy anc
genteel appearance made bis way out oftb'
adjoining wood, and was introduced BY
Murdoch as young Johnstone Of Wester
hall Few words passed poor Alice wa
quite non plussed-she felt that she wa
not equal to this awful trial, and yet there
was something fearfully pleasant in it. a
young man, handsome and rich-her faith
er blind and helpless-her hand quite a
her own disposal-and independence and
comfort brought to the good mans house
for life. Her lover; however, did not pres
the thing further that time be took his de
parture along with Murdoch, and Alice wal
a second time left to her own reflections
These, howe yer, soon informed her that sht
was on the brink of perditiou. She rar
at once to her father, and, in paroxysn
of feeling, informed him Of all that had
passed. He reproved her, but gently, fol
| har bou;r0 dovotad kho vnonov N tho mn r