Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-03-12

creature, strong as rock for truth and
right, and thoroughly unselfsh.
Mr.. and Mrs. Gray were so much
attached to her that they looked on her
almost as child of the house, and yet
she was so unconscious of any special
favor that she quite avoided all jealousy
on the part of her fellow-servants. Archie
STAYED steadily on the Auchensack, and
became almost as much part OF the
household as Kirstie; the other servants
went and came, but these two remained
fixtures
When Archie had been three years with
Mr.. Gray, the shepherd at Dynefoot left
to take a small farm, and Mr.. Gray offered
it to Archie, adding, with a sly glance,
that he would have to look out for wife
in that case. Archie thanked him, and
asked for few days to think of it, which
Mr.. Gray willingly granted. That was
on a Saturday; and on the afternoon of
the Sunday, which was bright Septem-
Der day, Archie asked Kirstie If she would
take a walk with him to the rowan-tree !;
and there, at the place where they first
met, and where they had played and
worked as children, he asked her If she
would be his lifelong companion. No
one can doubt what Kirstie's answer was :;
he had been the one love of her childhood
and of her later years, and the sun never
shone upon prouder, happier bride.
It was an ad ditional source Of happi-
ness, too, the fact that they were to live in
her old home, though many a one would
have thought it a solitary place enough.
1t was three miles from Auchensack, and
about as far from the nearest shepherds
house, and was away quite up among the
hills, commanding splendid view of
one of the lovel:est of the lovely Dunn
friesshire valleys. 1t was roomy, COM
Portable cottage, whiteWashed, with
matched roof, nice garden in front, and
two elm trees at one side. Inside it was
the picture of comfort; the kitchen es-
pecially, with its sanded floor clean as
hands could make it; the dresser gay
with willow-pattern plates and many-col
ored bowls and pigs" the long settle by
the fire; and the antique clock, which
had belonged to Kirstie's grandfather.
1t stood about a hundred yards from the
mouth of the deep, dark, precipitous glen
which took its name from the DYne,
little burn which brawled along at the foot
Archie entered on his duties at Martin
mas and they were married at the Hog
manay following, at Auchensack, when
there was dance in the barn and general
merry-making. And so time had slipped
away, every season seeming happier than
the last, Kirstie thought, and happiest of
all the dark days Of winter since a little
blossom came upon November day and
filled their cup of happiness to overflow
ing. 1t was a lovely, fair little infant,
with Archie's blue eyes and t1axen hair;
and he was, if possible, more passion
ately fond of it than Kirstie herself
Kirstie thought of her happy lot with
deep, unutterable thankfulness as she sat
absently rocking the cradle. She was one
of those women who have great difficulty
of utterance; whose words are few but
their thoughts many; and, above all, her
religion was truly a part of herself and of
her daily life. The sun had now set, and
darkness was coming on, while the wind
whistled more shrilly than ever, and with
an eerie sound which made her shudder.
She was becoming really anxious about
Archie's long-continued absence. He had
left home in the morning with the first
peep of daylight to climb the hill, accord
inc to his custom, and intended to come
home, as he usually did, about eleven.
She tried, meanwhile, to calm her
anxiety by thinking that something might
have happened to one of the sheep, or
that he might have been detained gather
ing them into the folds in preparation for
an approaching storm. At length she
heard the dog scratching at the door; and
oyfully said she to herself: He Gamma
be far off moo" but on opening the door,
the dog, instead of running joyfully to
the fire or curling himself up beneath
one of the beds as he usually did, began
to jump fawningly upon her and to whine
pitifully; she could not understand the
reason of this at all, when suddenly an
idea burst upon her mind which speedily
became certainty. Archie was i'll, had
hurt himself, perhaps, somewhere on the
hills, and the dog had come for help. She
shook off deadly faintness which crept
over her at the thought; and, rousing her
self, she drew the fire together in case of
sparks, placed the cradle on one of the
beds for safety, and throwing a plaid
about her followed the dog.
During these preparations "Laddie''
had stood still and motionless as statue;
but when she moved toward the door he
jumped with delight, fawned upon her,
and licked her haLds, and then bounded
hastily forward in the direction of the
glen. The ordinary route along Glen
Dyne was TO climb the steep hill which
rose behind Dvnefoot, and then to keed
by footpath which wound along the top
of the glen for about mile There was
no fence or protection whatever; and
there were several sad stories told of peo-
pie who had missed their footing, or, in
the darkness, had wandered too near the
edge, and so had come to a violent end.
Just two winters before this an unfortu-
nate man had persisted not far from the
mouth of the glen. He was packman,
with donkey, who was well known at
all the farm-houses; and was, in way,
well-to-do man, with well assorted pack,
the contents of which ranged from rib
bons and jewelry to note-paper, hair-pins,
and stay-laces. In fact, it was designed
to supply all the little wants of a female
population, who were seldom able to
indulge in the luxury of going a-shop-
ping. Tom Carson, the packman, was
therefore great favorite, and not only
because of his wares, but because he was
CHEEKY, pleasant fellow; and Kirstie
remembered well what CONSERVATION was
caused in the kitchen at Auchensack
when a rumor arose that Tom Carson had
Disappeared; and it was thought that
some one must have made away with him
for the sake of his pack, which, as it was
New Years time, was unusually heavy.
1t was only conjecture, however, for moth
ing could be heard of him; but when at last
the snow, which lay that winter for several
weeks, had melted, the mystery was
solved, and poor Tom Carson with his
donkey and his pack were found at the
bottom of Glen Dyne. 1t was supposed
that he had been coming to Auchensack,