Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-03-06

tatlon; then, as the fire blazed up and
disclosed the fair curly head and the
merry blue eyes she remembered 80 well,
she said with fearful eyes and trembling
voices "Cau this be you, Archie Bry.
doneP Glad am to see ye back again.
But what a start ye gied me, for mony's
the time I've wondered if ye were alive"
ALIVE and hearty" replied Archie,
with rather forced laugh, to hide the
emotion he really felt when he saw how
agitated she was. "But the truth is, l
wearied o. the Highlands; it's dull
thing being ones lane in house for
months, and thought would try the
Low Country again"
Archie was surprised to find as time
passed on and he and Kirstie dropped
into their old friendly terms how little
changed she was in mind from what she
used to be; the same simple, guileless
creature, strong as rock for truth and
right, and thoroughly unself1sh.
Mr.. and Mrs. Gray were so much
attached to her that they looked on her
almost as child of the house, and yet
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 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 1t, which
II Tod 70
on a Saturday; and on the afternoon of
the Sunday, which was bright Septem-
Der day, Archie asked Kirstie if she would
take 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.
1t was an additional source of happi-
ness, too, the fact that they were to live in
her old home, though many one would
have thought it 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 a splendid view OF
one of the loveliest of the lovely Dunn
friesshire valleys. 1t was q roomy, com.
Portable cottage, whitewashed, with a
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 hundred yards from the
mouth of the deep, dark, PERCEPTIONS glen
which took its name from the Dyne, a
little burn which brawled along at the foot
Archie entered on his duties at Martin
mas, and they were married at I've log
manay following, at Auchensack, when
there was a 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 lovely, fair little infant
with Archie's blue eyes and f1axen hair
and he was, if possible, more passion
ately fond of it than Kirstie herself
Kirstie thought of her happy lot with 6
deep, unutterable thankfulness as she sal
absently rocking the cradle. She was one
of those women who have great difficulty
of utterance; whose words are few bu
their thoughts many; and, above all, hel
religion was truly part of herselfand oi
her daily life. The sun had now set, and
darkness was coming on, while the vino
whistled more shrilly than ever, and with
an eerie sound which made her shudder
She was becoming really anxious abou
Archie's long-continued absence. He had
left home in the morning with the frs
peep of daylight to climb the hill, accord
ing to his custom, and intended to come
home, as he usually did, about eleven.
She tried, meanwhile, to calm hel
anxiety by thinking that something nigh
have happened to one of the sheep, o.
that he might have been detained gather
ing them into the folds in preparation fo
an approaching storm. At length sh'
heard the dog scratching at the door; anC
oyfully said she to herself He cam;
be far off noo;" but on opening the door
the dog, instead of running joyfully t
the FIRE or curling himself up beneatl
one of the beds as he usually did, begal
to jump faw ningly upon her and to whin
pitifully; she could not understand tn,
reason of this at all, when suddenly al
idea burst upon her mind which speedily
became a certainty. Archie was i'll, hat
hurt himself, perhaps, somewhere on tn,
hills, and the dog had come for help. Sh
shook off deadly faintness which crep
over her at the thought; and, rousing her
self, she drew the fire together in case o
sparks, placed the cradle ON one of tn
beds for safety, and throwing plaiC
about her followed the dog.
During these preparations "Laddie'
had stood still and motionless as statue
but when she moved toward the door h
jumped with delight, fawned upon hel
and licked her hands, and then boundeI
hastily forward in the direction of tn
glen. The ordinary route along Gle
Dyne was TO climb the steep hill whicl
rose behind Dynefoot, and then to keet
by footpath which wound along the to-
of the glen for about mile. There wa
no fence or protection whatever; an
there were several sad stories told of pee
pie who had missed their footing, or, i
the darkness, had wandered too near tn
edge, and so had come to violent enC
just two winters before this an unfortr
nate man had perished not far from tn
mouth of the glen. He was packman
with a donkey, who was we'll known a
all the farm-houses; and was, in way,
well.to-do man, with well.assorted pacl
the contents of which ranged from rit
bons and jewelry to note-paper, hair-pini
and stay-laces. In fact it was designe
to supply all the little wants of femal
population, who were seldom able t
indulge in the luxury of going a-shoI
ping. Tom Carson, the packman, wa
therefore great favorite, and not onl
because of his wares, but because he wa
CHEEKY, pleasant fellow; and Kirsti
remembered we'll what CONSERVATION wa
caused in the kitchen at Auchensac,
when rumor arose that Tom Carson ha
disappeared; and it was thought thi
some one must have made away with hiT
for the sake of his pack, which, as il wa
New Years time, was unusually heavy
1t was only conjecture, however, for notl
ing could be heard of him but when at lai
the snow, which lay that winter for sewers
weeks, had melted, the mystery wa
solved, and poor Tom Carson with hi
donkey and his pack were found at tn
bottom of Glen Dyne. 1t was suppose