Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-08-05


Mr.. Gray willingly granted. That was on
Sunday, and on the afternoon of the Sun
/ day, which was a bright September day
| Archie asked Kirstie if she would take IL
walk with him to the rowan-tree; and
there, at the place where they first met
and where they had played and worked rs
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
a prouder, happier bride.
! 1t was an additional source of happiness,
too, the fact that they were to live in her
old home, though many 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
loveliest of the lovely Dumfriesshire val
leys. 1t was q roomy, comfortable cottage,
whitewashed, with a thatched roof, a nice
garden in front, and two elm-trees ut one
side. Inside, it was the picture of COM
| fort; the kitchen especially, with its sand-
ed floor clean as hands could make it; the
dresser, gay with willow pattern plates and
many colored bowls; the long settle by the
fire; and the antique clock, which had be-
longed to Kirstie's grandfather. 1t stood
just about hundred yards from the mouth
of the deep, dark, precipitous glen which
took its name from the Dyne, a little burn
which brawled along at the foot.
| Archie entered on his duties at Martin
mus, and they We're married on the Hog
manay following, at Auchensack, when
there was a dance in the barn and general
! I, Il, /
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 a November day, and
filled their cup of happiness to Overlooking
1t was a lovely, fair little infant, with
Archie's blue eyes, and t1axen hair; and
he was, if possible. more passionately fond
of it than Kirstie herself.
Kirstie thought of her happy lot with a
deep, unutterable thankfulness, rs 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 re-
ligion was truly part of herself and of her
daily life. The sun had now set, and dark
ness was coming on, while the wind whiS-
tied more shriliy than ever, and with an
eerie sound, which made her shulder. She
was becoming eallyanxious about Archie
long continued absence. He had left home
in the morning with the first peep of day
| light to climb the hill, according to his GUS
tom, and intended to come home, as he
usually did, about eleven.
She tried, meanwhile, to calm her anx-
iety by thinking that something might
have happened to one of the sheep, or that
lie might have been detained, gathering
them into the folds in preparation for an
I approaching storm. At length, she heard
the dog scratching at the door; and JOY
fully said she to herself: " He Gamma be
far off noo;'' 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
flwning upon her and to whine pititully.
She could not understand the reason OF
this at ALL when suddenly an idea burst
upon her mind, which speedily became a
certainty Archie was i'll. had hurt him
self, perhaps, somewhere on the hills. and
the dog had come for help. She shook off a
deadly faintness, which crept over her at
the thought; and rousing herself, she drew
The fire together in case of sparks, placed
the cradle on one of the beds for safety,
and throwing plaid about her, followed
the dog
During these preparations, Ladlie
had stood still and motionless as a statute
but when she moved towards the door he
jumped with delight, flwning upon her
and licked her hands. and then bounded
hastily forwards in the direction of the
glen. The ordinary route along Glen
|, Dyne was to climb the steep hill which
rose behind Dynefoot, AMI then to keep by
n footpath which wound along the top oI
, the glen for about mile. There was nc
fence or protection whatever; and there
were several sad stories told of people who
had missed their footing, or, in the dark
ness, had wandered too near the edge, and
so had come to 4 violent end.
Just two winters before this, an unfortu
nate man had perished not far from The
mouth of the glen. He was II packman
with a donkey, who was we'll known ut al
) the farmhouses; and was, in his way, a
well-to-do man. with II well-assorted pack.
the contents of which ranged from ribbons
: and jewelry to note-paper, hairpins, and
stay laces. In fact, it was designed to sup
ply all the little wants of a female popula-
ton, who were seldom able to indulge in
the luxury of going a-shopplng. Tom
Carson, the packman, was therefore great
ftvorite, and not only because of his wares
but because he was Il CHEEKY, pleasant fel
: low: and Kirstie remembered we'll what
CONSERVATION was caused in the kitchen III
Auchensack when 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 un-
usually heavy.
1t was only conjecture, however, fol
nothing 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 al
the bottom of Glen Dyne. 1t was suppos-
ed that he had been coming to Auchen-
sack, where he was great favorite-tha1
he had been overtaken by the storm-that
the donkey had lost its footing, and in his
efforts to save the poor animal, he had per
ished along with it. 1t was q sad story
and cast deeper shade of gloom over
Glen Dyne, which indeed bore no good
, name already. AS Kirstie toiled up the
hill, it all came back appallingly afresh tc
her memory.
About halfway up the steep precipitou:
side of the glen. there ran very narrow
insecure footpath called the ''Tod's Path,
, owing to fox-burrow up near the heao
of the glen. Few people ever venturee
along it, except the gamekeepers and the
, shepherds, and even they did not care tc
try it except in broad daylight. At the
point where this path turned off from the
face of the hill, 'Laddie" began again te
\ Jump upon his mistress, then running :
, few steps along the path and coming back
he wagged his tail and looked up at hel
/ with beseeching eyes, saying, as plainly
, as dog could say, in his mute but expires
sive language: "Come this way" Kir
site did not hesitate to follow, bad though
5 the way was, for it led, she was sure. te
her husband: and besides. as little chile
she used often to come with her father
before she knew what fear was, and there
fore knew every turn and bend in the
, nath Toilinc I'D the wild solitude, hel