Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-07-06
A Stampede in 1924.


me %
The questioner was a tall. handsome
man, though somewhat worn-looking,
and decidedly shame faced. The person
he addressed was winsome lassie of
some seventeen years, who had come to
the we'll head, where small stream of
pure water trickled through a rude spout
inserted in a crevice of the rock. Elsie
had put down her pitcher and was wait
ing for it to ELL, leaning meanwhile with
both arms on the rude stone wall which
protected the spring from the encroach-
ments of the cattle, and looking every
where but at the speaker. .sYou'H no
even look at me p repeated Duncan
Scott, wistfully, ''and this perhaps the
last time we'll ever meet by the we'll
side, where we have spent so many hap
py hours. Won't you just speak to me,
Elsie ?"
"That will [ mo- p answered Elsie,
turning on him with wonanly indigna-
tion and more than womanly inconsist-
ency. 'sThat will [ no, Duncan Scott !!
wonder you dare so much as look at
me after what you said, and what you
evened me to the last time we met here.
l think it shame that ever l cared for
the likes of you
To judge from his face, Duncan seem
ed to find comfort even in these sharp
words ..But, Elsie, woman"
I'll hear nothing, Duncan-not a
word !'' interrupted Elsie. her blue eyes
flashing fire at the remembrance of her
wrongs. 'I'll never wed a jealous pated
fool. And jealous of whom % she asked
in tone of the utmost scorn .Of my
own foster-brother that was nursed at
the breast of my mother wonder you
did ma think of Habbie, or poor witless
Michael in the ingle-nook. )"
"But, Elsie, would you but listen
"No, I'll no listen. For what suld
[ listen %
''But you might tell me how it was,
Elsie =? You might say a word to explain
what you were doing with young Fer
niehurst so late at zen %
Again Elsie turned on him.
explain ?-and what for suld [ ex-
plain, or what right have you to think
any explanation needed ? Is not Fer
niehurst my own foster brother, as I told
you, and as you knew well enough ?
| And is that not the same as mine own
brother, and more? Bat will explain, :"
said the poor girl, forcing back the tears
which we're too ready to run over: ''Fer-
niehurst loves bonny Mary, Harden's
daughter, that's away in Edinboro' with
her aunt for safety ; and knowing me to
be an old friend and playmate of the
young leddy's, he gave me letter and
token for her. against her coming home,
knowing that no mans life is safe for a
day, with the English camped here in
our very midst. So there ye have the
tale, and much good may it do you. No,
no You needn't try to come round me
that gate, Duncan p she added, in a
firm but scornful tone, withdrawing the
hand that Duncan would have taken.
Calls over between US. [ have borne
much ere this from your jealous humor,
but I II bear no more I'll have naught
to say to any man who can call me what
you called me that night. Go your ways
with whom you will I wish you nc
i'll, but all the good in the world; but
you are no.more aught to me nor I tc
you Fare ye well p
So saying, Elsie took up her pitcher
which had been for some time brimmine
over, and walked down the path, with
out so much as casting look behind.
Duncan seemed to feel that his case was
hopeless, for he followed sorrowfully
enough, and did not even attempt tc
speak again.
Tweeddale, in Scotland, at no time
before the eighteenth century a very safe
or quiet place of residence, was peculiar.
ly unhappy in the year 1924. The Eng.
lish army, under Surry, was encamped
near Jedburgh, which place the Admiral
so sorely burned and wasted that nc
garrison nor none other should be lodged
there. From their camps the English
made forays and incursions on all sides
burning, wasting and plundering al
that came in their way. The Scots
seven their enemies themselves beine
judges made brave resistance, anc
according to Surry's own account they
gave their invaders plenty of work, anc
"kept them in so perpetual skirmish" a.
the Lord Admiral never saw the like
The little farm-if farm it could b
called-of Craig-end, had hitherto es
capped the spoilers. 1t lay thoroughly
sheltered from notice in a nook of tn,
hills, where the steep braes, recedine
from a small and rapid stream, lef
room for meadow or level space of som,
sixty acres in extent. AT the upper enc
of this tract of fertile land, stood tn,
peal or tower of Craig END, rude build
ing of rough stone, three stories high
surrounded by a wall and out buildings