The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-10-20
Roy of Airlie.

"Janet, may I come beside youP am
tired of reading"
"Dear, laird, ye may. Nae wonder ye are
tired O. reading thae daft like heather books.
am busy enough wi the haver bread bak-
ing, but you're aye welcome in ball or kitch-
en- to Janet.n
Haver bread-making is one of the hardest
duties of the Cumberland housewife, and
Janet lifted flushed face and Strengthened
herself with au air of relief to give the laird
his welcome. He was handsome young
fellow, not year home from college, and his
own master. He still wore mourning for the
old laird, but it became him well, as did also
his merry way of throwing off his air of "still
delightful studles."
Don't despise my heather books. Janet; ;
wonderful men wrote them, and they are full
of grand thoughts"
"Then, what for didna they wrote them in
decent language? Pm aye doubtful O. books
in the dead English: when only one tongue
has put off flesh and blood it is too ghaist-
like to NEEDLE VII unless mayhap for the
Black Art" and Janet looked half-doubtingly
at her young master.
"Oh, my books are all right, Janet. The
minister borrowed some of them yester-
day."
Il dinna ken, sir; whatna for do We read
some of them backward then? Ddna / see
him and you begin at the end o. ane O. them
and read it backward?''
''That was Hebrew, Janet"
"OhV' but the ''Oh'' was very suspicious
ejaculation, and Janet thumped her cake
with great emphasis to very peculiar shake
of her head.
Young Roy laughed and continued his
leisurely walk through the white-fagged
house-place. 1t was charming apartment.
through only tagged one, and especially so
on this Spring morning, when the latticed
windows were all flung open and the scent of
the apple blossoms and the dafodils came in
great waves of perfume whenever the wind
caught them. The sweet, savory smell of the
fine oatmeal delicacy, the sight OF the moth
erly Janet in her spotless cap and apron, the
snowy, pipe-clayed floor. the skinner of
pewter and tins and brasses, ranged upon the
deal shelves of the dresser" all made an
idyllic picture which not even Theocritus
could match, and Roy left it.
Janet, you are half right; your kitchen
and your occupation aud you yourself are a
better piece of poetry than any have read
this morning."
"There's naught but what is sensible and
world-lIke about Janet, Master Roy; an nae
body ever spoke po'try an me in the same
breath before; ye maun talk your nonsense
to silliar folk thon Janet Armstrong, laird"
poem, Janet2"
Deed shea vera guild bonnie lassie, an
far too much respeckit to be making poetry
about. Naevody should say aught to Alice
Eldersie but the honest truth"
Roy walked thoughtfully up and down,
and Janet furtively watched him as he went
between her table and the heated marble
slab where the cakes were baking.
"You are very fond of Alice, Janet?'
'There's reason for a. things, Master Roy,
an haze guild ones, mair than ane, for loving
the house of EIderslie root an branch"
"When was at college Alice came every
day here-Adam says So"
adam Strong has MAR tongue than guild
sense; but he spak the truth that time"
"Why does she not come over every day
now?''
''Guid reasons, Master Roy; your fayther
God rest him!-and you are totally differ
ent parsons, It would ilI-sort Miss Elder
slie to be coming every day to Airlie, an you
dear me! think 1 see the old laird toddling
about under the apple blossom, an Miss
Alice walking by his side" And Janet
stopped and looked thoughtfully through the
attice.
"Janet, I am going over to Mr.. EldersIe's.
l want to ask his opinion about something"
"Ye medina ask Squire Elderslie's opinion
about anything but stanes an root am sic
havers. If it's about gowd or land or bust
ness you gang to Lawyer Bell Master Roy
he comes of wise generation an he'll lead
you nae foolish gates"
Roy laughed and disappeared and Janet
went on with her work muttering, as she
clapped the wafer-like cakes:
Much o. the squire's opinion he wanted;
he kens weel he's ava to the hill this fine day
with his bag and his hammer-its Miss Alice,
of course. wish she had a bit tocher.
Airlie is worn out, half crops, an no third
O. the wool we used to shear. Alice has
naught ava but her peat land an, her sma'
house farm; beauty an birth havna ony cash
value nova days-never had as far as / ken.
Alice an Airlie would be just naething added
to naething."
In the meantime Roy had found Alice un-
der the Eldersle apple-blossoms, and asked
her opinion about great many questions.
He found these consultations so charming
that he continued them daily all through the
sweet spring afternoons, and the warm,
balmy summer evenings. He really hardly
considered the responsibility and danger Of
these pleasant meetings and Iambles. Alice
sweet, rose-like beauty,her guileess innocence
and frank delight in his company, had led
him to respond in manner that rather
startled him when Janet took him to task
about it.
you'll haze spoke to the squire for Miss
Alise, L suppose, Master Roy" she sad
bluntly one morning.
why, what do you mean Janet?"
II thought gentleman aye asked the
fayther before the daughter. It's an auld
fashion, but guild one, Pm thinking."
what made you think I had asked
either?
Because dishonor and your fayther's blood
are no kin to each other"
"Janet, do you know what you are say
ing?n
''Finsly, Master Roy; an I ken what the
countryside is saying, too; an if the squire
is sac wrapped up i his foolishness as to see
naught an hear naught, ken well nae hon
orable gentleman will take any advantage O.
"Janet, do you think it will be a good
thing for me to marry Alice Elderslie?,'
Il dinna say it will be good thing-count-
ing siller like, but l say it will be the right
thing"
"The right thing ought to be the same as
the good thing.'"
"That is as ye read it. If ye have passed
promise, Airlie, be lord O. your word an
keep itv'
Roy Airlie went out very thoughtful
man. He had not. indeed, in so many words,
asked Alice to be his wife; but in MANY other
that question. He loved her, too, and he be-
lieved that she loved him but what of that?
Was marriage the only honorable close to
such sweet summer pastime? To marry
Alice was only to add one poor, impover-
ished estate to another, and he had Just
begun to realize that poverty was a very
uncomfortable drawback to proprietorship,
and to listen to the proposals of Lawyer Bell
for raising money to improve and drain his
lands. Life seemed so rich in possibilities.
Full of such thoughts he rambed on. 1t
was cool. brisk morning in October, and
several hunting parties crossed the moors at
different points-the joyous view-halloo the
sound OF the horns, and the music of the
dogs, came noisily or family up the breeze.
He thought of the pleasures of the chase, If
owning fine hunters and dogs, of keeping
open house, and being a member of the
county hunt, of fine old Airjie Hall and its
capabilities, and now 100000 would make it
the handsomest and most productive estate
10 East Cumberland.
he hardly knew how time passed, but look
ing suddenly up he saw lady on horseback.
standing about half mile to the right and
waving her veil as if for help. He knew in
moment what for. She had lost her wav
and got into the scafell moss. A step or two
auy side might engulf both horse and rider.