The Van Buren press., 1877-11-06

twas flashed, angry face that look
ed up, and harsh tones that said:
q don't care what people say, father
| suppose am old enough to judge 70
myself -
1T is not a bad thing, Gavin, to min,
what ither folks say about YOU VIE
you really get to | don't care you ar
in bad way. ] hope for all you hav
said YOU dinna mean a word of it,
I" just mean it all | don't care.
am going to say what like and do vha
| | like in the future -=e-
"Then it's name of my money III civ
YOU the day, Gavin. If don't care
the road You are for taking, the soone
you come TO the end o your tethcr, til
better tor You But you'll cool. Doubt
less you'll cool and come to voursel
lad. +"
And old Bailie Irwith took out his bar
danna, and threw it over his face
Don't so to sleep, father, till youan
swer me Il question or two Do vo
mean me to stay in Forbes Office muc
longer ~
You were entered there for thrc
years; your ken wee if your time is GU
or not.
But, father he is such bgoted
narrow, strict old fogy, and
"l ou,ye been lang finding it out, Ga
vim. | m thinking YOU may stand it for
few months longer. Stick to your gree
ment, lad, Ike an honest fellow"
"Hut father, have got my eyes open
ed lately, an /
"Hech wha's opened them You
Grief lassic, eh ?"
"Father, Jeseie Grief is an angel"
Il wish she was. It's no an i'll wish
that, Gavin, for any lassie; but In
thinking she's far ava from it yet"
Gavin Irwin had been two years in
Duncan Forbes house and office, and
not felt his strict rules aud old fashioned
ways particularly unhearahle
But a few weeks ago pretty villa be
longing TO the barony Of Grief had been
occupied as summer residence by the
gay Miss Grief and her aunt, and Miss
Jessie has chosen to enliycn the m n
otony of her retircmenthv paying great
deal of attention to the handsome Gavin
Irwin.
Jessie Grief was one of a type of
young ladies peculiar to the last half cen
tury, and, unhappily, mcrcasne-a fast,
superficial woman, who thought dissent,
doubt, and indifference were the symp
Sho sL,,o, '~3'"ol srncriority.
,nc nest sacred subjects, ana smtlid away
he faith of centuries with pity SO fas.
,iuating and so full OF interest that ii was
small wonder young, sell-adnjring fel
low like Gavin should he impressed and
bcwildCrcd hy her sopbjstrics
he went straight to CrciiI Villa, after
his interview with Mr Irwin, and found
a much more sympathetic listener.
Jessie was 50 kind that Gavin went
back to his little room at Duncan Forbes
with very high hopes, and very wide ideas
indeed, rs 10 the respective position Of
man and man, though. of course. the old
lawyer. not having been taking lesson
from Miss Crien, was ill-prcpared to un
lersland him.
GAVIN said he, kindly, +" the new
minister has come. ! hope you'l like
him better than you have Mr.. Stirling,
lately"
:" shall not hear him, sir. to morrow
have made up my mind to fish in the
morning, and have promised to drive out
with Miss Grief in the afternoon
" y QUILL no make scandal o that
kind, on the Lords day, Gavin Irwin ;
foreby shaming the guild old man your
father 7"
" If people choose TO he ashamed and
scandalized, where they have no call to
be that S not my fault, sir There is no
law against fishing and driving, that ]
know of"
"No, to speak of the law of God, Ga
vim, there's whles another law than the
statute book-there's public opinion"
81 don't care that for public opinion
And Gavin snapped his thumb and fin
ger contemptuously.
Then YOU are fool or worse, an
I'm sorry for them that's kin to you"
Gavin kept his word, aud rather os-
tentatiously so, for he strolled slowly
up lHH iudlH St'tL WIN MS lpN anu tIttI
just as the people were going to church,
He certainly had the satisfaction OF
perfectly horrlfying them.
His drive with Miss Grief was q still
greater offence.
"A pretty, painted Frenchfed inf.
del = said Duncan Forbes, bitterly; "a
lassie who scorns the kirk, an measures
e'cn the word o the Lord by her ain
small understanding. Gavin Irwin in
counting dooll an disgrace an nae guild
lad will sort wi him
Every body shared the lawyers opin-
ion, and the Young men who sat at the
same table with Gavin gave the ;ofIendcr
but the scantest courtesy, and quite cx-
cluded him from all their little social
plans
While Jessie remained in Campsaie he
did not care much.
Hec hose TO call it jealousy and
"envy," and paraded his friendship with
the baron OF Criet's sister very offensive
" to all his oil aequaintances.
But Jessie left Campsalle with the
summer birds and flowers, and very soon
after this event Gavin's time, was out
with Lawyer Forbes,
He was anxious to buy share in the
LAWYERS business and his father was now
inclined to please him; Int Forbes dccli-
ned all Mr. Irwin Offers. and plainly told
told the old man that his sons uupOpu
latv would iniure bis custom.
l