The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-07-12
From Harper's Weekly.
OUR DANIE.

the glittering covering of snow that lay
an inch deep everywhere.
Later on, when clear moon shone out
over the desolate landscape, it made al
most a pretty picture of Braer Castle,
with background of leafess trees and
cloud sky; but not such pretty picture
as the one you could have seen through
the unsheltered windows of the quaint
old hall, if the windows had not been
too high to be reached from the outside.
Sir David Dewar, the bachelor owner
of this fine old place, liked light and COM
fort and plenty of room to move about
in; and as it was nobody's place to inter
fere with his little whims, he generally
got what he wanted; so, sitting now well
back i'll his great armchair, with his
kindly face little severe, and his gray
head bent in earnest thought, he looked
as though no wave of trouble had ever
touched his life.
There was another figure in the great
room, too, on which the brilliant light
seemed to have concentrated itself-the
figure of child-a boy who stood on the
white fur hcarth-rug, with quaint, old
fashioned face raised somewhat stub
bornly, and thin, restless hands fdgeting
with the buttons of his coat. Little
David Dewar, one of Sir David's
orphan nephews, deserves paragraph of
description entirely to himself if only
for the sake of his facc-a beautiful face
"a beautiful face that artists raveG about
for its perfection of form and coloring,
but that mothers look at with an aching
heart, reading only too clearly the signs
of delicacy in the brilliant, dark-fringed
eyes and flushing cheeks. Tonight how
ever, there was something beyond excite
ment in the shrinking form; and lie
looked SO white and wan and miserable
that when Sir David, who had been
hardening his heart and contemplating
punishment, raised his head suddenly,
the sternness melted out of his face, and
he stretched out his hand, SAYING:
"Come here, my dear-a little nearer"
The boy started when he spoke, and
shrank back just raising his piteous, I'M
childlike eyes, and then dropping them
to the rug at at his feet.
" Come here" repeated Sir David,
little impatiently, for he hated to think
that he was hard upon the boys, and that
they were afraid Of him.
The lad shutiled off the rug, half sulkv,
half frightened and came close to the
old mans chair, blinking his great ewes
In the light like a young, half-tamed
owl; and when Sir David said very
kindly: . don't wish to be hard on you,
my lad, but | will have the TRUTH" he
said, in low, sweet voice that trembled
Il little with sheer fright and WEAKNESS:
Yes, Uncle David"
only want to know about this boat
ing said Uncle David, encouraginglv.
Yes" in lower, sulkier voice.
Well, my dear boy after all | have
told you, were you on the river last night ~
There was pause. Uncle David, with
his quiet, kindly eyes on the boys face,
waited with real anxiety for the reply:
but David the younger made no answer
at all; he stood first on one foot, then on
the other, with such guilty, frightened
look on his face that the old mans
heart ached. Well, he said at last.
sadly, tell me the truth, Davie, NV
man, and I'll believe you"
No, said Davic, very low; and then
he threw himself, a sort of tangled heap,
down on the floor at his unclcs feet, and
sobbed out: "No. no, nor
Uncle David was puzzled and dis
tressed. Il promised to believe YOU,
Davie,' he said, so | must, | suppose
but | shouldn't like your mother to
think I'd brought you up to lie. dom
quite understand it, all the same. Hew
would have told, think"
Oh, not Hew," said Davie, lifting a
flushed. tear-Stained face, and speaking
eagerly; . I'm sure, oh. I'm quite SIRE,
Uncle David" But Uncle David
silenced him with a quick, warning
touch, and they both sat listening to the
sound of rapid, firm stepSalong the stone
passagc-to Il merry whistle which came
nearer and nearer until ii paused alb
rubtly on the threshold, in the middle
of bar-to an impetuouS hand on the
latch. Uncle David turned his ewes
quickly to the fire; little Davie hid his
face i'll his white, trembling hands; but
after that momcntary pause, Eithough
they neither of them looked up, they
both knew instinctively that Hew WAS
in the room.
Holloaw he said, shading his ewes,
and sending his clear, ringing laugh into
the hall before him; " Eve had such a
jolly time out in the stables. What are
you up to here, you two?"
He looked 50 bright and handsome
standing in the doorway, with the snow
ghttering on his uncovered curls and
rough tweed coat, that Uncle David sat
for a moment looking at him before he
spoke. Then he said: Hush. Davie ,
Hew, come here and let me look at YOU -
They were as different in appearance
rs light from darkness, night from, dav,
these two brothers. these two nephews of
Sir David's; little Davie, wan and deli
cate and beautiful-fiew, as strong and
proud as a young eagle, with honest.
eager eyes, and boyish laugh that it did
one good to hear; but they were verv
fond Of each other for all of that-loved
each other for all of that-loved each
other with that strange, unalterable love
which lies between brothers oftener
than we think, and that never died out
between these two until the very end.
What is it," the boy asked, pushing
back his heavy hair with one hand /;
what is Davie crying for? and what is
the question:"
was asking Davie," said the old
man, leaning forward 50 that he could Law
his wrinklcd hand on the soft. silky curis
at his feet, about tie boat After !
have forbidden it 50 many times some
one had II out last evening; and disobe-
ished."
"Oh, yes, of course" said Hew.
Did you take it?" Uncle David
asked, bringing the question home with
an emphasis that startled the boy, and
made the red flush, that might have been
guilt, rise to his forehead
The young eyes lit up with fash of
almost insolent pride, and the young
head was turned detiantly toward the
gentle old man, while the clear voice
said: Me, Uncle DavidF' Then sud
denly pair of great wan ewes were
lifted IN piteous entreaty, a little, nerv-
Gus hand touched the strong brown one