Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-10-06
deal of attention to the handsome Gavin

Jesse Grief was one of a type of young
ladies peculiar to the last half century,
and, unhappily, increasing "a fast,
superficial woman, who thought dissent,
doubt, and indifference were the symp-
toms of intellectual superiority.
She shrugged her pretty shoulders at
the most sacred subjects, and smiled
away the faith of centuries with a pity
so fascinating, and so full of interest,
that it was small wonder a young, self
admiring fellow like Gavin should be
impressed and bewildered by her sophis-
tries.
He went straight to Grief Villa after
his interview with Mr.. Irwin, and found
q much more sympathetic listener.
Jesse was so kind that Gavin went
back to his little room at Duncan Forbes
with very high hopes, and very wide
ideas, indeed, as to the respective posi-
tion of man and man, though of course,
the old lawyer, not having been taking a
lesson from Miss Grief, was ill-prepared
to understand him.
"Gavin, said he, kindly" the new
minister has come. 1 hope you'll like
him better than you have done Mr.. Stir
ling lately"
81 shall not hear him, sir, tomorrow.
have made up my mind to fish in the
morning, and have promised to drive out
with Miss Grief in the afternoon.
"You'l nc make a scandal O that kind
on the Lords day, Gavin Irwin foreby
shaming the guild old man, your father. -
"H people choose to be shamed and
scandalized where they have no call to
be that's not my fault, sir. There is no
law against fishing and driving that I
| know OF. ;"
"No, to speak O. the law O. God,
Gavin, there's whiles higher law than
| thestatute book there spublic opinion. ~
81 don't care that for public opinion. "
And Gavin snapped his thumb and
finger contemptuously.
"Then you are a fool, or worse, an
I'm sorry for them that are kin to you. VI
Gavin kept his word, and rather osten-
tatiously so, for he strolled slowly up
the main street, with his rod and creeI,
just as the people were going to church.
He certainly had the satisfaction of
perfectly horrifying them.
His drive with Miss Grief was still
greater offence. ...,
GA pretty, painted Frenchifed inf
del" said Duncan Forbes, bitterly
ga lassie wha scorns the kirk, an meas.
ures cen the word O. the Lord by hel
ain small understanding Gavin Irwin
is counting doll an disgrace, an nae
guid lad will sort wi him.
E,,o,-,Iol,, I'll
ion, and the young men who sat at the
same table with Gavin gave the offender
but the scantiest courtesy, and quite ex.
cluded him from all their little socia
plans.
While Jessie remained in Campsaile
he did not care much.
He chose to call it Jealousy and
"envy," and paraded his friendship
with the baron of Crief's sister very Of
fensively to all his old acquaintance.
But Jessie left Campsaile with the
summer birds and flowers, and very soor
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; but Forbes
declined all Mr. Irwin's offers, and plain
ly told the old man that his sons lln
popularity would injure his custom.
"Our steady folk, we ken neighbor
like man who walks in the old ways
we are plain bodies, an hae sma' skill
of these new PHILOSOPHERS. The law o
God and the law of Scotland is just a
much as we can manage.
Gavin was much hurt and disappoint
ed.
He was young and wanted friends ant
company, and no one responded to hi
advances.
Winter came ON and it was SO drear
that Gavin took the next wrong step.
AS good people would not notice hin
he fell into bad company.
Anyone knows how rapidly man ma
travel on this downward road.
Gavin soon began to "take a glass,
and then, not to care who knew it, "bet
ter men than he got before the win
occasionally"
He had long ceased going to church
and pretty Maggie Lindsey, who ha
dared to smile in his face, long after he
mother and sister cut him directly, ha
now ceased to notice him, and given he
smiles to Alexander Forbes, his specis
: aversion.
The winter passed, and in the sprin
the news OF Miss Grief marriage cam
to Campsaile.
1t was very bitter drop added to hi
cup, for Gavin had felt sure that Jessi
) would return with summer, and explain
[ in some satisfactory manner, he
/ mysterious silence and to the loss {
this hope was added the spiteful COZ
| dolences or the open sarcasms of all VIII
+ knew him.
e He thought his cup was quite full, br
r a greater sorrow awaited him.
l One evening, in the early summer
o Baihe Irwin quietly died in his chair, {
heart disease, and people did not scrup
: to say that Gavin's conduct had hastel
ell his end.
u No one hada kind word for him e1
Il cept the new minister, a man who
h Gavin had always avoided, partly b
cause he was his fathers chief frier
e and confdant, and partly because he di
It liked his admonitions.
Now, however, they were compellt
!, to come in contact, and Gavin at last d
justice to the good mans kindly natur
+, But he took the ten thousand peun,
it his father had left him, and left Cam
o sale, as he supposed, never to return.
l. The minister thought not.
He can't sell the house and Il
IS twenty acres round it, wife, and he
come home again. promised his faith
II I would be watching for him."
1t seemed hopeless kind of watc
ing.
II Year after year slipped away, and
1t one heard word from Gavin Irwin.
/" The rent of the house was RENTED
IN a firm he had ohocan IN T T,ivar,,oo1 4