Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1878-12-21

seemed to old Donald no possible reason
why these two young people should not
make a match of it. There was no dis
crepancy either in years or position; and
there was no obstacle in their way for
Donald Macbane had sounded Hugh Raillie
on the subject, and found the old man quite
agreeable to the match. Old Donald was
so much accustomed to have his own will
carried out, that he did not anticipate the
disagreeable novelty of any opposition COM
inf from his son. And now, to his sur
prise, when he had spoken to his son on the
subject, and had suggested to him that he
might go to Janet and ask her to name the
day for the wedding, young Donald had re-
piled to him with these astounding words
If Mary Morrison will wed wi me, Pll
wed no othe-"
Now. this Mary Morrison was the girl
who lived at the farm, and whose daily
work was about the house and its surround
ings; and all her earthly riches were the
wages that old Donald paid her. There
fore, it was an utterly upsetting notion to
him that his son should ruin his prospects
by throwing himself away on mere farm
servant, when he might have the heiress of
Clachanaigs for the asking. The old man
prehend that his son and heir should take
up, as he phrased it, with girl who was
not worth single soum-a SCUM being an
extent of hill pasture that would be sutti-
cient to keep COW or ten sheep. He could
not imagine how such thing could be.
And yet he had to confess to himself that
such thing would have to be, for he knew
that bis son followed his father in having a
determined will OF his own, and that when
he had made that resolution regarding
Mary Morrison he would most assuredly
abide by it and carry il into etfoct. Yes, il
would have to be, and all his dearly loved
plans would be thwarted unless he could
devise some scheme to get the girl out OF the
way.
lie had much talk with his son on the
subject; he pleaded the cause of Janet
Baltic, and sang the praises of Clachanaigs
but he found as he had expected, that all
his talk and all his pleadings led to no
further result than making young Donald
the more resolved in his intention to wed
no other than Mary Morrison. "We are
plighted to each other he said in Gaelic
" and we are only waiting till next May
when her term of service will be over. We
shall then be married, and if you do not
like us to live here and help you on the
farm, we shall turn our backs on Glenbarl
and go away to home of our own. We
are strong and healthy, and we love one
another, and, please God, we can earn oul
livelihood quite as well together az if We
were apart. have nothing to say against
Janet Baillie. She is good girl, and
hope will get u good man for her husband
but she is not Mary Morrison Then old
Donald said no more, but he hardened his
heart against his servant, and he was de-
termined, by fair means or foul, to prevent
her marrying his son. There was at least
six months for him wherein to plot and plan
and something might occur in that interval
to favor his wishes. Until next May, Mary
Morrison would be his servant, and she
could not teave her situation without his
consent.
The long evenings OF winter had now
come on, and the year was fastening to its
close. The range OF hills that stretched
their length to Benin an uirc were covered
with snow, and it lay deeply down in the
hollows of the glen. In the last week OF
the year the younger Donald had lett Glen
barr to go to great cattle fair which was
to be held in the northern part of the
county, which fair lasted over the two last
days of the old year and the first day Of the
new year, which day went by the name OF
Hogmanay, and was celebrated with much
rejoicing and many old-world customs, in
GLIDING those of the first foot the was
sail bowl, and the guizards. Donalds at.
tendance at this Hogmanay fair necessitated
his absence from Glenbarr during several
days, and was one of the few important
events of the twelve months that made a
change in the ordinary monotony of theil
ery-day life He said goodbye to Mary
promising to bring her Hogmanay fair.
ing, and hoping that his next gift to hel
would take the form OF b plain gold ring.
On the evening of the old year, old Don
hearth, in front of which Luath, his faith.
ease. On the other side, seated on low
stool, was Mary Morrison, busily engaged
in knitting. The wind was bowling out.
side, and the drifting snow was clogging
the doorways. Old Donald broke the 81.
lence that had been long reigning between
tween them by making some remarks about
his sons absence at the cattle fair---a theme
which had its full interest for his servant
They spoke in Gaelic; for the English Ian.
guage was but little used by the natives, ex-
cept when they went to market town, and
even there many people could be met with
who had "got no English"
My son seems bent upon making you
his wife, at length said Donald "but
don't like to give my consent, unless ] am
quite sure that he is going to be married to
brave girl
"But,' pleaded Mary, ~ think that ]
am brave girl, Mr. Macbane."
off you think 80" said the old man, are
you ready to prove it by your actions?'
of it is anything that girl may do, Mr.
Macbane, am ready to do it for the love
that bear to your son."
at is nothing more than to walk to the
old church at Saddell." Old Donald re-
ferred to the ruins of SaddeIl Monastery.
"Oh, can easily do that, Mr.. Macbane
You know that have often walked there
in the summer or spring. 1t is not more
than six miles, as the crow flies
Yes; but the road is bad one, and il
made longer by the high hills and the
deep glens. And there is snow on the
ground
But it may be clear tomorrow, or the
next day.
"If you want to win my son by proving
yourself to be brave girl, you must moi
wait for fair-weather walk that could be
taken by Janet Baillie, or any other girl in
the glen; but you must do something out
of the common way
81 am ready to do it for Donald's sake
Whatever Janet Baillie may do, will try
to do more"
81 shall require you to go to the old