The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-02-12


every ane that has mair time than gowdor
sense.
Then door aoftly opened, and a
young man in loose, slovenly dress ap-
preached. Walk in, sir" he said. in
@ manner shat Indicated at once the
nervousness of the recluse and the
courtesy of q natural gentleman.
There was a bright fire in the room
into which he preceded hisuEisitor. but
il did little to relieve the air of utter
decay and desolate neglect which was its
prevailing character. The stone floor
was but partially covered with ragged
carpet, the furniture was broken and
inoth-eaten, the walls we're stained with
I damp and the dIopping paper green
with miidew. allie felt a sudden
chin, and It wa cult for moment
to state his erran When at length it
was done, the young laird sighed and
answered
"DeedP Yes, sir. She died slow,
weary death in this very room. Perhaps
you were her friend2"
$50 truly her friend that would fain
be friend TO her child :" and he stood
mp and offered his hand with frank.
hearty manner quite irresistible to the
sensitive young man. He was youth,
indeed, apt to inspire liking in heart
linking him with tender memories. He
had q bright spiritual face, set in soft
dark curly hair, Morse bone, and Celtic
bioo1, and that quick observation and
sympathetic nature that is always ready
to take hint or develop resource.
Consequently it was easy for q person
disposed to be his friend TO find out the
best way to extend help. True, he had
youths shame about poverty, but he
had also youths hope and youths con-
6denee in his own resources, he ex-
hibited with kind of eager modesty
his numerous pictures and studies of
Scotch life and scenery, and the old man
knew enough and had travelled enough
20 be aware that they showed signs of
| great genius.
BUTT was not these pretentious works
that attracted him most it was some
papers lying looselx,pn the table, Gov
cred with quaint designs of flowers and
stars and dots and crosses. He lifted
Shese with the curiosity and the eye of
me who thoroughly understands O sub.
iect and is greatly interested in it.
s3holto blushed deeply, and nervously
Gried to draw off his visitors attention.
But the bailie seemed for q few min
utes quite absorbed in the work and in
his own thoughts. Then he calculated:
Beautiful | Are these your designs,
Mr.. MacNair9"
% Yes, sir 1 do little in that way
sometimes. In fact, 1 am obliged to,
Until / can get my pictures into prop
er market"
Why, these designs are exquisite.
To whom do you sell them ?"
John Orr buys all make. -
mo wonder their sewed muslins have
such sale Sholto MacNair, if you
will come into the city and design for
my factory for two years, you will have
money enough for Rome and the Rhine.
What do you cay 2"
1t was quite easy to persuade the
young man that his pictures were not
masterpieces, and that he ought to de
vote two years to the drudgery Of money
making, in order that he might devote
many years after them to travel and
study. But at length the bailie sue
ceeded, the wretched home was aban
doned, and Sholto took his desk in the
designiug-room of the great sewed
muslin firm of Bailie Archibald Allister.
1t WAS about six months afterward
that Lawyer Brodie called one evening
On his cousin Allister. There was busi-
ness of an important nature in the call,
but after it had been completed their
conversation gradually drifted into a
less personal and less selfish strain.
Z" How is Sholto MacNair getting
along, bailie2"
"He is doing well-saving money and
working hard. "
l." Humph 1t is the fourth genera
alton maybe the curse lifts little by
this time. Unto the third and fourth
generation how it reads, bailie.
g never rightly understood the mat
ter, Brodie. This Ranald MacNair was
a lawyer and a judge of the court of
session -
ga scoundrel and murderer of the
worst kind, bailie. My grandfather sat
beside him on the bench for twenty
years.
Then there was pause, but Bailie
Allister knew better than to break it.
He let the spell of the Pickering fire.
light and of the sensitive expectant si-
Ienee tell upon the heart of the old law
yer; and presently he said, in a low,
thoughtful voice, "I'll tell you, bailie,
what know about it, and there is no
one knows more, for we have done the
MacNair business nearly eighty years,
though am free 10 say it is quite
against my ordinar to talk about my
clients.
"This Ranald MacNair was black
looking Highlandman, and son of Don
aid Dhu MacNair, as fierce and bad a
man as ever ruled the MaeNair clan.
have naught at all to do with the quar-
rel between him and his father and elder
brother; he aye boasted that it had not
been a dry quarrel, but in those days
the dirk settled every dispute north of
the Grampians, and civilized folk hard
ly cared to interfere.
"Anyhow Ranald came southwark
| with a dark mama oud ufroDo,aI,,