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

he had hung called him from bed and
and board and bench, and he was com.
PEELED TO go. His face turned gray as
ashes with terror and mortal agony; and
the servants told strange tales of cries
and voices and of fierce struggles,
which left their master more dead than
alive. The doctors gave these attacks
some grand Latin name; but the man
was far beyond their help.
zone night he was awfully wretched
and restless, and insisted on having only
the company OF his eldest grandson, q
bright lad Of three years old. At mid
night there was the old struggle and the
old cries, and the child ran sobbing down
the great stairs, half crazy with terror
that he never could explain; for it was
not likely he could describe in the Ian
guage of this world things that belonged
to another one."
"And Ranald MacNair %
Was found dead this time, and his
room is locked to this day. The little
lad present at that last awful struggle
was Sholto's father. He carried the
memory of that hour into every hour of
his life, and I think that he never either
hoped or tried to avert the poverty and
sorrow he believed to be the just iudg-
ment of his house. He was pious man,
but held the worlds goods with loose
grip. Sholto, you say, is prudent and
world-like :"
90 have nothing against him but his
constant hankering after work that will
never pay him. Nobody cares for his.
torical paintings and picture castles,
Brodie."
"No, no; and why should theyP Tell
him to paint portraits; every one thinks
his own face makes the best picture.
But in a few months Bailie Allister
had still graver cause of disapproba-
tion. Among the girls in his factory
was one of extreme beauty, known gem
orally by her companions as 6 Lady
Jennie. Popular nomenclature is
rarely wrong. and Jennie's stately beau
ty deserved the title given her. Sholto's
admiraiio was 30 marked that his old
friend could hardly avoid interfering in
the matter. So he made the inquiries
he thought proper, and then asked
Sholto to come and dine with him.
Sholto was quite prepared for the
discussion, and when Bailie Allister
proposed that he should now 20 to
Rome and pursue his studies, the prop
osition had been foreseen and consider
ed. He answered, quietly, that he had
been preparing for such step some,
that he had finished designs sufficient
for the houses need until his place
could be properly filed, and that he
was now only waiting for his marriage,
which would be performed the follow
ing week.
Z" You know who you are going to
marry, Sholto, 1 suppose ?"
"Yes, know. 1 was afraid che
would not have me; but she is an angel,
and has forgiven all"
"She has heard, then, of the wrong
your grandfather did her house ?"
"She has heard that Ranald MacNair
deliberately kept back facts which
would have saved her great-uncle from
shameful and early death; but she
knows that Sholto MacNair had neither
part nor lot in that sin, and that no
would die himself rather than hurt O
hair of her head"
"She is but working girl, Sholto. 4"
ST am not fit to touch her hand,
bailie, she is that nobly born; and
hope, for my mothers sake, you will
bless our bridal"
So Sholto aud his wife went to Rome,
and the old house of Crossbasket grew
every year more dreary and melancholy
looking. Nobody asked to rent it, no
body asked to buy il, and the marsh
grew so upon the garden every year that
people began to prophesy the place
would eventually be swallowed up by
the bogs and water.
For some time little Was heard of
Sholto. The bailie thought it a goo
sign. "The lad" he said, "is happy
with his wife, and busy with bis brush. "
Events justified this opinion, for Sir
Thomas MeGilvery, lord provost of
Edinburgh, having gone to Italy in the
seventh year of Sholto's absence,
brought back with him a wonderful
painting of the broken hearted King
James entering Edinburgh after the
woful field of Flodden; and Sholto
MacNair was the artist.
Far and wide the fame of the work
spread, and Bailie Allister and Lawyer
Brodie went purposely to Edinburgh to
see it. GA wonderful picture" they
both allowed, but the lawyer grumbled
a little at the subject. "It was just as
easy" he said, "to choose a triumph as
a disaster. But the MacNairs are kin to
i'll luck, l think"
Perhaps the lawyer never said any
thing that had so speedy refutation;
for the very next day the bailie had an
offer which caused him to write to
Sholto and urge his immediate return to
Scotland. In few weeks after this he
was riding once more out to Orossbas-
ket; but this time Sholto and q" Lady
Jennie and their two daughters were
with him. They wandered through the
old house, which even in the bright sun
shine had an eerie. mournful, uninhab-
table look, and Sholto grew strangely
silent, and Jennie shuddered and gather
ed her children close to her side.
1t was the last time they were ever to
see the old walls, for Sholto had sold
house and lands to the city for ESQ, 600,
L. l. \ Al