The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-07-31
The Mountain Tarn.

In lonely glcn surrounded by lofty
mountains, and miles from any habitation,
lies small lOch or tarn, around which ira
dition hath cast legend of the oltlcn time.
Situated amid the Grampans, the scenery
is wild and rugged; such scene amid
which the wandcrcr may pause and feel that
the hand OF man has never disturbed Nature
in her solitude. Years and years ago, when
the turbulent state of Scotland rendered life
and property insecure, large amount of
treasure was supposed to have been thrown
into the loch, there to escape detection, and
to await the return of peaceful times to en-
able it to be recovered. 1t had been thrown
into its hiding place in the night by those
who possessed it, and the secret had been
solemnly sworn to Oh the naked blade of q
dirk-an old form of Highland oath, hold
to be binding and sacred. Time passed,
and quiet times or necessity induced those
| who held the secret to attempt to recover
the treasure. In those primitive days appli-
anccs were limited, and the first attempt
| failed from inability to reach the bottom.
Months were spent in the manufacture of
rope from hides, in hopes the dark wa
ter would yet give up lhe coveted treasure
it held within it's inky depths. by differ
cnt routes, in the lone hours of night, the
holders of the secret assembled on the shores
of this Highland tarn, and vanly tried to
reach the bottom. Fathom after fathom
went down, but to no avail Again and
again, with increased lengths of rope, did
these midnight seekers after gold prosecute
their task, but to end in disappointment.
| The loch yielded nothing save now the al
most certain fact that it was unfathomablc.
Years rolled away, and no further attempts
were made, since dispiritcd they agreed to
abandon the hopeless toll to fathom Lochan
| Kin Dhoan, or the bottomlcss loch, as they
then styled it; nor was it ever again at
tempted by those who first cssaycdit sub
sequcnU, however, to their last failure, an
incident occurred that in that age of super
| stition, cast around the loch the weird be-
| lief that it was haunted.
In baronial keep lived chief IN all the
rude pomp of feudal pride. His lady had
died, and left him an only daughter, who,
| now grown up to wOmanhoOd, presided
over the household. Her fathers temper
was naughty and imperious, and he ruled
every one aroundhim with stern sway. As
was the custom in those days, he had long
been at enmity with ncighboring chief
but Love laughs at Highland pride as well
as at lochsmiths. His neighbor had a son,
! who becu'Ne enamored witS the maiden.
But how was the fatal gulf o. fo,tdal strife
to be brihgcd2 Time went on. Stolen in
tcrvicws, when by accident they met, or
when her father was absent, were all that
the young hearts could CLEAN from the stern
hate of both the parents; till, unable to bear
tho long, weary weeks that occasionally
prevented their meeting, the young chief
tain determined to beard the lion in his der
and demand the hand of his daughter. Ac
companied by an escort, he arrived before
the drawbridgc, and demanded an interview
with the chief. The interview over, tho
young chieftan with heavy heart recrosseG
the drawbridgc, and doffcd his bonnet to {
fair form on the battlcmcnts. 1t was some
time before they again met. The chief hat
used harsh words and harsh measures to hi.
daughter; but Love will find the way;'
and at the next meeting Of the lovers they
had arranged to clope. TIE strong power
of woman's love nerved her for the deed
the cold hcartless homo she was about t.
leave seemed to palliate the act. The tenn
/ porary absence Of the chief afforded oppor
tunity. On q dark November evening
about two hours after sunset, horse bear
Ing the young chieftain and his intended
bride was vending Its way with difficulty
along the rugged mountain path, amid thu
darkness, when the sound of horses hoof