Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-20

best way to extend help True, he had |
youths shame about poverty, but he had
also youths hope and youths confidence
IN his own resources. He exhibited will
a kind of eager modesty his numerous
pictures and studies of Scotch life anC
scenery, and the old man knew enough
to be aware that they showed signs Of
great genius
But it was not these pretentiouss works
that attracted him most; it was some pa
pers living loosely on the table, covered
with quaint designs of flowers and stars
and dots and crosses. He lifted these
with the curiosity and the eye of one who
thoroughly understands a subject and is
greatly interested in it. Sholto blnshed
deeply, and nervously tried to draw of
IS visitors attention. But the bailie
seemed for few minutes quite absorbed
In the work and in his own thoughts
Then he CALCULATED: Beautiful! Are
these your designs, Mr.. MacNairsn 81
"Yes, sir; do little in that way
sometimes. In fact, am obliged to, un-
| til l can get my pictures into a proper
4 market"
why, these designs are exquisite. To
whom do you sell them9"
| 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 fac
tory for two years, you will have money
enough for Rome and the Rhine. What
do you say?" b.
1t was quite easy to persuade the
! hot
masterpieces, and that he ought TO devote
two years in the drudgery of moneymak-
ing, in order that he might devote many
years after them TO travel and study.
But at length the bailie succeeded. the
wretched home was abandoned, and
| Sholto took his desk in the DESIGNING
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 bust
ness of an important nature in the cali,
| but after it had been completed their
conversation gradually drifted into less
personal and less selfish strain.
"How is Sholto MacNair getting along,
| bailie?"
"He is doing well-saving money and
working hard"
Hum all 1t is the fourth generation;
maybe the curse lifts little by this time.
Unto the third and fourth generation
that's how it reads, bailie."
IL never rightly understood the matter,
Brodie. This Ranald McNair was a law
yer and judge of the court of session.
ga scoundrel and murderer OF the
worst kind, Baltic. My grandfather sat
beside him on the bench for twenty
years."
Then there was a pause, but Bailie
AlIister knew better than to break
it. He let the spell of the Pickering fire.
! light and of the sensitive expectant
silence tell upon the heart of the old law.
yer; and presently he said, in a low,
thoughtful voice, 'I1l tell you, Bailie,
what l know about it, and there is nc
one knows more, for we have done the
McNair business nearly eighty years
though am free to say it is quite against
my ordinar to talk about my clients.
This Ranald McNair was black look
ing Highlandman, and son of Donald
Dhu McNair, as fierce and bad man as
ever ruled the MacNair clan. I have
naught at all to do with the quarrel be-
tween him and his father and elder broth
er; he aye boosted that it had not been
"a dry quarrel" but in those days the
dirk settled every dispute north of the
Grampians, and civilized folk hardly
cared to interfere.
| anyhow Ranald came southwark with
dark name, and, strangely enough fol-
such fierce spirit, he entered term o.
law with the house of Caldwell 6
Faulder. Some folks just hated his DARK
face and domineering ways, but my
grandfather took to the proud Highlander
wonderful. / don't know what for, un
less maybe that David MacMaister hated
him, and David and my grandfather were
born foes.
"They had no personal or particulal
quarrel, but David and Ranald had; fo
both of them fell in love with bonnie
Maggie Faulder-just as mad in love a
two such proud, set-in- their. own way fel
4 lows were like to be. Maggie kind o
/ favored David, and Renald swofe if h
married her, he might be dirk with tn
wedding ring. ~ t
''Then old Faulder sent Maggie ava,
to some southwark friends, and Davit
and Ranald went on to the roll of hi
maiesty's attorneys, and both of them set
tied down: pleading causes and attend
ing to other peoples business. ..
"But they were always watching on
) another; and when David was put up 70
some rich county office-clerk of the rolls
!, I think-Ranald was furious, and spen
both time and gold freely in order to de
feat him. I suppose he did it. Any
| how, his opponent, James Laing, wor
; and David was out of place and pocket
, Soon after, James Laing, was found dea
! in his office, with dirk through hi
throat.
suspicion gathered swiftly and Gel
; tainly around David McMaister. FL
? was, as have said before, a passionat
: and proud man It could not be denie
that he had spoken very bitterly Of hi
opponent, and many threat uttered i
: anger was now remembered against hin
@His arrest and imprisonment SCENE
almost to deprive him Of his senses FL
denied his guilt in the most solemn term
out could give no account of himself dul
+ ing the hour in which the murder ha
, been committed, except that he had bee
r in liquor In his own room. This apulog
added little to his defense; and man
a even of his intimate acquaitances, b.
= Iieved him to be guilty.
probably because of the well-know
:. hatred between the men, the prosecute
# elected Ranald McNair to conduct the
case. Nothing SO exciting as this tri
n had agitated every circle of society sine
1t the landing of Prince Charlie. Hous'
| q 4