Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-01-10
4 SCOTTISH ROMANCE.
The LAfRp's SWEETHEART.


Nancy Pretty-that was the name she
went by--she was so very pretty-but her
real patronymic was McWilliam-Nancy
McWilliam. She was wild-wild beyond
the limits of qniet, proper imagination
wild as the grand old hills, the lonely
glens, and the rushing, crashing falls, y
amongst which her seventeen short years
of life had been passed. And at times
too she was somewhat disobedient and dis
respectful to her father, and very often dis
respectful and disobedient to her sour old
aunt, her fathers sister, who kept the
house." and had brought her niece up
for Nancy's poor young mother had gone
early '.over to the majority leaving her
little child when only few months old
And Nancy hated all household work, and
was verv undomesticated indeed. Far
rather would she go fishing or rabbit-shoot-
ing with her father than sit quietly al
home sewing his shirts or knitting his hose,
and the trim little farmhouse would not
have been the picture of neatness it always
was had she been its only mistress.
But then she was so pretty! And beauty
covers a multitude of sins. And not the
usual rustic style of beauty was hers. No
this girl with all her faults had an express
sion of face, generally, that would have
better suited some lovely medieval saint
than the daughter of small Highland
farmer. Totally uneducated she was not,
as the old minister had always had lik-
ing for her, and had spent many an hour
in improving her general knowledge, and
in Citing her with a refinement tar above
her station in life.
On this lovely September morning, as
she drives the kline up the hillside to pas
ture, she is looking her best.
The cattle stray hither and thither at
their own sweet will. One milky mother
has taken her calf to drink in the little
burn that creeps silently down among the
brecken and the grass, and is forming
quite little family picture, the two stand
ing blinking in the shallow water; the
rest of the herd, wisely plucking life's
flowers by the way, have already com
menced thir lunch-all except one, which,
lazier than the rest, has laid herself calm
ly down TO repose, knowing full well her
young mistress 5 very uncertain habits, and
that, although time enough to slumber
may be given them just now, as likely as
not they will presently be huddled up the
b .'ae together, breathless and painting.
Nancy herself stands gazing over the
loch which lies beneath, between its high
silent hills; one hand rests upon the stout
oaken stick which holds daily tournament
with the cattle, the other is raised to shade
the morning sun from her eyes. Her
height is rather below the medium; but,
looking at her, one scarcely discov-
ers the fact, so perfect, is the
form of her slim plant figure. Her fea-
lures are beautiful ; her complexion. which
sun, wind, and rain have failed to injure,
is delicate and lovely as wild-rose; her
have CLINT of sunshine entangled
amongst its meshes but her wonderful
eyes have the greatest charm-darkly-
fringed violet-hued eyes, with luminous
light in them-eyes that can do more mis-
chief in half an hour than many women
manage in their whole lives.
Such are the form and face of this girl
who is not 1.-THE daughter of hundred
earls." Her dress consists of a dark-blue
wooden skirt reaching to the ankle and a
''short gown Of pink -and-white striped
calico, strapped firmly round at the dainty
waist by band of leather; crimson rose
with dark leaves is placed coquettishly in
her breast. .n,.r ...,..,
And whittier have the girls thoughts
wandered as she stands on the hillside,
ankle-deep in the autumn-tinted bracken
Why have her eyes strayed so wistfully
over the sunny lochp
Just now the expression on her lovely
face is just such as might have been on
that of the .lily-maid of Astolot, as she
stood so wondrously fair in the early dewy
morn, to watch Sir Lancelot ride forth from
her fathers gates on his way to tilt for the
great diamond. But Nancy's moods are
never long the same soon her thoughts
turn cow-wards, and the ng-suffering
animals are goaded on and huddled to-
gether on the hill.
herself laughingly; 'but l willard
shall always do just whatever liker'
"Nancy, come here, lass; I've some
thing to say to YOU cries her father. some
hours later, opening his daughters bed
room door just in time to see her in the
act of slipping out of the low window
"Ah, just in time to catch you, l see
Come, nae pranks here's Sandy McCluck
asking for Nancy Pretty"
I'm Nancy Pretty him. mutters the
girl, reluctantly turning back into the room.
The approach of the obnoxious lover had
been observed, and. keeping well out OF
sight till he had entered the cottage, Nan
cy had been about to escape by the window,
when her father, too quick for her, captur-
ed her.
Alexander McCluck, butterman. is the
great parti of the village of Kinleny, and
in fact, of the whole neighborhood. In
person he is plain-looking, and has been
plainlooking for forty years. But then
what success he has had in business Why
he has made quite a fortune by the Judi.
cious sale of butter. eggs aud hams So
Of all the suitors for bonnie Nancy's hand
this is the one most favored by father and
aunt as he is also the one most repulsiye
to the girl herself
Nancy comes very slowly from her bed.
room into the kitchen to receive this unac.
ceptable wooer.
"How do you do, Mr.. McCluck?" shs
says, entering her voice very soft AM
clear. Dear me, how warm YOU are
You oughtn't to get so warm''.lookina
piteeusly into his pink, patty face you r,
always fat you know, but when Won over
hest yotnself YOU look enormous, Et8t
The love-stricken butterman has wake.
thrao x,atloo 20 xr;ost fla laI,,