Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-03-14

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 sayP'
1t was not 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
succeeded, the wretched home was
abandoned, and Sholto took his desk in
the designing-room of the great sewed
muslin firm of Bailie Archibald Allis-
ter.
1t was about six months afterward
that Lawyer Brodie called one evening
on his cousin Allister. There was bus
mess of an important nature in the
call, but after it had been completed,
and the two men had eaten blackjack
and drunk glass of toddy, their con-
versation gradually drifted into less
personal and less selfish strain.
"How is Sholto MacNair getting
along, bailieP"
"He is doing well-saving money and
working hard.n
Humph! 1t is the fourth genera
ton; maybe the curse lifts little by this
time. Unto the third and fourth gene
ration'-thats how it reads, bailie."
~ never rightly understood the mat
ter, Brodie."
1.-THE sins of the fathers, unto the
third and"
go, 1 know that, of course. But
what sin has shadowed the lad fathers,
and how is he responsible for itP That
old Mosaic law is bard one, Brodie.
Thank God, it is Bethlehem and not
Sinai nowr'
you'll say nothing against the law
of Moses, bailie. 1t is Just and right
just and right; there is no lawyer in the
land will say different. If Ranald Mac
Nair chose to lay the foundation stones
of his house in blood, just and right it
is that his children pay the price and
bear the stain of il"
For few minutes the two men sat
silently slipping their toddy and looking
into the blaze, then Bailie Allister said.
"This Ranald MacNair was lawyer
and Judge of the Court of Session"
"a scoundrel and a murderer of the
worst kind, bailie. My grandfathers sat
beside him on the bench for twenty
years"
Then there was another pause, but
Bailie Allister knew better than to
break it. He let the spell of the flick
ering fire-light and of the sensitive eX-
pectant silence tell upon the heart of
the old lawyer; and presently, after
quietly making himself another glass of
Glenlivet, he said, in low, thoughtful
voice: "rll tell you, bailie, what l
know about it, and there is no one
knows more, for we have done the Mac
Nair business nearly eighty years,
though am free to 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 n
man as ever ruled the MacNair clan. 1
have naught at all to do with the quar-
rel between him and his father and eld-
er 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
hardly cared to interfere.
"Anyhow Ranald came southwark
with dark name, and strangely enough
for such fierce spirit, he entered Il
term of law with the house of Cauld-
well Il 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, unless maybe that David Mac
Master hated him, and David and my
grandfather were born foes.
"They had no personal or particular
quarrel, but David and Ranald had, for
both of them fell in love with bonnie
Maggie Faulder-just as mad in love as
two such proud, set-in-their-
fellows were like to be. Maggie kind
of favored David, and Ranald swore if
he married her, he might buy dirk
with the wedding ring.
"Then old Faulder sent Maggie away
to some southwark friends, and David
and Ranald went on to the roll of His
Majesty's attorneys, and both of them
settled down to pleading causes and at
tending to other peoples business.
But they were always watching
one another; and when David was put
up for some rich county otfice-Clerk
of the Rolls, think-Ranald was furi-
Gus, and spent both time and gold
freely in order to defeat him. sup
pose he did it. Anyhow, his opponent,
James Laing, won, and David was
both out of place and pocket. Soon
after, James Laing was found dead in
his Office. with a dirk through his
throat.
Suspicion gathered swiftly and GER
tainly around David MacMaister. He
was, as have said before, passionate
and proud man. 1t could not be de-
MED that he had spoken very bitterly
of his opponent, and many threat ut
tered in anger was now remembered
against him.
His arrest and Imprisonment
seemed to deprive him almost of his
senses. He denied his guilt in the
most solemn terms, but could give no
account of himself during the hour in
which the murder had been committed,
except that he had been in liquor in
his own room. This apology added
little to his defense, and many, even of
his intimate acquaintances, believed
him to be guilty.
Probably because of the well-known
hoblOu DOINOOu IHo lucuS lHe pIOSeCu-
ton selected Ranald MacNair to con-
duct their case. Nothing so exciting
as this trial had agitated every circle
of society since the landing of Prince
Charlie. Houses were divided, friends
quarrelled and immense bets were laid
on its issue.
"While it was pending Maggie Faul-
der returned, and Ranald was now
doubly anxious for the success of his
prosecution. 1t was wonderful what
acumen and industry and eloquence he
brought to bear on it. His summing
up and final speech electrified every
one. There was solemn and awful
stir of applause at its close, and every
body considered the verdict settled.
But the judge was just and mer-
ciful man, and he did not put the ques-