The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-10-07

Till the mystic shore of the Evermore, Is.
| Shall dawn on the souls glad sight.
THE.REGALIA OF SCOTLAND.
It was a damp, lowery morning in
the year 1850. The mists had settled
dank and heavy over the Scottish hills
and from the numerous lOchs still
f1oated upward wet, murky fog bank
which was as distressing to the eye as
it was disagrceable to the skin. From
an overllanging rock, almost inaccessi-
BILE by the deep and ragged ravinc that
ran through it, the castle of Dunot ttar
was scarcely visible; but as the morn
| ing advanced the sun lighted the high
est towers, and gradually clearing off
the mists, it showed the whole of the
huge fortress standing in its naked
roughness over the sea. This strong
and impregnable castle was the pride
of Kincardineshire, being the heredita-
nv fortress of the Earls Marischel, and
having proved its capabilities of de-
fensc under John Ogilvy, of Barras,
who still held his post as governor.
On the morning Of which we speak,
had the thick fog cleared sooner, Ogil-
wy might have been seen cautiously
looking out from the door that opened
on the landward side, as if eagerly eN-
pccting some one. The anxious ex-
preston on the governors face gave
way to chcerfulncss as he beheld
horse slowly winding around the base
of the rock. He hastily descended the
hill, and OH arriving at the bottom he
eagerly greeted a lady, whom he help
cd to dismount, and accompanied her
to the castle. An hour elapsed before
they again reappeared. In fact, so
warm and friendly was the reception
which the governor and Mrs. Ogilvy
gave the lady, that she fingered longer
than she intended. A table had been
already spread with the bOuntiful re-
mains of o real Scotch breakfast, in
which fish. game and fowl were con-
spicuous, and which the guest was
urged to partake of, with much of
hospitality.
John Ogilvy. governor of Dunottar,
was tall, broad-shouldered, middle
aged man, with strongly marked fea-
lures. and a mass of light hair, which
his wife called auburn, but he termed
it red.
Mrs. Ogilvy was a pretty little wo-
man, with laughing blue eyes, q
bright, handsome complexion, and q
mouth that seemed only made for
smiles.
The visitor, whom they called Mrs.
Granger, was o noble lady, tall and
well formed, aud with an intellectual
expression on her handsome face that
interested the beholder ut first sight,
and which Q fuller acquaintance did
not disappoint. Her tartan riding
dress fitted close to her form, and hat
formed of the same material. with
long plumes worn gracefully at the
side, and the long ends of tartan rib
bons floating over the shoulders, was
q garb in which she looked especially
we'll.
Mrs. Granger was the wife of the
minister of Kenniff, a man whose large
heart bespoke him one of Gods noble
men. Three wears before he had WOO
ed and won the daughter of Scottish
laird and although born to wealth
and honors, Alice Glcnburn had glad
ly shared the lowly parsonage, sweet
home, blest with Fergus Granger's
love.
Not even the blockade Of the En-
glish had prevented the almost daily
visits of the minister or Mrs. Granger;
and frequently the latter would take
over large bundles of work and stay
until her sewing was completed.
Once or twice the general caused the
inspection of the lady's pretty covered
work basket, laughingly declaring
that he only did it for the pleasure of
assisting her to mount her steed-a
shaggy Shetland pony, not remarka-
BILE for his beauty, but sure-footed and
vigorous. After this she fearlessly
carried her basket, which was large
one, and innumerable packages, of ev-
cry shape, and no search was made
and no questions asked.
This day the lady had stopped as
usual at the English encampment, and
the general himself had assisted her to
dismOunt for q few moments, and to
remOunt. afs
General Monk was thorough En-
glishman, polite and courtly in his
manners, particularly to ladies. The
minister's wife had made quite an i'm
preston on his mind, from her uni
form cheerfulness, her fine horseman-
ship, and her iadylikc demeanor.
On this morning the general had
asked her where her usual bundle of
work was, and received for an answer
that she had left it the day before, and
was now coming to the castle for it.
When, an hour or two after, he saw
her return with a large bundle, he
smiled and pointed to it as she passed.
She also smiled, and, touching the
point Of her riding stick to her pony's
back, she galloped off, inwardly re-
joicing in fortunate escape.
"There goes o pretty woman" said
the general to an officer. -r-,.
''Is that the reason you did not
search the big package which she car
ried? N1fethinks have seen a peasant
woman undergo a closer scrutiny from
your men than this fair lady was sub
jected to-" 20 ga @
"Doubtless. You know, haywood,
that cannot resist the sirens. l be-
lieve that 1 should absolutely abandon
this, did q pretty woman ask me TO-"
1 do not doubt it in the least, and
if the minister's wife was aware of
this she would probably ask YOU"
The lady by this time was far off
among the hills, and, as she reappear-
ed after being invisible for q while,
they could see her looking back to-
wards the encampment, and then urg-
ing her steed into q quicker pace, she
was lost from their sight. ..,
"The minister of Kinneff must be O
happy man." sighed Col. Wilmer.
''That countenance must shed bright
light over a dreary Scottish manse
among these wild hills. But, general,
when do Won raise thia aiaoe7 Arc