The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-11-11
selected story.
II he Mill on the Bannock.


eld-fashioned house, with crow-step ped
gablea, heavily thatched roof, and deep
windows obscured by flour, as snug
and we'll kept structure ~ Scotland
boasts. A square ingle-lum over
which the green ivy clusters stands At
one end at tho other il huge wood
en- water wheel which revolves merfi-
Iy when tho gate is up Tue flowers
bloom M brightly ia IT'S graden the
cushAt dove coors a. = eectIy niiisist
its hedges the pure water of ths Ban
mock l,ours ~ tumultuously over its
dam on this June day in 1891 as on
another far-olf june day when ono Of
the most atrocious deeds that Scottish
history, records Was perretrated with
in It's hour-whitened walls.
Gawain and Mysie Beaton were the
gudeman and gudewife Of the Mill on
the Bannock, in that year Of grace
1883, a contentsd and well-to-do couple
somewhat past middle life. he was
content to attend the hopper Of his
little mill and 10 feed his goat, and
work early and late for CawAin was
healthy and strong, and felt as hsppy
in his bnckram gaberdine ~ any noble
who wore velvet tanic and amor Of
Milan make. As for Mysie, IL would
have done you good TO have seen her
bright eyes aud ruddy cheeks, and 10
have heard her merry song as her
spinning. wheel birred by its isgle in
the sunny summer days, or the cooler
Autumn one, when the shadows of tho
Torwood oaks grew ahorter along the
Bannock. Little they cared, busy
with their humble toll, leading pleas
ant, cheerful lives in this quiet retreat.
for the quarrels Of kings and mobiles
and tho turmoil Of kingdoms. So,
though this was q year Of war and sad
ruin in Scotland. and though only y
few miles distant, beyond tho Torwood
oaks, battle was raging Between the
chivalroGs and hapless James Stuart
III. and bis fierce border lords, GUIDE
man Gawain and gudewife Mysie kept
70 their hopper and their spinning
wheel, all unmindful Of whether the
day was lost or won.
As the sun went down behind the
green peaks of the fertile o. hills. and
the gorgeous golden rays spread them-
selves in the western sky, irradiating
all the broad landscape and flushing
the waters of the burn 20 q Inddy hue,
MyAie laid by her reel and wheelpin.
kindled FIRE of turf and bog III in the
wide fireplace. hung a huge. three
legged kali PIT on the wooden crocaa
or crook, and, taking o I'm pitcher,
went out 10 till IL with water from the
dam. Singing one # i.sr old Scotch
songs, and hnstIy engAs'-d in h;iing her
vessel, the gut.e~iie gave no heed 20 a
tall and arnn.-i knight, mounted oii u
stately gray stseL, who Came riding a.
full speed up to tIe mill, ill aOrse and
rider weru almost upon her. Then,
alarmed by the unexpected sight, she
uttered terrified cry, and, throwing
away her pitcher, started TO so into
the mill.
Myaies loud, sudden cry and the
clatter Of the rolling vessel frightened
the gray horse, which reared furiously,
unseating its rider and throwing him
heavily uponI the green sward, not
many feet from the mill door, where
ho lay like one dead.
"Alack-a-day what have done 7"
cried the buxom gudewife, losing all
her ruddy color as she saw the knight
lay prostrAte, and his steed gallopping
ever the carse.
Hearing the ciatter Of armor and his
gudewife's cry Of alarm, the miller shut
down the gate and came rushing out,
his gaberidne and bonnet and black
beard all covered with fiour.dust.
"Devil mend thee, Mysie !" he cried,
in some CONSERVATION, for he saw that
the knights armor was of ths costliest,
and that his violet-colored cloak was
Of satin edged with mineyer. Devil
mend thee /! thine eldritch scraigh has
fraugh the horse and slain this comely
gentleman"
"Noo say it not he is only summit
wee Bit" said the wife, as she knelt
by the fallen knight, and stroye to life
him. "Rise, sir site, and for the love
of st. Mary tell ms where ye be hurt. +"
But the man lay motionless, and
made no reply.
"Hoolie + cried the miller, "this is
a pooty scrspe. Shonld bls yassals
come agAng, we stan' . guide chance o
having our mill burnt over our heads,
Here, gudewiIe, help me bear him in
ayant the hallan, then hasten and
make milk possst for him. See ye
nocht he is feckless and weak 7"
The gudewife's cheeks were as white
as the calf Of Mary ef Guelder's tin,e
that was around her neck, bat she
helped her husband raise the inaninlats
man, and together they bore him into
the mill, and laid him on the humble
box bed in the ,rner of the room.
Then while tho symp+thizing Mysie
bestirred herself in making up a posset,
Gawain gently unbaIed the closed
umbriere of the helmet aud, seeing
the knight did not revive, he proceed
ed also to unchssp the gorget and the
breastplate of the llumed helmet, and
laying them aside.
by my soul guide and knichtly
countenance," exclaimed the miller, as
he i, AIMED the pale, hap.iaome face,
aud ths dark curling hair and cI,ssiy
trimmed berad of tho stranger. "pm
faith, he is ut gentle bude 100. See,
Mysie, iikA ST. d on his urnor is pure
gold, and the damon, IL shine like stnr,
on his baldrick and ~ olu AIT"
nSt. Mary sain ~, e, SET that c,uls-
Iy lace sac whits and dnathl,kr, au.i u
kn9w my dooifu' cry brought lin. here
r. 49,. II, ...tl.:., ~ 1..,..n -. a.,