The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-04-21
MLEISH OF CAOLCHAIRN.

A pitch dark night, rain falling in tor.
rents, wind blowing gustily from every
point of the compass ut once. Two or
three oil lamps hickered feebly in the
gloom ON struggling crowd of damp
passengers, chaotic mass OF luggage,
and-no porters.
Such were earliest impressions on
being turned out of the London down
train at Westwood, the station for Cinq-
haven, whittier | and some half dozen
other officers were bound, to complete
our education by course OF musketry
instruction.
where's Cinqhaven ?" was my first
very natural inquiry. "And how am L
to get there 2"
Cinqhaven was "Across there" q civil
official replied, pointing over an ex-
panse of plowed field in the direction of
the south pole. The one omnibus had,
il appeared, departed with n small Sc
lection from the impatient crowd of be-
lated travellers, but would be back again
directly.
How soon ?" asked.
"Well, in about an hour or so.
thanked him, comm tted my belong
ings TO his care, and, with benediction
on my luck and the Colonel who had
sent me there plunged into the night.
Outside the station I found an officer
with his party, a sergeant and some pri-
Yates, about to march t. Cnqhaven and
gladly joined them.
took for granted some one knew the
way. L didn't. Such a night Rain
pelting us viciously, wind blowing our
fragmentary attempts at conversation
away into space. Finally, at point
where five roads met, and the wind and
rain did their wickedest, we halted.
Fire and candle-light streamed invit-
ingly out of the unshuttered window of
low white house a sign creaked over
our heads in the darkness, and, after q
brief debate. in we all turned to the coy
kitchen of the Green Lion.
We were not unwilling to accept the
landlady's assurances that the storm
would "blow itself out in half an hour
or less. She invited MS into her own
snug parlor, and here, for the first time,
1 got good look at my companion.
He was q tall, handsome fellow, with
dark complexion and curiously light,
eager eyes-by name, L discovered,
Capt. Angus MacLeish, of the Thirty
fourth (Royal Cromarty) Highlanders.
<Here l may introduce myself to my
readers: Lieut.. Jones, Royal North
Wales m,litla.) Capt. MacLeish was
rather stiff and high and mighty at first,
i thought-very much the Highland
ohieftain, "Caolchairn, or some such
pretty name, was, L found, Lis correct
designation. Still let him see that [
considered Jones, of Prybwllych, the
equal of any man in her Majesty's ser
wee, and We gradually warmed into So
ciability over the landlady's blazing ire
and such refreshment rs the Green Lion
afforded.
The landlady's prediction was verified
In less than the time mentioned. The
storm blew over, the clouds parted, and
clear white moon shone out
Half an hours quick walking brought
us to the top of the hill under which lay
the little town of Cinqhaven. It's red
roofs looked pretty aud picturesque in
the moonlight beyond, aud to westward
the sea and marshes stretching away
gray and mysterious; below ia row of
lighted windows showed where the bar
racks stood.
"That's welcome sight" said Mac
Leish.
"Were you ever here before2" I asked
"Never l only heard of the place
last week -ah |" he stopped short.
looked round in amazement. He
was standing upright and rigid, his eyes
fixed on some point in the road before
US, his forefnger extended.
"Why, what's the matter7" asked,
looking down the road-white and lone
ly-and seeing only milestone stand
ing out distinctly from the dark hedge.
"There |" His eyes dilated with a
fixed stare OF horror. his breath came
short and quick, and at last, with a
sharp CRY, he swayed forward and fell
insensible on the path. l Thought he
tried to say something, but failed to un-
derstand him. The soldiers had halted,
and two came rushing up, vociferating
wildly in some unknown tongue. They
knelt beside him and raised him, oil
stark and white in the moonssine.
gave few directions, to which they
vouchsafed not the smallest attention (;
but somehow they contrived TO support
him between them. and we proceeded
to the barracks, no great distance fortu.
nately.
I Questioned the sergeant, who had
looked on meanwhile with undisturbed
composure. He declined to commit
himself to any opinion whatever. The
privates were "Caolchairn's own PEG.
pie, puir ignorant Hieland bodies, who
could hardly speak English. Could he
understand Gaelicf Weel, q word. on