The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-03-09

49, HtNSAStO0s AOA DdS5ICy "ho oOAli I'll
invalid. I went out with him on hi
way to the tram, to hear what he haC
to say about the boy. He is going
on very wei" he said; there are NJ
complications as yet. But mind you
that's not a boy to be trifed with
Mortimer. Not word to him about
last night" | had to tell him then Of
my last interview with Roland, and Of
the impossible demand he had made
upon me-by which, though he tried
to laugh, he was much discomposed
as | could see. "We must just per-
jure ourselves all round" he said, land
swear you exercised it," but the man
was too kind-hearted to be satisfied
with that. ITS frightfully serious
for you, Mortimer l can't laugh as
[ should like to. | wish [ saw a way
out of it, for your sake. By the way
he added shortly, didn't you notice
that juniper-bush on the left-hand
side?" he added shortly, didn't you
notice that juniper-bush on the left
hand side?" "There was one on the
right hand of the door. | noticed
you made that mistake last night"
''Mistake! he cried, with a curious
low laugh, pulling up the collar Of
his coat as though he felt the cold,-
there's no juniper there this morn
ing, left or right. Just go and see"
AS he stepped into the train few
minutes after, he looked back upon
me and beckoned me for a parting
word. I'm coming back tonight"
he said.
Il don't think 1 had any feeling
about this as [ turned away from that
common hustle Of the railway which
made my private preoccupations feel
so strangely out of date There had
been distinct satisfaction in my
mind before that this scepticism had
been so entirely defeated. But the
more serious part Of the matter press
ed upon me now. | went straight
from the railway to the manse, which
stood on little plateau on the side of
the river opposite to the woods of
Brentwood. The minister was one
of a class which is not so common in
Scotland as it used to be. He was
man Of good family, well educated in
the Scotch way, strong in philosophy,
not so strong in Greek, strongest of
all in experience,-a man who had
'come across in the course of his
life, most people of note that had
ever been in Scotland, and who was
said to be very sound in doctrine,
without infringing the toleration to
which old men, who are good men,
so often come. He was old-fashioned;
perhaps he did not think so much
about the troublous problems Of the
ology as many of the young men, nor
ask himself any hard questions upon
the Confession of Faith-but he un-
derstood human nature, which is per-
haps better. He received me with a
cordial welcome. Come away, Colo
mel Mortimer" he said; I'm all the
more glad to see you. that | feel it's a
good sign for the boy. He's doing
well Good be praised-and the Lord
bless him and keep him. He has
many a poor body's prayers-and that
can do nobody harm"
"He will need them all, DR.. Mon
crieff," | said, ''and your counsel too"
And told him the story-more than
| had told Simson. The old clergy
man listened to me with many sup
pressed exclamations, and at the end
the water stood in his eyes.
"That's just beautiful" he said Il
do not mind to have heard anything
like it; it's as fine as Burns when he
wished deliverance to one-that is
prayed for in no kirk. Ay, ay! so he
would have you console the poor lost |
spirit? God bless the boy! There's
more than common in that,
Colonel Mortimer. And also the
faith of him in his father.-I would |
like to put that into a sermon" Then
the old gentleman gave me an alarmed |
look, and said, mo, no; [ was not
a sermon; but must write
it down for the 'Chirdren's Record
I saw the thought that passed through |
his mind Either he thought, or he
feared | would think, of a funeral SER
mon. You may believe this did not
make me more cheerful.
| can scarcely say that DIR. Mon
crieff gave me any advice. How could
any one advise ON such subject? But
he said, Il think I'll come too. I'm
an old man; I'm less liable to be |
frighted than those that are further |
off the world unseen. It behoves me
to think of my own journey there.
I've no cut-and-dry beliefs on the
subject. I'll come too; and maybe at
the moment the Lord will put it into
our heads what to do"
This gave. me a little comfort
more than Simson had given me. To
be clear about the cause Of it was not
my grand desire. It was another
thing that was in my mind-my boy. |
As for the poor soul at the open door,
[ had no more doubt, as | have said, |
of its existence than | had of my own |
1t was no ghost to me. [ knew the
creature, and it was in trouble. That |
was my feeling about it, as it was
Roland's. To hear it first was a great
shock tc my nerves, but not now; a
man will get accustomed to anything.
But to do something for it was the
great problem; how was | to be SER
viceable to being that was invisible,
that was mortal no longer? Maybe
at the moment the Lord will put it
into our heads" This is old-fashioned,
phraseology, and week before, most
likely, | should have smiled Though
always with kindness) at DR.. Mon
crieff's credulity; but there was a
great comfort, whether rational or
otherwise | cannot say, in the mere
sound of the words.
The road to the station and the
village lay through the glen-not by
the ruins; but through the sunshine
and the fresh air, and the beauty of