Morris tribune., 1883-03-07
A Scottish "Reminiscences.


and my reverend friend informed ms
that little way up there lived an Ole
highlander, who could not be much les
than ninety wears Old, and whose mem
DRY was still good; and that now and
then under certain circumstances, the
man would warm up and tell his tales OF
the old tr0u lied days in his fathers time
when Glen lSla and many another high
land valley was laid waste by blood
thirsty soldiery.
IntAG cool Of the evening we strolled
up To the Old mans dwelling. 1t was an
ancient cottage, situated little way back
from the road. The light played with q
thousand tlnts among the moses of the
thlCkly matched roof, and over it q thin
curl of blue smoke hung lazily in the
trees sheltered the cottage from the
blasts which swept down the mountain
sides; a patch Of ground sloping down
towards the river was devoted to the
cultivation Of Cahbayes, potatoes, etc;
while III front the little garden was one
D!aze OF flowers. HlSh up on the brow
OF the hill which formed the background,
two or three goats III 4 Semi-Wild state
yere feeding, and stood out in bold re-
nj against the evening sky. \ little
way down the road the river Isla was
arched over by an Old bridge. Altogeth-
. er, the SPOT breathed of quiet, peace and
content: and one could hardly fancy that
q the cruel sounds of war had ever been
3 heard near so Tranquil q spot.
As We approached the cottage we were
8 confronted by a boy of about ten years
Z OF age-suCh a little man. with neck.
arms ana legs bare, and as brown as a
8 nut; his dark hair innocent Of brush and
81 comb; and his eyes ike those of an eagle
q keen, piercing, determined and intel
& ligent. AS he recognized the minister,
s. his expression relaxed into a halfUashfuI
& smile, but quickly reverted into a some
E what distruSttui look IS he fixed his eye
& upon me, the stranger.
Well, Aick. my man, is your grand
Nather in?" asked my friend.
CAY, sir; he's ben the house." he ans
wered. "WilI We please to step in?
-grandtather. here's the minister frae
the manse asking for ye.'
As We entered, the old man rose with
difficulty from his seat 10 welcome lis.
He pulled of LIS bonnet to the minister,
who kindly shook hands with him. HIS
figure was thin and bent, but Wiry even
now. In his younger days he must have
stood at least six feet; and his strong
bony frame showed that at one time he
had been a man of great strength. His
face was turroWed with wrinkles, and
his head was covered with a crop of
snow-white hair. His eyes were gray,
and the glance he directed at me was
keen and proud. In a shaky voice he
as ked Us 10 sit down.
well, Alister,o said the minister,
land how are YOU? You're looking we'll.
This fine warm weather agrees with
you"
''Thank ye, sir. I'm doing fine; but
I'm getting auId, and, Pm thinking my
time must be near at hand"
YOU'RE quite right, Alister, to think
of what must come to US all ONE day or
other; and YOU know We must all grow
old in our turn, if God spares US. You,
too, were young and hearty once, when
YOUR father was old and gray"
Deed, and that l was, sir; but it's
angsyne-langsyneW
This, Alister, is an old friend ofmine,"
said the minister, again turning to me,
whom I have brought to shake hands
&Skh you"
"a kindlier look thanl had yet seen
filed his eyes as the Old man babe me
welcome.
''It's long time, Alister.' said my
friend, ''since your father was laid to rest
beside your mother and his two broth
ers in the old kirkyard; but you remem-
Der you have often told me that his life
was more troubled one than yours has
ever been; and, indeed, have often
wondered that he lived to such good
old age, for his stone says that he was
ninety five when he fell asleep"
The mention of his fathers troubled
life evidently affected him, and l could
see the light gathering in the old mans
eyes.
Gather had a bad time O. t, minister,
but l mauna say too much before
Strangers."
you need not be afraid, Alister; my
friend can keep what he hears to him.
self, when necessary"
Much need,i sir-much need. An
idle word has cost many a man his life
before now"
Ny friend motioned me to keep quiet |
for the old man was evidently beginning |
to waken up, and the cleverly directed |
questions were drawing him out grad |
ually.
"And so your father was ninety-fve |
Well, Alister, that is a good bit more |
than the allotted time of most men," |
Deed, sir, it is that; and I whites |
think it was fear that kept him living
SC long"
Fear. Alister! How do you make
that out? l thought your father knew
nothing about fear!'
Fear, sir!" said the old man with a
flash of fire kindling in his eyes-"fcar
sir! My father never knew fear; nor his |
father before him, nor any of his BARNS
It vas not the ordinary fear that the
dragons should come again, and him
not there to kill them-that was the fear
that kept father liVin'."
The fire was ablaze now; the old mans
nd hi
beating quicker. It was a conflict be-
tween his undaunted Highland spirit
and his years-a conflict in which old
age for the time being was vanquished
The fountains of his memory were
opened, and the old mans tongue was
loosened.
He told US how his father had been
'Abut in the '45"-hoW he had fought at
Culloden in "the good cause"-how he
had been defeated-and how, as fugi-
tive, his father with his own hand, had
slain his pursuers; and at length wounded
and weary, he had reached the cottage
the vengeance dealing soldiers and
dragons followed him up, and how
two of his brothers had been murdered in
cold blood on the "gowan brae" at the
back of the house; and how his father
had to hide in a cave away among
the hills-a cave into which he could
only crawl backwards, and where his
only sustenance for months was skin
full of cold porridge, which his little
daughter managed to convey from time
to time to the neighborhood of his
hiding place, choosing a different path
each time she went, SO as to avoid being
1etected. At length, he told us the
Search was given up-the soldiers were
II nd be-, Il. |
hIs father struggled back, to find his
home made desolate, his kinsfolk slain,
and starvation staring him in the face.
Years passed by; but the poor people
lived in constant dread of return of
the cruel soldiers; and one day many
years afterwards, detachment of
dragons was seen coming along the road