Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-05-13
MISS DAIRSIE'S DIARY.

RY LNDN LINDSAY (oF 8AUARREsSi.
Sept, 6, IS. i am SD years old to-
day. have toiled onward through
more than two-third the allotted three
score and ten We call the span OF human
life; am ready to stay or to 90 - il
may please the Lord
Janet cam TO my room early this
morning, and. taking her stand at the
door, with her arms skimbo, she eyed
me in kindly eondeSreusion.
"AweeI, Mi>tres, Ds,irsie," she said,
land filty'~ - bong agc, aye, AN awtu'
long age
80 il :. Janet" replied ~ cher
lIilY - I COuld: Il wish had maic
better ILL.,. of my time, and Ui the day3
have spent IN this world. which is
hut preparation, after all"
"HOOtakinS, miss, and dinna fash
yerSer. Ne're guide Teddy, and ye've
been y humble one to the poor; and as
tor the bit burdens on yer ain con-
<Ciehce, were all Of W. miserable sinners
at the best. and nae mistake
Birthdays are delightful in early
youth. They come to IL laden with
cakes, and presents, aud good wishes;
paOh new anniversary seems an addi-
tiOnal advantage, q thing Ia be proud
Of an honor like a SchOnl-medal for
good conduct; we art ~ anxious TO be
promoted, 80 eager TO grow Olt, But,
IN after years, birthday i, to my
thinking, somewhat like a bundle Of
sncient letters -reGOlent ar lavender
and faint perfumes, it recalls our dead
hopes and affections; it Is all ScribOled
over with the handwriting of those dear
ones who have passed away; the words
are fresh, 20 is the pain at our hearts
only the ink il yellow, only the happy
time has faded
| put on my bonnet after breakfast
and strO!led out. ] could not endure To-
remain indoors to-day: the room
seemed full OF eager, restless thoughts
that took shape and danced before me
in wild phautaSmagOria. | am afraid
[ allowed myself to brood upon the
dreariness If my lonely life, my mOnOt-
onous days, and my dull, COlOrleSS fI-
ture. am afraid began to feel dis
cOntented. satan has such cunning
trick Of using the best side OF our ma
tures ~ sleeps clothing IN which TO
array himself and seize us unawares;
for, surely, Il was no wrong to turn
back for while to the happiness Of
my youth, and dream aud ponder
lovingly over sweet times that were be-
slowed on me, though the remem-
brance of the past made the present
seem the darker, and my former bless
ng~ caused my present troubles to Az
pear the greater,
passed out Of the house and at
down in my favOTitc sheltering nook
among the rocks. The mill farm lies
ClC-e to the ~ca--so close, indeed, that
at high tide | can throw a pebble from
The balcony of my little parlor int the
clear blue water, Whil', ia stormy
weather, the waves beat up against the
wall Of the garden, and our window
pAnaS are covered with-Salt spray. At
low tide the brown rocks and strips of
wtt sand stretch out for quarter of a
mile, and clO-etO tue house there Is a
big yellow cOrntield, where the stalks
arr standing already, and which, with
two or thTcC other fields, has long since
been reclaimed from the grassy links"
for the mill farm Is old, and land is
valuable herpabOutS. ] sit and gaze out
at the blue firth, the pale linz OF coast
with the noble Bass and BirwicE Law
in the distance; gaze at the harbDr
and pilcd-uD rrl-rOOf,'d houses of the
nvighhOrlng 'tUun" NEAR To which
some brown sailed boats are rocking at
anchor, one Of the many Tich towns
now devoted To fishing merely.
but which, in ancient smuggling days,
caused men 70 compare our somewhat
barren Kingdom al Fife" TO rlSSSet
cloak with u golden fringe. | 1T 50
still shat the SeagllS come aud paddle
in the shallow pools beside mt, fearless
Of my presence. The tapping waves of
the calm sea rise and fall with gentle
monotOnOuS sound; there i a soothing
tranquility in the air, balmy breath
that IS in part legacy OF summer, in
part herald of autumn.
Here ! love TO dream alone, the last
relic Of the elder house of Dairsie, a
house that tor numberless generations
prosperej in one long unbroken line.
There are still living many Dairsies OF
Laddycully, and DairSies Of Baleomble-
quhaT, bat they are q poor lot 1.-THE
lord forgive mel, and can trace their
descent no further back than Robert
Dairsie, who fell at Bannockburn, and
who was considered q DairSie, it is
true, but Of uncertain lineage. The
original DairSies arc of Norman eX.
traction, Guy darcy having been the
6rSt TO run To the rescue of William the
COnquerOr when be fell rs he leaped
ont Ofthe snip in the very act of his in
vasiOn Of England. Guy picked up
William, who gave him much gold aud
treasure in consequence, rs well as q
fair share of English ground. Guys
descendants afterward fought the PictS
and Scots, and settled in Fife, where.
among other great works, they founded
the priOry of DairSiemuir.
Methinks hear my good father hold.
ing forth on the ancient house of Dair-
sic, q subject Of which be was never
weary. l seem 10 see him even now be-
fore me, in his bottle green coat, hi.
high satin Beckcloth massiyely folded
around his slender throat, profferinQ
with courteous grace the snuff-bo he
dearly loved, or tapping 1t with his
thin white fingers, as he tells a raey
story Of the "F'ast Neuk." He was
wasn't to call my mother " Madam" and
bowed to her as respectfully as though
she had been queen. For, in the old