The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-03-08
/ A Scottish "Reminiscences.

talking about the beauties of the glen
its grand heather-covered mountains lii
up by the setting sun, while the music
OF the rushing ASIA sounded in our ears
as it danced over its pebbly bed, 20,
dashed against the big boulders which
DISTRACTED its course. Our conversation
reverted to the inhabitants of the glen;
and my reverend friend informed me
that little way up there lived an old
highlander, whs could not be much less
than ninety years 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 trou led days in his fathers time,
when Glen Isla and many another high.
land valley was laid waste by a blood
thirsty soldiery.
In the cool of the evening we strolled
up to the old mans dwelling. It was an
ancient cottage, situated little way back
from the road. The light played with a
thousand tints among the MOSES of the
thickly matched roof, and over it thin
curl Of blue smoke hung ]azily in the
evening air. A few gnarled hawthorn
trees sheltered the cottage from the
blasts which swept down the mountain
sides; patch of ground sloping down
towards the river was devoted to the
cultivation of cahbages, potatoes, etc. F.;
while in front the little garden was one
blaze of flowers. High up on the brow
Of the hill which formed the background,
two or three goats in a semi-wild state
were feeding, and stood out in bold re-
lief against the evening sky. A little
way down the road the river IsIa was
arct,ed over by an old bridge. Altogeth-
er, the SPOT breathed of quiet, peace and
content; ami one could hardly fancy that
the cruel sounds Of war had ever been
heard near SO tranquil spot.
AS we approached the cottage we were
confronted by a boy of about ten years
of age-such a little man! with neck,
arms and legs bare, and as brown as a
nut; his dark hair innocent of brush and
comb; and his eyes like those of an eagle
keen, piercing, determined and INTEL
ligent. AS he recognized the minister,
his expression relaxed into halfbashful
smile, but quickly reverted into a some
what distrustful look as he fixed his eye
upon me, the stranger.
"'Well, AIick, my man, is your grand
father in?" asked my friend.
LAY, sir; he's ben the house," he ans
grandfather, here's the minister frae
AS we entered, the old man rose with
difficulty from his seat to welcome us.
He pulled off his 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
b0ny frame showed that at one time he
had been man Of great strength. His
face was furrowed with wrinkles, and
his head was covered with a crop of
enow-white hair. His eyes were gray,
and the glance he directed at me was
keen and proud. In shaky voice he
asked us to sit down.
"Well, Alister," said the minister,
"and how are you? You're looking we'll.
This, fine warm weather agrees with
YOU"
'Thank We, sir. I'm doing fine; but
I'm getting auld, and, I'm thinking my
time must be near ut hand"
"You're quite right, Alister, to think
of what must come to us all some day or
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 I was, sir; but it's
langsyne-langsynep
"This, Alister, is an old friend of mine"
said the minister, again turning to me,
whom I have brought to shake hands
with YOU"
A kindlier look than had yet seen
filed his eyes as the old man babe me
welcome.
cts 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 a good
ninety five when he fell asleep"
The mention of his fathers troubled
life evidently affected him, and could
see the light gathering in the old mans
eyes.
Gather had bad time o. t, minister,
but | mauna say too much before
strangers"
You need not be afraid, Alister; my
friend can keep what he hears to him.
sell, when necessary"
Much need; sir-much need. An
idle word has cost many a man his life
before now"
My 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-five.
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
SO long,"
Fear: Alister! How do you make
that out? thought your father knew
nothing about fear!"
Fear, STRIP said the old man with a
flash of fire kindling in his eyes-''fear,
sir! My father never knew fear; nor his
father before him, nor any of his BARNS,
It was 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
blood was running warm and his pulse
beating quicker. It was 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
''out in the '45''-how he had fought at
Culloden in "the good cause''-how he
had been deutschland 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
where we now were. He told US how
the vengeance dealing soldiers and
dragons followed him up, and how
two of his brothers had been murdered in
cold blood on the 'sgowan brae" at the
back of the house; and how his father
had to hide in q 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
detected. At, length, he told us the
search was given up-the soldiers we're
withdrawn; and more dead than alive.
hio fofhap, atr,,m,1od hock II fiy1 his