Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-06-05

some OF them, ana Ncllv, the ,retty parlur
maid, and Fcnnuala. the cooks youngest |
sister who was but lately come from | ist .
and talked the QuHntcst English, and Mr.. |
Murrays two ncces from Tongue, and |
the other young lasscs about the inn-all !
of them became demure and proper in their |
manner, for they were about to enjoy the |
unusual sensation of being waited upon. |
This, of course, was Ronads dong. |
There had been question us to which oil |
the maids were to bring supper for so |
large Il number so he addressed himself |
to the young fellows who were standing
about
"You lazy laddies,' he said, "what are /
We thnkin %? Here a chance for We, if |
there's pennyworth o spunk among the
lot q ye. The lasses there wait on ye the |
whole year long, and make the beds Tor
We, and redd the house; Pm thinking Ae |
might do worse than wait on them for
one night, ana bring in the supper when
they SIT down. They Gamma dohoth things;
and the fun q the night belongs to them,
or to nobody at all
At first there was little shHmeiaced re
luctanCe-it was laeses' work, they said
until IL great huge Highland tyke-.a
Ross shire druver who happened To be
here on a vista man of about six feet
four, with Il red beard biz enough for
raven to build in, declared that he would
lend a hand If no one else did and forth
with brought h huge fist down on the
barroom table to ave emphasis to his
NDINS. utlt W tS SOIllc SlSplCIpll
that this unwonted gallantry was due
to The fact that he had II covetous eye on
Jeanuic Donald Macrae's lass, who was II
very superior dairy mistress, and was also
hcir-presumptive to her fathers farm
stead and about "A score OF Well-taVOred
cattle; but that was neither here nor
there; he was as good as his word: he
organized the brigade and led II and II he
swallowed Il stiti gla-s of whiskey before
setting out from the kitchen for the barn,
/ ,,.it ut,.n nt n
hand, that was merely to steady his nerves
and enable him to face the merriment of
the whole gang of those girls. And then
when this red bearded giant of Il Gany-
/ mede and his attendants had served every
one. they fetched in their own plates and
/ sat down. and time was allowed them;
/ for the evening was young yet, and no one
III Ia hurry.
Now ii Mr.. Iiodson had been rather
| doubtful lest his presence might produce
some little restraint, he was speedily re-
assured-to hi own great satisfaction, for
/ he was really most gOod-natured per
son, and anxious TO be friendly with
everybody. In the general fun and jollity
/ he was not even noticed he could ask
! Mrs Murray any questions he chose with
out suspicion of being oDservant; the
yonng lady next him-who was ,Itannie
| NiaCrae herself, and to whom he slrONe to
be as gallant MS might be-was very win
some and gentle and shy and spoke i'll a
more Highland fashion than he had heard
. yet: while otherwise he DID not fare at all
| badly at this rustic feast, for there were
boiled fowls and roast hares after the
| soup, and there was plenty of ale passed
round and tea for those that wished it.
Nay, on the contrary, he had rather to
push himself forward ere he could get his
proper share of the work that was going
on. He il sisted upon carving for at least
half dozen neighbors; he was most atten-
tive to the pretty Highland girl next him ;
and laughed heartily at Mrs. Murray'S
Scotch stories, which he did not quite I'M
derstand : and altogether entered into the
spirit OF the evening" But there was no
doubt it was at the other end of the table
that the fun grew fast and furious: and
Just as little doubt that Ronald. the keeper,
was suffering considerably at the hands of
those ungrateful lasses for whom he had
done so much. Like a prudent man, he
held his tongue and waited his opportu-
nifty, taking their teasing with much
good-humor, and paying no heed to the
other young fellows who were urging him
to face and silence the saucy creatures
And his opportunity came in the most I'M
expected way One of the girls, ont OF pure
mischief, and without the least notion that
she would be overheard, raped lightly on
the table, and said: Mr.. Ronald Strang
will now favor us with II song" To her
amaZement and horror, there was al
most instant silence; for an impression had
travelled up the table that some announce
ment was about to be made.
what is 1t now What are you about
down there ?" their host called to them
and the silence to her who had unwit-
tingly caused it, was terrible.
/. But another of the girls, still bent on
mischief was bold enough TO say.
'Oh. it's Ronald that's going to sing a
song
Sing us song, We thinner, ere ye're
through with your supper ~ Ronald
said sharply. I'D make ye sing your
self-with leather strap-if | had my
will O ye."
But this was not heard up the table.
Very well, then, Ronald" the inn
keeper cried, graciously. Come, away
with 1t now. There is no'one at all can
touch you at that"
"Oh, do not ask him." the pretty Nelly
said, apparently addressing the company,
, but keeping her cruel eyes on him. DO
not ask Ronald to sing. Ronald is such a
shy lad
He glanced at her, and then he seemed
to make up his mind. "
Very well, then, said he, I'm sing We
, a song-and let's have chorus, lads"
/, Now in Sutherlandshire as in many
other parts of the Highlands, the chief Oh
ject OF singing in company is to establish
Il chorus and the audience, no matter
whether they have heard the air or not,
so soon as il begins. proceed to beat time
a with hand and heel, forming IL kind of ac-
> companying tramp, rs II " ere ; 50 that by
+ the time the end of the first verse is
4 reached, if they have not quite caught the
tune, at least they can make some kind OF
, rhythmic noise with the refrain. And on
this occasion, if the words were new-and
Ronald, on evil intent, took care to pro
i, nounce them clearly-the air was suf
a ticiently like Jennie dang the weaver u
. for the general chorus TO come in, in not
q more than half dozen keys. This was
q what Ronald sang-and he sang it in that
\ resonant tenor of his, and in a rollicking
;. fashion-just as if it were an impromptu
and not q weapon that lie had carefully
q forged long ago. and hidden away to serve
some such chance as the present:
il % lasses, lasses, gang your ways,
- And dust the house, or wash the claes
le put me in IA kind % blaze
: Yen break my heart among vel"
5 The girls rather hung their heads-th,
. imputation that they were all setting theil
> caps at IA modest youth who wanted t,
U luNe nnthinE 10 do With IhnntSYnS Scarce