Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-09-25
WHITE HEATHER.
BY WILLIAM BLACK,
AUTHOR OF "JUpirH SHAKESPEARE "A
PRtNcEss or rHuLE. MACLEOD
or pARE." ZIG



"Ay, ay," she continued, in a sort OF
Numbering soliloquy, "a Draw woman
like that and free handed as the day, she
could have plenty offers If she liked. But
there's none so blind as them that Wilma
see. There's Mr.. Laidlaw there-a good
looking man, and wan wi a good penny
at the bank-and wouldna he Just Jump
at the chance, if she had a nod or wink
for him But Katie was aye like that
headstrong--she would aye have her ain
way and there she is, single woman,
Draw, handsome young woman, and
weel provided for-weel provided for
only it no every one that takes her fancy.
A prize like that to be had for the asking
Dear me but there's name SO blind as
them that Wilma See
1t was not by any means the first time
that Mother Paterson had managed to
drop few dark hlnts-and much to his
embarrassment, moreover, for he could
not pretend toignore their purport. Nay,
there was something more than that
Kate MenZies' rough and ready frendl
ness for her cousin had of late become
more and more pronounced-almost OBJ
trusive, indeed. She wanted to have the
mastery of his actions altogether. She
would have him pitch his books aside and
come for a drive with her whether he was
in the humor or no. She offered him the
occupancy of room which, if it was not
actually within the tavern, communicate
ed with it. She seemed unable to under
stand " ny he should object to her paying
Els to obtain for him share in IA ANAL
bit of conlOint shooting out at the Mearns.
And SO forth. in many ways. Well,
these things, taken by themselves, he
might have attributed to IA somewhat
tempestuous good nature but here was
this old woman, whenever II chance oc-
Cured, whining about the folly of people
who did not see that Katie dear was so
handsome and generous and so marvel
lous matrimonial prize. Nor could he
very well tell her to mind her own bust
ness; for that would be admitting that
he understood her hints.
However, on this occasion he had not
to listen long: fer presently Mrs. Men
zies returned, smiling, good-natured,
radiant in further iinery; and then they
all had supper together; and she did her
best to console her cousin for being
cooped up in the great city on the eve
of the twelfth. And Ronald was very
grateful to her; and perhaps, in his
eager desire to keep up this oV of high
spirits, and to forget what WIS happen
ing at lnver-Mudal and about to hap
pen, he may have drank Il little too
much; at all events, when LaiG!aw and
Jaap. and the skipper came in
equally hilarious and happy. songs he
was going to no Harmony Club that night,
he declared-he wodld sing them rs many
songs as ever they liked-but he was not
others the least unwilling to remain where
they were: for here they were III privacy.
and the singing was better, and the liquor
uneXceptiOnable. The blue smoke rose
quietly in the air the fumes of Long John
warmed blood and brain ana then from
time to time they heard of the brave or
beautiful or hrart-broken maidens of
Scotch song-Maggie Lauder or Nellie
Munro. or Barbara Allan, a the chance
might be-and music and good fellowship
and whiSNp all combined throw n
mantle halo round these simple heroines
But sing us one O your oWn, Ronald,
my lad-there's none better, and that's
what say - cried the widow and as she
happened to be passing his chair at the
time-going TO the sdeboard for some
more lemons-she slapped him on the
boulder by way of encouragement
One o my own"' SAID he But
which-which-las Oh. we'll, here 5
one
He lay back in his chair, and quite at
hap-haZard and carelessly aud lovially be-
gan to slng-in that clearly penetrating
voice that neither tobacco smoke nor
whiskey seemed to affect
Roses white. roses red.
Roses in the lane,
Tell me, roses red and white,
Where is"
And then suddenly something seemed to
grip his heart But the stumble was only
Tor the iifticth part OF second. He con-
tinued-
Where is JEANNE gane?"
And so he finished the careless little
verses.
20 is she on Loeb I.oyal's side
Or up by Mudal Water?
In vain the wood dove in the wood
Everywhere have sought her"
Roses white, roses red,
Roses in the lane,
Toll me, ro i, .cd AMI vh,tH,
Where is Jcannie gamer"
Never the less, Kate Nlenzies, re
turning to her seat had noticed thai
quick, instructive pulling of himself
And who's JEANNE when she's a
home p she asked saucily.
-" Jeannie ?, he said, with apparent in
difference, Jeanne: There's plenty o
that name about"
"Ay; and INV many o them are a
1nver-Muial - she asked, regarding hin
shrewdly, aud with an air which he re
sented.
But the little incident passed. There
was more singing, drinking, smoking
taking OF nonsense, and laughing. AnC
al last the time came for the merry com
panlons to separates and he went away
home through the dark streets alone. II,
had drank too much it must be admitted
put ne had hard head and he had KEEP
his wits about him and even now as h,
assembled the stone stairs to his lodgings
ne remembered with a kind of SILVER, anC
also with not little heart felt satisfaction
now he had Just managed to save himse
from bringing Meenie's name before tina
crew.