The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-03-21

"My poor child, he SAID, Laughing,
'.you are the slave of most horrible su-
perstition You shan't be any longer
Besides, / was on my way to ask your
brother for some flies. Ruawater Lock is
full of trout and 1 mean to have a few
this morning Now, isn't it absurd that |
should Iinger here another half hour just to
please silly fashion ?"
aTo please me, Magnus," said Bena,
coIoring. "But ye talk Of fishing" she
added quickly ''that minds me that one
O. my fathers haaf boats at Feathaland
needs a man for dis night s work. Will ye
no gang ava wild dem for once n
To do Bena justice, she was not trying
to gain her end, of returning alone, by say
ing this. Simply some thoughts mot al
together pleasing ones, for her face had
grown serious as she spoke-had been re-
viyed, when he mentioned his purpose of
going fishing. g
ana, ma, | Gamma so dis day" said Mag
nus earnestly. He had fallen unconsci-
ously into the old Shetland talk
"Why?"-those Spanish eyes flashing
upon him as he spoke.
'sBecas- Gamma du guess, Benna ?-ny
grandmother wishes for my company dis
afternoon and night" ta
Bena shook her head Tears were in
her eyes, and her voice quivered as she re-
Piled "Magnie, | dinna ask We lightly, but
becas some folks say We hae grown too proud
in Edinbro to work wild puir fishers at
the aaf-and-and-I wull say it--an'
veil ken what I feel. Some jist hint
(among, the, lasses, | mean that Magnus
Laurie no has da heart of true Shetland
lad for da bonnie deep sea. 1t is ma true,
it is no true. "
at is ma true I'll go ia dis nights
haaf," said Magnus, quietly, Sand ye shall
hae your own way about dat ither matter
[ will jist ride away ia da fishing station
and gle hand vie the tackle"
"Bena's face was lighted up with bright
content as she kissed him and said:
aye are my lamb, Magnus. y
: Awhile mist was coming down the hill
side as she ran nimbly towards the sheep
fold with her truant in her arms; it pur-
sued her, and she was lost to sight Sky
and sea and land also disappeared as Mag
nus still looked, the way she had gone
Then suddenly the solemn ocean appeared
far off in its loneliness. The homelands
below the hills, with their gray cottages
and green corn patches, were yet visible.
The young man sighed heavily as he
mounted his pony and rode northwards to
the fishing statioc.
When Bena entered the sheepfold again,
she fully expected scolding from her
mother for wasting so much time on one
lamb. 1t was an agreeable surprise, there
fore, that she was allowed to sit down and
complete the plucking of the little animal
without any comment being made on her
absence. This was probably due to the
fact that Mistress Sinclair's maternal pride
had just been gratifed by one of her as
sistants remarking, as Bena appeared in
sight:
"Dy lass has a wonderful wull, Mistress.
She niver give up onything she sets her
mind ia.
No one guessed how uneasy the owner
of this wonderful will was as the day
wore on for her recent exercise of it on
Magnus Laurie. She felt very happy that
he had done her bidding; proud, also, of
her own power, as all maidens are when
the sweet compulsion of love is strikingly
successful. Yet she felt there was some
thing strange in the way Magnus had
obeyed. He was so serious, almost dis
tressed, as he parted from her. Why
didn't he laugh her out of her fearful
trouble about the whisperings of those ma
licious lasses? She loved him for his at
tention to his aged relative, but surely he
could not have been unhappy because old
Ruth Laurie would be without his COM
pany for one night? That would be
carrying affection for grandmother little
too far
The upshot of these cogitations was that
Bena decided to spend the evening with
Mistress Ruth. 1t would be both pleasant
and kind to do SO, and Magnus, on his re-
turn from the haaf fishing, would be graft
fed at her thoughtfulness.
Accordingly, about five o'clock in the
Bena slipped out of the house
quietly and ran along the northern shore
Of the voc, or bay, of North Roe for about
a quarter of mile. Then mounting
hillock, long strip of meadow land, all
golden with bnttercups, lay before her.
Beyond were the hills, piled one on the
back of the other Warm purple heather
clad them entirely at the lower part, but
farther up they seemed sown thickly with
masses of light gray rock. The smoke of
a cottage was curling up out Of hollow
near the base of these buirgs, at Shetland
ers call the hills. In that cottage lived
Mistress Ruth Laurie. She had long been
a "widow-wife" ITO use the quaint phrase
of the islands-and Magnus was her only
descendant
Chow beest du, Mistress?p said Bena as
she entered.
Gales no sac blithe as bodie sud be,
expectin ye, Bena, my lass. g y e
"Expecting me p echoed the girl in
tone. Then, observing twinkle
in Mistress Ruth's eye, she playfully shook
her by the shoulder, and added cit i'll
becomes an auld wife to gle hersel to fiat
terry"
aTroth, lass, It's ma sich thing. My
BARN Magnie tauld me dis morn, dat ye
wad drink dish O. tay wild me dis night;
guess dy lad is ma far ava jist moo.
"My lad" repeated Bena, lightly,
though she could not help blushing. aye
are very wise women, Mistress Ruth, ia
ken mair den--"
"Whist, lass Do ye tink Magnus has
Ma tauld me?" Then she took Bena's face
between her hands and kissed her tenderly,
adding, aye sail bath hae my blessing dis
solemn night"
Bena's conscience smote her, as she re-
membered what she had done that morning.
She glanced at the little table and then at
the hearth Evidently special meal had
been prepared by Mistress Ruth, and Mag
nus was now miles away on the sea!
at is jist my blame, grandmother" she
faltered.
"What is dy blame ?-dat my bairn has
beer sac long catching da trouts ?" in
quired the old woman, afectionately. Then
noticing the penitent look on Bena's face,
she exclaimed with abrupt energy
'Whar is Magnus ?"
Bena might be evasive enough where
love matters were concerned, it was the Gus
tom but her nature was sincere, and she
now felt there was nothin0 for it but to