Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-09-18

AS the twelfth OF August drew near he
became more and more restless. He had
written to Lord Ailine to say that, if he
could he of any use. he would take u run
up to Inver-Mudal for u week or so, lust
to see the things started for the season !:
but Lord Ailinc had considerably refused
the offer, saying that everything seemed
going on well enough except, indeed, that
/ uLar, Tie Gordon setter. was in II fair
way of being spoiled, for that, owing to
ionald's parting injunctions, there was
not man or boy about the place would
subject the dog to any kind of chastise-
mcnt or discipline whatever. And it
sounded strange to Ronald to hear that he
was still remembered away up there in
the remote little hamlet.
ON the morning of the day before the
twelfth his books did not get much atten-
ton. lie kept going to the window to
watch the arrivals at the railway station
opposite, wondering whether his one or
that was of and away to the wide moors
and the hills. Then. about midday, he
saw young lad bring up four dogs-a
brace of settlers. a small spaniel. and a
big brown retrievcr-and give them over
in charge to porter. Well, human ma
ture could not stand this any longer. His
books were no longer thought of on went
MS tlengarry cap and i'll a counle OF
minutes he was across the road and into
the station, where the porter was hauling
the dogs along the platform.
" Here, my man, pll manage the dog
gies for ye,' he sad. getting hold of the
chains and straps and of course the dogs
ut once recognized in him natural ally
and were less alarmed. \ shambling,
bow legged porter hauling at them they
could not understand at all but in the
straight figure and sun-tanned cheek and
clear eye of the new conner they recog-
nized features familiar to them and then
he spoke to them as if he knew them.
"Ay, and what's your name, then p
Bruce, or Wallace, or Soldier but
therell no be much work for you for a
while yet. It's you. you two bonnie las
sizes, that'll be amongst the heather the
work together, and back each other, and
Just set an example TO human folk. And
If ye show yourselves inst a wee bit eager
at the beginning o the day-well, well,
well, we all have our faults, and that one
soon wears of. And what's your names.
then , Lufra, or Nell, or Bess, or Fan
And you, you wise amid chiel-I'm think
ing We could get a grip O. a mallard that
would make him imagine he had got back
into his mothers nest-you re wise one
the Free Kirk elder o the lot y for, in
deed, the rest of them We're all paving at
him, and licking his hands, and whimper-
ing their friendship. The porter had to
point out to him that he, the porter, could
not stand there the whole day with "a
wheen dogs" whereupon Ronald led these
new companions of his along to the dog
box that had been provided for them, and
there. when they had been properly Sc
cured, the porter left him. Ronald could
still talk to them. however, and ask them
questions and they seemed to under
stand well enough; indeed, he had not
spent SO pleasant half-hour for many
and many a day.
There CHANGED to come along the plat
form a little why elderly man, with n
whOlesome-looking, weather tanned face,
who was carrying a bundle of fishing rods
over his shoulder; and seeing how Ron
aid was engaged. he spoke to him in pass
ing, and began to talk about the dogs.
- Perhaps they're your dogs - Ronald
said
NO, no our folk are a fishing folk"
said the little old man, who was probably
a gardener or something of the kind; and
who seemed to take readily to this new
acquaintance "I've just been in Glasgow
to get IA rod mendcd, and to bring ont Il
new one that the laird has bought for
himself
He grinncd in curious, sarcastic
way.
Hes rather II wee man; and this rod
Lord sakes, ye never saw such a thing
il would break the back % Il samson
bless ye, the butt OTIS like n wcaVer's
beam and for our gudeman to buy a
thing like that-well, rich folk haze queer
ways o SptllIlHS tnclT money.
lie was friendly old man and this
Joke of his master having bought SO ire
!! cndOuS an engine seemed to afford him
80 much enjoyment that when Ronald
asked to be allowed to see this formidable
weapon, he said at once
" Just you come along outside there.
and well put it theglther, and yen see
what Kind o salmon-rod an old man o
i've foot five thinks he can cast wiz
&c If it's no taking up too much of your
Tine Ronald suggested hut eager enough
ne was to get a salmon-rod into his fingers
again.
"Fvs three quarters Of an hour to
wait" was the reply, "for | Gamma make
Iut they train books ava"
They went out beyond the platform to
IN open space, and very speedily the big
rod was put together. 1t was indeed an
'normous thing; but n very fine rod for
Il that and SO beautifully balanced and
% beautifully plant that Ronald, after
aving made one or two passes through
ne air with it, could not help saying to
ne old man-and rather wiStfully too,
suppose We dinna happen to have a
eel about We 2"
That | have" was the instant an
,wrr: and Il hrand-new hundred-yard
ne on il too. Would We like to try a east ,
IN thinking We ken something about il. -
it was AN odd kind of place to try the
asting power of Il salmOnrod, this dis
ru-ted railway points and black ashes
out no sooner had Ronald begun to send
ont a good line-taking care to recover it
80 that it should not fray itself along the
gritty ground-than the old man perceived
he had to deal with no amateur.
Man, ye're dab, and no mistake
AS clean Il line as ever saw cast II s
no the first time Wtt 70 handled a salmon
rod, I'll be bound
Its the best rod I've ever had in nv
hand" Ronald said, ms he began to reel in
the line again. " I'm much obliged to We
for letting me try cast it's many day
now since ! threw a line"
They took the rod down and put it in
its case.
I'm much obliged to ye," Ronald re
peated for the mere handling of this rod
had fired his veins with a strange kind of
EXCITEMENT. "Will ye come and take a
dram :"
No, thank ye; I'm a teetotaler," said
the other: and then he glanced at Ronald
curiously. But ye seem to ken plenty
about dogs and about fishing, and so on.
What are We doing in Glasgow, and the
morn the twelfth? Ye are not town
lad ?"
No, I'm not; but have to live in the
tayyp nj prasapt ~ ,yaS tina apsUar u\Nall