Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-07-24

! lence of the valley; and she sat looking
after the disappearing figure and the
meekly following dogs. And then, in the
distance, she thought she could make out
some faint sound was he singing to him
sell as he strobe along toward the little
| hamlet
AT all events" she said to herself, with
! just touch of pique, "he does not seem
much down-hearted at my going away"
And little indeed did she imagine that this
song he was thus carelessly and unthink-
ingly singing was all about Meenie, and
red and white roses, and trifies light and
| joyous as the summer air. For not vet
had black care got a grip Of his heart.
But this departure of Miss Garry for the
south now gave him leisure to attend to
his own affairs and proper duties, which
had suffered somewhat from his at
tendance in the coble; and it was not I'M
til all these were put straight that he adj
dressed himself to the serious considera-
! ton of the ambitious and daring project
that had been placed lefore him. Hither-
to 1t had been pretty much of an idle spec
ulation-a dream, in short, that looked
very charming and fascinating as the
black-eyed young lady from over the seas
sat in the stern of the boat and chatted
through the lille hours. Her Imagination
did not stay to regard the immediate and
practical dl difficulties and risks all these
seemed already surmounted Ronald had
assumed the position to which he was en-
titled by his abilities and personal charac-
ter; she only wondered which part of
| Scotland he would be living in when next
her father and herself visited Europe
and whether they might induce him to
the States. But when Ronald himself,
in cold blood, came to consider WAYS and
means, there was no such plain and easy
sailing. Not that he heSitated about cutting
himself adrift from his present moorings ;
he had plenty of confidence in himself,
and knew that he could always earn u
living with his ten fingers, whatever hap
pened Then he had between t>0 and $50
lodged in n savings-bank in Inverness
and out of that he could pay for any
classes he might have to attend, or per
haps offer a modest premium if he wished
to get into surveyors Office for a short
time. But there were so many things to
think of. What should he do about Mag
gle, for example, Then Lord Ailne had
always been good master to him; would
it not seem ungrateful that he should
throw up his situation without apparent
reason? And so forth, and so forth, through
cogitations long and anxious; and many
half-hour on the hillside and many half
hour by the slumbering peat fire was Civ
en- to this great project; but always there
was ono side of the question that he shut
out from his mind. For how could he adj
init to himself that this lingering hesita-
tion-this dread, almost, of what lay await
for him in the future-had anything to do
with the going away from Meene, and
the leaving behind him, and perhaps for
ever, the hills and streams and lonely
glens, that were all stepped in the magic
and witChery of her presence? Was it not
time to be done with idle fancies? And it,
in the great clty-in Edinburgh or elias
Cow as the case might be-he should fall
to thinking of Ben Loyal, and Bonnie
Strath Naver; and the long, long days on
CleDrig: and Meenie coming home in the
evening from her wanderings by Mudal
Water, with a few wild flowers, perhaps.
or a bit of white heather, but always with
her beautiful blue gray Highland eyes so
full of kindness as she stopped for a few
minutes friendly chatting-well. that
would be pretty picture to look back
upon, all lambert and clear in the tender
colors that memory loves to use. silent
picture. of course, there would be no sound
of the summer rlls, nor the sweeter SQUAD
of Meenie's voice but not sad picture:
only remote and ethereal, as if the years
had come between and made everything
distant and pale and dreamlike.
The first definite thing that he did was
TO write to his brother in Glasgow, &C
quainting him with his plans, and beg
ging him to obtain some further particu-
lars about the Highland and Agricultural
society certificates. The answer that
came back from Glasgow was. most en-
couraging; for the Rev. Alexander Strang
though outwardly heavy and lethargic
man, had shrewd head enough and
was an enterprising, shifty person, not a
little proud OF the position that he had won
for himself, and rather inclined to conceal
from his circle of friends-who We're most
ly members of his congregation-the fact
that his brot her was merely a gamekeeper
In the Highlands. Nay, more, he was
willing to assist he would take Maggie
into his house, so that there might not be
difficulty in that directions and in the
meantime he would see what were the best
class-bOoks on the subjects named, so
That Ronald might be working away at
them in these comparatively idle spring
ana summer months, and need not give
up his situation prematurely. There was
even some hlnt thrown out that perhaps
Ronald might board with his brother: but
this was not pressed for the fact was that
Mrs. Alexander was II severely rigid dis
clpllnarlan, and on The few occasions on
which Ronald had been their guest she
had given both brothers to understand
that the frivolous gayety of Ronald talk
and the independence of his manners, and
his Galllo-llke indifference about the fierce
schisms and Hrt-burnlngs in the Scotch
Church, We're not, in her opinion, in conson-
ance with the atmosphere that ought to
prevail in IA Free Church ministers house.
But, on the whole the letter was very
friendly and hopeful: and Ronald was en-
Joined to let his brother know when his
decision should be finally taken, and in
what way assistance could be rendered
him.
one night the little Maggie stole away
through the dark TO the doctors cottage.
There was light in the window of Nee
MES room; she could hear the sound of
the piano ; no doubt Meenie was practic-
ing and alone; and on such occasions a
visit from Maggie was hut little inter
ruption. And 50 the smaller girl went
boldly toward the house and gained ad-
mission, and was proceeding upstairs
without any ceremony, when the sudden
cessation of the music caused her to stop
And then she heard very simple and pa
thetlc air begin-just touched here and
there with u lew chords; and was Nee
ME, tired with the hard work of
the practicing allowing herself this little
bit of quiet relaXationg She was singing,
too though so gently that Maggie could
scarcely make out the words. But she
knew the song-had not Meenie sung it
many Il time before to her and who but
Meenie could put such tenderness and pa
thos into the simple air. She had almost
to imagine the words-so gentle was the
voice that went with those lightly touched
chords;
"Ihc. sun rose sac rosy, the green hills adorn