Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-01

| the world outside of themselves. The
apple-cheeked lads from McGregor's. each
with lassie with lint-white locks tightly
| braided and snooded with red ribbon. made
up the set. Not fearful one. certainly,
and Nelly's light feet and quick eyes, as
sisted by the patient kindness of her
teacher, could not fail of success. Then
| the childs soul was set to music. and she
| toated before it as easily as the down
before the breeze: and when she sat down.
flushed and triumphantly happy, Robin
was proud of his pupil. Plenty of dancing
| for her now.
As the evening wore away the mirth in
creased. Davie Doons, who had been sew
eral times refreshed out of suspicious
looking black bottle, PLAYED with
more spirit His eyes grew brighter, his
nose redder, as the time of his reels, horn
pipes and jigs grew quicker. But the eye of
| Robin was not to be evaded He caught
the bottle on another visit to the musician,
with an energetic remonstrance:
Stop that, We fulel He'll be fou before
midnight
1t was 10 o'clock when Uncle Ben. warm
and moist from his labors of assisting his
womankind, his pink, bald head and face
shining, opened the door of the wide
kitchen and announced that supper was
ready Various appetizing whiffs had
come from that direction. The home sup
pers had been early and hastily eaten. and
there can be no doubt that most of the COM
pany were reallyvery hungry, yet there was
no rush made toward the supper table
But this is a tale of times of primeval SIM
plicity. Uncle Ben led out grand dame
McCredie, the Oldest person present, and
placed her in seat next himself The
elder portion of the company followed and
ranged themselves about him. The young
. | cnurlac fnllOwaI aud fhara Co
nearly all the adults of the party.
When all were seated, Uncle Ben said
simply. Neebors and friends, We are well
come ALL In the absence of the dominic |
will proceed to ask the blessing of the AL
mighty upon our humble fare"
Solemnly was the blessing invoked, and
most decorously listened to- not with bent
heads, but these sons and daughters of the
| Covenant sat bolt upright and stared
straight before them. The children, clus-
tered in the corners, were silent. An un-
lucky cur had his toe stepped on. His
yelp was smothered by the grasp of his
young master, who carried him out and
dropped him in the snow, as the dog s
share of the punishment that his owner
would be certain to receive from his father
for permitting his dog to make "yowing'
at such a solemn crisis. The blessing done,
all ceremony vanished with wave of
Uncle Bens carvingknife, and the COM
pany fell to work with will upon the
savory dishes before them. That old-time
supper. Who can describe it No room
was wasted on glass, silverware or flowers.
Before Uncle Ben stood huge platter of
roasted venison Robin at the other side
was dividing heap of brown, juicy spare
ribs. The glory of Scottish feasts, the
"haggis," was presided over by dame Rob-
inson herself, with Phoebe, glowing like a
rose, for her assistant.
( o, the depths of that compound mystery
Mrs Robinson looked anxious at first over
this grand test of Scottish wife's cooking
but her brow cleared as she began to inves-
tigate the depths of the great pan.
Evidently the anxieties of the evening
were ended for her OF vegetables-except-
ing the turnips that graced round of
corned beef-there were none. There were
piles of round bannocks, and plates of
doughnuts. and genuine Scotch cake sprin-
kled thick with sugar plums. Tea-the
luxury of our forefathers-waS handed
about in small cups. 1t was by no means
the tea of the present time; and as it was
high-priced and the company large, it had
little to recommend it except its warmth.
Strength was at times supplied from the
black bottle, which passed around with the
adroitness of little joker" Robin,
whose eyes were everywhere, managed to
control tbesupply, so that of the men whose
eyes glistened at the sight of it (for the
honor of Scotland they were but few not
one should get more than was good for
him Nelly's plate was well supplied by
roguish Robin, but she was too happily
absorbed to care much for eating.
The young people were not inclined to
linger over the table, and made their way
back to the ballroom, where Davie Doons
was nodding and was aroused with some
difficulty.
Rose Nelly and few of the girls had
drifted into Mrs, Robinson's sitting-room
for few moments of girlish chat.
Suddenly Nelly's eyes fell upon the great
clock, and saw that the hands pointed to a
quarter-past IL. She started. The bright
dream was overl She must go at once
She saw her fathers stern face, and heard
! his voice as he said, Remember" All !!
she should have remembered sooner What
if she should not get home at - Perhaps
this clock might be too fast How she
hoped it was She put on shawl and hood
with cold, trembling fingers. 1t was only
the ghost of the bright face that suddenly
confronted Rose, saying, -" | must 90 now !;
think Uncle Ralph has forgotten She
did not seem to hear the questions and ex-
CARNATIONS going on about her, but went
straight to Ralph, who, after attending to
every one else, was finishing his own sup
per in company with Lang Tom Hamilton,
who seemed TO be plying busy knife and
fork, notwithstanding his enraptured con-
dition.
Uncle Ralph" she said, are you going
with me? IT'S past H."
Eth? my dearie !" said Ralph, with a
start and twinge of remembrance. Be
content, and go home with us. It's no
muckle safe crossn' the lake. There will
be storm soon. There was i circle
round the moon, so close you couldna
throw a hammock through it"
90 must goi' she said. az MY father
will never let me go again if | disobey
him.
an tell him-I'll make a right with
| HIM"
She turned away with gesture of de-
spair. The moments were wasting while
they talked.
Nelly, Nelly, if you must 60 I'll get
the sleigh out
II will be half way before the horses
are yoked to p she exclaimed, desperately.
Please let me go -
Mrs. Robinson and Phoebe came up with
kind words, urging her to remain with
them.
! Oh. if she could once get away from
them all They were so kind. but they
did not know her father. If she could only
get out and flee like bird to the home
VIII re she longed, yet dreaded, to be
1t happened that a young man had
been standing with his back to this
group, engaged in conversation, but as is
often the case, listening also to what
was going on about him. He turned around
at Ncliy's appeal, and confronted her.
He was deeply moved at the sight of the
little face, troubled and quivering. He saw
the brave struggle to keep back the coming
tears.
you want to go home to-night?r he
said, kindly 81 will go with you; it will
be but short run for you and me-"
"Ay! that will do ~ said Ralph, greatly
relieved. Mr.. Glendinning will take you
home safe, and come back for bed and
breakfast with us"
Glendinning bowed his thanks for the in
vitation. While the women hung about
Nelly. seeing her well wrapped, and saying
last kind words. Ben Robinson beckoned
his young friend aside to offer him the
parting hospitalities of the black bottle.
Archie Glendinning laughingly declined ;
adding, as a shade of memory passed over
his handsome face Il promised my
mother not to touch it; and think she
! knows that keep nv word"