The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-01-14
Select. Storp.
THE BRIDAL OF SOLLAS.

From Belgraria.
A bleak, low-lying shore of the Outer
Hebrides, with stealthy tide flowing and
ebbing over tangle-covered rocks. Only
here and there patch of white shell sand
driven in by the eddy of the Atlantic
surge breaking to the westward. 1t is
only a nook of the land this, after all-the
dullest part of all that hungry shore firing
ing the island of North Uist on the east
and northeast-with no bold frontage to
the ocean such as the other coasts present,
but with just glimpse Of the open sea,
beginning at Vallay Strand and ending
where the peaks of Harris are rising, with
the isles of Bernera and Borera midway
guarding the entrance to Harris Sound.
The unfenced fields lying close to the
shore are nearly bare, showing irregular
trap rock breaking through the surface
and some scattered piles Of newly Foaped
sheaves erected at intervals. Even when
the harvest of coarse barley and oats was
waving here in the Summer breeze the
place scarcely looked more fruitful than
now, for the crops are always poor and
thin in this the most barren district of the
island. The low crowded cottages little
further inland are poverty -stricked and
tumbledown. Hemmed in by hills-low,
rounded, and grassy-to the west, the Sol
las district consists of this one hamlet, set
on narrow strip of oozy plain among
peat bogs, rocks, and waterproof.
This is the 'plaee of the curse at
least, it had been freely described as such
by many of its inhabitants. These sons OF
the soil were not, as rule, complimentary
in their language toward the particular
spot of mother earth in which they resided.
Who would be when the blighting infu-
ence of such patrimony was presumed to
rest upon them?
1t had been time of suffering and
want in Sollas. In some ways matters
became worse than ever as "the forties'
drew near their close; the climate seemed
to grow bleaker, the land more pitifully
sodden than before. True, the potatoes
were better than formerly. The fresh
seed obtained after that terrible ''year of the
famine" had done wonders in this respect.
But if another bad season were to come
the people would be as poorly off as before,
and were less able now to stand privation.
All the "relief money subscribed in the
south had been spent; the wages of many
hard days work, paid to those in utter
need for the construction of road across
the middle of the island, could not be earn
ed again. Another road would not be
needed. What was left ?-the poor fruit
of hopeless toll, the 'sickness" once more,
that low fever bred of insufficient nour-
ishment, perhaps the dread potato disease
again, more feared than any epidemic
among the inhabitants, for did it not affect
strong and weak alike?
And there had been unfortunate mis-
understandings also in regard to the 'hold-
ings." The great proprietor of the land
had acted according to his best judgment.
no doubt; had forgiven hopeless arrears cl
miserable rents, had urged emigration
and afforded assistance--even safe con-
duct abroad--to those willing to leave the
place altogether. Tha difficulty was that
the aid was given only ou condition OF
leaving Anything 10 leave! And Il
was Just this one thing that the people of
Sollas--poor, i'll, half-fed-resis,ed almost
to the death; or, at all events, TO its neai
likeness, semi mi-starvation. The place was
dear TO them, however bleak and barren
Home always is, even though it be home
with curse brooding over it. Why wish
them to go? Was it not that others
rich "tacksmen" from the south perhaps
might be put in possession of their hold
ings?
1 OtBersl Certainly no islander from
any of the other districts would ever come
here of his own will. Those who lived OF
the western shore had more or less of ,
kind of rough plenty, with pinch, i
might be, in a bad season; but there wa
better fishing of a kind to makeup forit anC
better shores for gathering sea ''ware" fo
the potato land No the poorest woult
never come to Sollas, The only two-lcgget
animals resorting thither by choice wer'
the seafowl, and they came in great mum
bers; but yet with them it was doubles
only a place of call at the best. There wa
a curse on this one district assuredly. Ii
Gaelic idiom the dwellers in it were won
to reproach each other on slight occasion
as ''sons of cursing," with special allusion
no doubt, to their joint inheritance afore
said.
Yet, under this malevolent destiny
whatever it might be, they PERSISTENT.
elected to remain year after year-thos
that were left, that is to say, for shiploa'
of them had lately been dispatched, hal
bribed, half persuaded. to seek a chang
! abroad Many Of the cothouses we're &C
cordingly empty, would be roofess in time
GREETED it. 1t was about the only thing h