Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-12-20
DECE]MBEEo


ward himself threw up the hand that held
his riding rod
"What, would we beat a lassie, We
uglyY'- cries she, and ran away scream
ing as though he had struck her.
Next day word went about the country
like wildfre that Mr.. Henry had beaten Jes-
sic Btoun within an inch Of her life 1 give
it as one instance of how this SNOWFALL grew,
and ono calumny brought another, until my
poor patron was so persisted in reputation that
ho began to keep the house like my lord. All
this while, you may be sure he uttered no
complaints at home; the very ground of the
scandal was too sore a matter to be handled .
and Mr. Henry was very proud and strangely
obstinate in silence. My old lord must have
heard of it, by John Paul, if by no one else;
and he must at least have remarked the
altered habits of his son. Yet even he, 1t is
probable, knew not how high the feeling ran ,
and as for Miss Allison, she was ever the last
person to hear news, and the least interested
when she heard them.
In the height of the ill-feeling for it died
away as 1T came, no man could say WHY
there was an election forward in the town Of
st. Brides, which is the next to Durrisdeer,
standing on the Water of Swift; come griev-
ance was fermepting, l forget what, if ever
heard; and it was currently said there would
DO broken heads ere night, and that the
sheriff had sent as far as Dumfries for SOL
diers. My lord moved that Mr.. Henry
should be present, assuring him it was neces-
sary to appear for the credit of the house.
at will soon be reported, /" said he, that we
do not take the lead in our own country
at is a strange lead that | can take, =" said
Mr. Henry; and when they had pushed him
further, Il tell you the plain truth, he said
II dare not show my face"
You are the first Of the house that ever
said so, cries Miss Alison.
I'VE will go all three" said my lord; and
sure enough he got into his boots Cthe first
time in four years-a sore business John Paul
had to get them on), and Miss Alison into her
riding coat, and all three rode together to St
Brides.
The streets were full Of the riff-raR of all
tho country side, who had no sooner clapped
eyes on Mr.. Henry than the Kissing began,
and the hooting, and the cries of "Judasl"
and "Where was the masterl' and Where
were the poor lads that rode with himl"
Even stone was cast; but the more part
cried shame at that, for my old lords sake
and Miss Allison's. 1t took not ten minutes
to persuade my lord that Mr.. Henry had
II
ed his horse about, and home again, with his
chin upon his bosom. Never word said
Miss Alison; no doubt she thought the more !;
no doubt her pride was stung, for she was a
bone bred Dure; and no doubt her heart was
touched to see her cousin so unjustly used.
That night she was never in bed: have Of
ten blamed my lndy-wheu | call to mind
that night, | readily forgive her all; and the
first thing in the morning she came to the
Old lord i'll his usual seat.
IF Henry still wants me-" said she, "he
can have me now.n To himself she had a diff
ferent speech; II bring you no love, Henry
but, God knows, all the pity III tho world.n
June the first, l74S, was the day of their
marriage It was December Of the same year
that first saw me GliEhting at the, doors of the
great house; and from there | take up the
| history Of events as they befell under my
own observation, like a witness in court