Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-10
color that the eye is delighted in every

their eagerly solicitous young host ma
have been); and he went on in somewha
lofty and sententious fashion, to describ
certain of the great public festivals ant
spectacles he had witnessed in various part
of the world. Mrs. Ellison was apparently
listening, as she ate a strawberry or two
but in reality she was covertly observing tn
young girl (who sat somewhat aparD AM
taking note of every line and lineament o
her features, and even every detail
her dress. Vincent brought Mr.. Bethune
tumbler of claret with lump of ice IN 1t
he drained deep draught; and resumed hi
story of pageants. Maisrie was silent, ne
eyes averted; the young man asked himsei
whether the beautiful profile, the fine nos
trils, the sensitive mouth, would not pieat
for favor, even though she did not speak.
seemed thousand pities that her grand
father should be in this garrulous mood
Why did not Mrs. Ellison turn to the CIR
direct? He felt sure there would be an IN
slant sympathy between those two, If only
Maisrie would appeal with her wonderful
true eyes. What on earth did anyone wan
to know about the resplendent appearance
| Of the White Cuirassiers of the Prusslar
Guard, as they rode into Prague week Of
two after the battle of Koniggratz, with theii
dusty and swarthy faces and their copper
hued breastplates lit up by the westerlne
| sun.
But, on the other hand, Mrs. Ellison wa.
not displeased by this one-sided conVersa'
ton; quite the contrary; she wanted tc
know all about these strange people with
| whom her nephew had taken up; and the
more the old man talked the better she re.
sented the intervention of a race which Mas
ter Vim dragged them all away to see, and
| as soon as it was over-they were now
seated in the stern sheets Of the boat-she
turned to Mr.. Bethune with question.
sI understand" she said, in casual sort
of way, THAT you know Lord Mussel-
burgb?'
At this Maisrie looked up startled.
"Oh, yes," said her grandfather, in his
serene and stately fashion. "Oh, yes. A
most promising young mana young man
who will make his mark. Perhaps he is
riding too many hobbies; and yet it might
not be prudent to interfere and advise; a
young man in his position is apt to be hot
beaded"
,'sMrs. Ellison" interposed Maisrie, 1--WE
are only slightly acquainted with Lord
Musselburgh-very slightly indeed. The
fact is, he was kind enough to interest him.
self in q book that my grandfather hopes to
bring out shortly"
''Oh, really," said the pretty widow'with
most charming smile (perhaps she was
glad of this opportunity Of talking to the
| young lady herselO "and may I ask-par-
don my curiosity-what the subject is.
''It is a collection of poems written by
Sotchmen living in America and Canada, F"
answered Maisrie, quite simply. "My
grandfather made the acquaintance Of sew
eral Of them, and heard OF others; and he
thought that volume of extracts, with a
few short biographical notices. might be in
teresting to the Scotch people over here
For it is about Scotland that they mostly
write, think, and of their recollections-
perhaps that is only natural"
Sand when may we expect it?" was the
next question. .....,
Maisrle turned to her grandfather.
"Ob, well," the old man made answer,
with an air of magnificent unconcern, ''that
is difficult to say. The book is not of such
great importance; it may have to stand aside
for a time. For one thing, should most
likely have to return to the other side to
collect materials; whereas, while we are here
in the old country, there are so many oppor-
tunities for research in other and more val
liable directions, that it would be thousand
pities to neglect them. For example, now, ="
he continued, seeing that Mrs. Ellison lis
tened meekly, "I have undertaken to write
for my friend Carmichael, of the Edinburgh
Chronicle series of papers on branch OF
our own family that attained to great dis
tinction in the Western Isles during the
reign of the Scotch Jameses-the learned
Beatons, OF Islay and Null"
"Oh, indeed" said Mrs. Ellison, affecting
much interest
"Yes," resumed old George Bethune,
with much dignifed complacency, sit will
be singular history if ever find time to
trace it out. The whole of that family seem
to have been regarded with kind of super
stitious reverence; all their sayings were
preserved; and even now, when proverb is
quoted in the Western Isles, they add 'as
the sage of Null said, or as the sage OF Islay
said For ulldnah, I may inform you Mrs.
Mrs." ....- sf..
Ellison" she said kindly.
"Mrs. Ellison-I beg your pardon-my
hearing is not what it was, Ullanah, in the
Gaelic tongue means at once Doctor of
Medicine and a wise man"
They distinguish between the terms in
English" put in Vincent.
"-and doctors most of them appear to
have been," continued the old man, quite
oblivious of interruption; indeed he seemed
to be reading something out of his memory,
rather than addressing particularly any one
of his audience. "a certain Hector Beaton,
indeed, got considerable grant IN Islay for
having cured one Of the Jameses when all
the Edinburgh faculty had failed; and 1 my
self have seen in the island of Iona the
Tombstone of the last of the Null doctors of
the name, but he died so late as 1857. Hic
jacet Johannis Betonus Maclenorum familia
Medicus; no doubt there must be some men
tion of those Beatons in the archives of the
various families of Maclean in Null. Then
daresay could get a drawing of the
tombstone-though can remember the in
n
victricis mortis inisu@ qui slios solverat
ipse mali. The coat OF arms, too, has the
three mascles OF the Bethunes-"
''Of the Bethunes?-then you are of the
same family?" said Mrs. Ellison, this time
with little genuine curiosity.
But the interruption had the effect of
rousing him from his historical reverie.
.'I would rather say" he observed, with
some stiffness, "that they were originally of
our family. The Norman de Bethu ne
would easily be changed into the Scotch
Beaton."
''Then there was Mary Beaton, of the
Queep's Maries," Mrs. Ellison suggested.
But at this the old man frowned; he did
not wish any fictitious characters brought
into these authentic annals.
"An idle tale-a popular rhyme" said
he. "There is no real foundation for the
story OF Mary Hamilton that ever could
get hold of. OF course there may have been
Mary Beaton at Queen Mary's court
what more likely?-and Mary Beaton would
come trippingly to the popular tongue in
conjunction with Mary Seton; but that is
all. 1t is with real people, and important
people. 1 shall have to deal when get to
the Advocates Library in Edinburgh"
''Oh. yes, certainly-of course-I quite
understand" she said, humbly. And then
all + he hoo l. 20