The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-03
TsiIseme Lot Of Creftsr's wifs-Lonsly
and DesolAts Life a. Man and
Woman.


All along the bleak track crossing the
|dreary moorland to the right the Titanic
watering pot has been filled and
|reflled to the discomfort Of the
|black-faoed melancholy sheep hud-
|dled under the lea Of a gray
stone. Over the sea in front the gulls
circle screaming, and on the thwart Of a
herring fishers boat black cormorant i
sitting. Everywhere the basaltic rock crops
but, dark-colored and barren. and there's
not crumb of human comfort cave in the
bedtime story Dame Mcqueen is telling her
BARNS.
Dame McQusen's shielding is the best in
the clachan. It has two rooms. The three
|pr four other huts that make up the little
khem. only one. "Whence made " the
(Nalk7'' abe asked me when ] stopped to SEQ
IS she could sell me some oatcake for my
fupper. name Mcqueen has the Gaelic,
but she speaks also q little English. which
y moro than do some Of her neighbors. II
required persuasion to induce her to keep
Ine over night. but the storm was breaking
md no other shelter reachable.
Dame McQueen's hut is built of round
stones, the granite Of the neiRhborhood,
laid to all appearance without mortar. Its
fhAtch ia straw and sticks interminRled,
Ind tho binding pole that runs along what
n moro pretentious mansion would be
Failed the caves is weighted and held in
place against the gales Of winter by large
stones hanging by straw ropes to the ground
Il has q low door in tho middle Of the
ide. Ono stoops in entering from tho ap
Prehension If not necessity. A rough par
tition separates the kitohen and the bed
loom; each is about seven fest high and il
1oored lmperfectly with . rude stone flag
cling. The walls are unhnished precisely az
pn the outside. but in the tiny bed chamber
n touch Of refining elegance in the
khape Of breadths of coarse white
potion cloth stretched across at tho level of
Pie top Of the side walls, to form q ceiling
Pelow the thatch, but now sagRinR oddly in
PAlowy festoonA Tie furniture ID prosaic
fnough-a low bed. spread with dark, hand
woven BLANKETS, and wood. chair. There
10 q window slit, very small to save glass,
fnd to 80 we'll one must open, the door.
The Kitchen 10 more primitive and more
Entaresting. In the end lathe open stone
Fireplace, whore peat 10 smouldering, its
|Pun9ent smell filling the air and the heavy
Fakes Of its SCOT hanging down from the
Mcqueen on q roughly squared block Of
tone. Yesterday ON the shore of a lonely
och miles from any other habitation /
found hut whose furniture, barring one
PRIMARY chair of commerce that looked in
Pongruously modern among such surround
|ngsy consisted Of sticks sot ships timber
Washed ashore from wrecks
From the thatch overhead rows of red
ish-brown fishing nets are hanging. There
spinning wheel, q shelf with crookery, a
Fable, and in every corner, there being no
place to store them, are heaped ropes, fish
baskets and such articles Of clothing as are
fot walking about on the backs
= f..t the family. For supper We ate
hildren in the short and diiapidated
rown frocks sitting with their share
IN the floor and shaking back at intervals
he dark hair that hung over their eyes,
he children are disappointed at the nom
rival Of the father, who should have been
ome from fishing trip. This might be
one or that If only he would come. "There
the mist, ;" which take to be the cotter's
1ay of remarking on the size of the fsh
ne does not catch and the beauties of the
hings that are not to be.
I wish I could understand the gutturals
nd the aspirations Of the Gaelic that is
baking those Same urchins 90 round-eyed.
must AJAX Dame Mcqueen to English her
re!iRht story for me.
She says it is the tale Of Maol-a- chliobain.
Eer grandmother used to tell it to her.
cannot catch all the words of her
orthern tongue, but she seems to say
pat once there was a widow whose
pree daughters desired to 20 and seek their
P!tunes. So che baked three bannbcks and
81 With my blessing Or the bigger 11 half
it'll my cnrse?' Nov, the daughter was
Rngry and said, II will take the bigger
Az and your curse" And the second
WRhter said the same, but the little sister,
4ol-a chliobain, chose the smaller
~ and the blessing. So the
f ss d,..,set g., r. ~. her her, AL, greatly
erfo rock and then to peatstack and
pea to tree, that she should not 20 with
hen; but she came after, carving ON her
acAthe rock and the peatstack and the
eee:l They reached the giants house and
ept in the bed with the giants three
aueaers. In the night the giant said to
be strAnRe girls
And the son said, Glow shall I know
And tie giant said, my daughters have
hrns of 8mber beads about their necks.
lt the strange girls have turns of hair.''
But Ma0l-a-chliobain heard the giant and
be took the turns of amber beads OF the
bcks of the giant Q daughters and put them
the necks of her sisters; 60 when the
ants son came to the bed he killed one of
70 giants daughters and the giant drank
b. blood and this he did to the second
Id the third. Then Maol-a-chliobain-
epe am getting this individuals name
th some degree of correctness and
ok her sisters ON her back and fled. The
ant came after her and the sparks trod-
n out from her heels hit his forehead and
Q sparks trodden out from the points of
feet hit the back of her head, but she
fped brook and he could not follow.
ben he said. You are over"
And she answered, "Yes, if it vex you."
You killed my three bald, red-skinned
ughters7'
Yes, il it vex you."
When will you come aRainf''
When my concerns bring me-"
Nadia chli0bain and her sisters have any
mber Of other adventures in all of which |
acts the heroine; but the children have |
KEN their BLANKETS and rolled themselves !
on the door-theEsis only one bed in the |
s!n9-and must let fade without too |
pch blowing OF the enbsrs my pleasure ct |
hring u Skye croftss'a hut Z genuine |
Of Highland folk LORE Exoept in the |
-ot-ths-way Rlsns Of Skye and Lewis |
IL sxtxeme north Of Scotland Il must |
fose now 10 ind an old vile OF IN old |
n IN WIZ noA0npv A~nlO~ -. - AZ