Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21


ewes mechanically fixed on the paper; but
his brain re used to act 1ndustry-capltal
the proposed resumption by the workers
of the world of the mines, factories, docks,
ship canals, railways which their labor had
constructed-the impracticability of land
uationalization-aud so forth: what were
these but mere lifeless phrases, when his
heart was listening for the smallest sound on
the otner side OF the street! And lll-luck
pursued him. She did not come once to the
window. The chrysanthemums in the little
balcony were quite neglected. The after
noon passed. and neither she nor her grand
father came out alone Then, when be went
over as usual about $50, there was no
chance of his speaking to her by herself; in
fact, both she and her grandfather were
seated at the one table, with heap OF books
and papers before them.
Enough, Maisrie, enough" Mr.. Beth
une said blithely, and be rose at once. You
had your wish-though l don't see why you
should undertake any such drudgery-
She also rose to receive the visitor; and as
she gave him her hand for moment, and
regarded him with very friendly eyes, there
was was not the least trace of self-consclous'
ness in her manner.
Yes" she said, with a bright and frank
smile, grandfather has conferred new
dignity on me- l am become his amanuen-
sis. Not that l am the slightest real use to
him, suppose; it is only done to please ME,
still, take it seriously, and pretend to be
doing my share. Time to go, is it?-very
well, shall be ready in minute"
He was amazed and mortified beyond
measure by this perfect self-possession. Had
nothing whatever happened the night be-
fore, then? There was: no secret be-
tween them at ALL She had made no con-
M
wounded pride stepped in and spoke-with
its usual violence and cruel injustice. Per-
haps there were people who dispensed their
caresses so freely that they thought nothing
of theml What had startled him, a man,
might be only q matter of course to her,
q grill Nay-for what will not lover say
in a passion of Jealous anger and disap-
pointment?-perhaps he was not the first
nor the only one who had been similarly be-
wilderedl
He had no word for Malsrie on her return
to the room. When the three of them went
out into the street he forsook his usual post
by her side, and walked with her grand
father, to whom be talked exclusively. And
of course, as his questions were all about the
projected compilation of ballads, and as old
George Bethune was always keenly en-
thusiastic about any new undertaking, there
was no stint to their conversation. Maisrie
walked on in silence and unheeded. When
they reached the restaurant, and as they
were taking their seats dt the little table,
she glanced at the young man; but his eyes
did not happen to meet hers. And there
was no place for her in their talk.
'No," old George Bethune was saying
and with considerable animation, for he ap-
peared to have been looking over some of
the ballads during the day, and his mind
was still fred by the recollection of them,
'I think they are beyond the reach of illus
tration, even if there should be an edition
de luxe. 1 have considered your suggestion
more than once; but / fear the drawing
would in almost every instance be an anti
climax to the power and simplicity and
pathos of the printed page. No picture
could be as vivid and clear and striking as
the verses themselves; why, just think of
such lines as these
'Tis not the frost that freezes fell,
Nor blowing snaws inclemencie;
IT'S not sic Cauld that makes me cry,
But my loves heart grown cauld to me.
When we came in by Glasgow town,
We were a cOmely sight to see;
Ny love was clad i the black velvet,
And myself in cramoisie,
What picture could better that? What
picture could do ANYTHING but weaken it?
You remember in 'Edom O. Gordon how
the young maiden is lowered from the burn
Gordon's spear
They roW'd her in pair o. sheets,
And tow'd her Owre the wa;
But on the point O. Gordon's spear
She gat deadly IA
o bonnie. bonnie was her mouth,
And cherry were her cheeks,
And clear clear was her yellow hair,
WhereOn the red blood dreeps.
Then wi his spear he turned here owre;
buJ her face was wan!
He said. 'Ye are the first that e'er
wish'd alive again"
He turned her owre and owre again,
but her skin was white!
Il might hae spared thar bonnie face
To hae been some mans delight.
"Busk and boun. my merry men a.,
For i'll dOoIns 1 do guess
cannot look on that bonnie face
Asst lies on the grass
What illustration could improve on that?-
WHY, it burns clear as fame! Then, again,
take the girl who was drowned by her sister
in the bonnie mill-dams O. Balloray-''
AT this point the silent and neglected
Maisrie suddenly looked up-glancing rom
her grandfather TO The young man in a
curiously appealing way. She seemed to
say Grandf ,ther, you forget; it is not Ball
orav, it is BinnnrIe;' and again Vincent,
he has forgotten: that is ALL But neither
of them took any notice of her; nay, the
younger man, in his insensate Indignation
and disappointment, would not look her
way at all; while old George Bethune, with
his mind fixed on those imaginary pictures,
went on in a rapt fashion to repeat certain
of the verses
Ye couldna see ner yellow hair,
BalOray. o Balloray,
For gowd and pearls that were sac rare,
By the bonnie mill-dams o. Balloray.
Ye coLi5Ha see her middle sma',
Ballorav Balloray
Her gowden girdie WAS sac Draw,
BY the bonnie mill-dams o. Balloray.
Ye couIdna see her lily feet,
Balloray BalloTay,
Her gowden fringes were sac Deep
BY the bonnie mfll-dams o. Balloray.
'sair will they be. whae'er they be,
Balloray o Balloray,
The hearts that live to weep for tbeeP
BY the bonnie mill-dams O. Balloray!
'It is like picture by one of the pre-
Raphaelites," Vincent said; and then the
old man proceeded TO talk OF paper and
type and binding, as if the new work were
just ready for press.
But silence WAS not to reign forever be-
tween those two. On their way home Mr..
Bethune was talking of "The Demon
Lover. 4" Of its alleged Italian origin, and of
a suggestion he had seen somewhere that il
was 10 lorsaken sweetheart who had come
to tempt the welded wife, but a fend adopt
ing that disguise. When they reached the
little parlor he began 10 search about for
the volume in which "The Demon Lover"
was thus treated; but could not find it;
whereupon he went upstairs to see if it was
not among his books and papers there, As