Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-16
"a LIGHT O. LOVE. =

voices, "Ha, ha, ha stand back, can't you,
and let her look into the enchanted WE'LL"
ayes; who knows mayhap she will see
her future husband"
The scene was clear sparkling well,
surrounded by grassy stubble and thickly-
shaded, swaying branches through which
the golden moon was family struggling.
1t was Halloween, and around the mystic
well were gathered a group of young Scot
fish lassies.
"Or," echoed another, small, insigniti-
cant-looking girl of about eighteen sum-
mers, at may be the young Laird himself,
whom she expects to see."
This last remark was greeted by another
wild burst of mirth.
The girl for whom this conversation
was intended received the sneers and
laughter, without vouching any reply,
merely raising her handsome head a tritie
higher and, with her thin nostrils dis
| tended, somewhat resembled high
melted race-horse.
perhaps" spoke fourth, "she does not
think even the young Laird good enough;
he is coming home tonight, girls, so stand
back and give her chance"
Then a fifth voice answered sharply,
"Shame, girls, why do you tease her? Has
she not as much right to look into the
mystic well as any of us? 1t is free to ali,
you know. Come, Heather, don't mind
them, it is your turn, come" The girl ad-
dressed shook her tattered shawl carelessly
aside, disclosing a pair of brown, graceful
shoulders shining like polished copper in
the golden moonlight, and looking around,
with a defiant, scornful laugh, steps to-
wards the well.
The girls again laughed loudly. She adj
vances to the edge of the shivering water,
and as she does so a tall, dark form slides
from behind the nearest clump of bushes.
The girlssimultaneously open their mouths,
but with uplifted finger he enioins silence,
and with quick, cat-like movements
reaches the kneeling girl, and bending
until his cheek almost touches her own,
looks for an instant into the well; in
stantly he regains his feet and disappears
into the shadow of the trees again. And
the girl, with proud smile curling the
corners of her ripe, red lips, raises slowly
to her feet.
The lookers-on whisper one to the other:
at was the young Laird OLoganbrae
himself; what joke he has played upon
the poor fool" Then, aloud:
"Nell, what did you see?'
"Strikes me-" said the insignificant small
girl, "you must have seen the devil with
his pitchfork, by the expression of your
face"
Heather again gathered her tattered
shawl tightly around her shapely
shoulders without deigning to make any
answer, and departed, the others going in
the direction of Loganbrae Castle, from
whose wide-open windows could be heard
the sound of the bag-pipes in shrill, joyous
welcome to the young laird, so recently re-
turned.
Heather was the only child OF old Davi-
Graem, the vagabond fisherman, whose
fearful fits of temper sent his wretched
young wife to the grave but few months
after Heather's birth. And now, though
his violent anger was frequently directed
against some unfortunate object, Heather
always escaped scot free, never receiving
an angry word nor look from the surly old
fisherman, who was justly proud of this
beautiful, half-savage young daughter,
running wild and only half clad across the
lonely, barren moor, and roaming regard
less of scratches amongst the thickly-
growing branches; feet of feet, and free
as young antelope; whose bright black
eyes could pierce the suns rays without
blinking, and raising the rife to her shoul-
| der, could bring the border eagle to earth,
and anon could pierce the grouse with I'M
erring aim.
But Heather was only girl, after all,
and in the evening, sitting by the peat fire
in the small hut, watching the blue flames
in tiny, tangled, curling tongues darting
hither and thither, she would picture a
handsome, manly face-a face with bold,
blue, darkly-beautiful eyes.
All, Heather ah, Heather The old
father sitting on the other side of the fire
place so tirelessly mending his nets, knows
not your danger.
All, Heather poor Heather! There is
danger for you in the innocent-looking
peat fire. Beware, beware But the old
father still potterS on with his nets, never
knowing, never knowing.
A girls pitious cry for mercy, and a
fathers curse, as he throws his child out
into the pouring, binding rain; she falls,
|
cropping, moaning across the black and des-
olate moor, an outcast from her fathers
roof, to starve and die Poor. motherless
| Heather
Alone in the little hut, old Davie
Graem sits with his gray head buried in
his hard brown hands. Those hands, that
for the first time in life have been lifted
in anger against his daughter, who is now
crawling, stumbling, striving to find her
way across the pitch black moor, the
furious wind almost tearing her few miser-
able garments from her back, twining her
thick brown hair in ropes around her face
and throat, binding and almost choking
her, and anon almost lifting her from her
feet.
And the old father sits and groans
curses upon his child's betrayer; great
sobs choke the old mans gaunt frame, and
the tears course down his weather. beaten
cheeks.
"My little lass, my bonnie little
Heather; only short time since | held
her, wee brain, in these arms. And
now And now~
The old man rambled on, and still poor
weary Heather, alone upon the wind-blown
moor, pressed onward, slipping, falling at
almost every step.
Presently a sound breaks the roar of the
wind; an unmistakable sound to the girls
ell-trained ear-the sound of horses
hoofs
Heather catches her breath and strains
her ears eagerly.
"Helpl helpr' she cries family. "Help,
in Gods namew
The hoofs came nearer, nearer, and the
moon, suddenly pushing through a murky
cloud, shows the white-faced girl with the
ragged plaid shawl held tightly around
her
The horseman wheels sharply and leans
over the saddle bow. She recognizes him
and covers both eyes with her trembling
hands.
Heather" says the young laird-for it
was he" Heatherbell, was Just on my
way to seek you; something warned me
that my bird was in trouble"
ooh, Willie" sobbed the girl, father
has turned me out" but hurriedly, che
couldn't force me to tell the name; you
| are safe, dear, quite safe."
The young man is standing by her side,
and his arms fold her lovingly, tenderly,
to his heart. g
"Dinna We greet, my lass" said the
| int