Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-06

D..
be q great book, this collection Of Scotch.
American poetry. 1t would enable him tc
pay a well-deserved compliment to many ar
old friend of his in Toronto, in Montreal, in
New York. he was warm in his praises o.
this young Lord Musselburgh, and pre-,
dicted great iuture for him. Then he put
his head cut of the window and bade the
driver stop-opposite the door of a wine
merchants Office.
"Grandfather," said the girl, "may 1
wait for you in the cab?"
Certainly not" he answered with de.
cision. 81 wish you to see men and things
as part of your education. Live and learn,
MaisrIe-every moment of your life"
Leaving the Scotch plaid in the cab, he
crossed the pavement and went into the
Office, she meekIy following. The wine mer-
chant was sent for, and presently he made
his appearance.
Good afternoon, Mr.. Glover" cid George
Bethune said, with something of an air Of
quiet patronage, II wish to order some
claret from you.'
The tall, bald, bland-looking person whom
ne addressed did not seem to receive this news
with any joy; but the young lady was there,
and he was bound to be courteous; so he
asked Mr.. Bethune to be kind enough to
step into back premises where he would put
remaining where she stood; but her grand
father bade her come along; so she also went
with them into the back portion of the es-
tablishment, where she was accommodated
with a chair. AT this table there were no
illustrated books to which she could turn
there were only bottles, glasses, corkscrews,
and plateful of wine-biScuirs; so that she
kept her eyes fixed on the foor-and was
forced to listen.
''Claret, Mr.. Glover" said the old man,
with certain sententiousness and assump-
tion Of Importance that he had not displayed
in speaking to Lord Musselburgh, "claret
was in former DAYS the national drink
Scotland-owing to the close alliance with
France, as you know-and the old Scotch
families naturally preserve the tradition.
So that you can hardly wonder If to one of
the name of Bethune a sound claret is
scarcely so much luxury as a necessity.
Why, sir, my ancestor, Maxim:lien de
Bethune Due de Sully, had the finest vine
yards in the whole of France: and it was
his privilege to furnish the roval table"
81 hope he got paid" the bland
wine-merchant said, with a bit of laugh;
but happening to glance towards the young
girl sitting there, and perceiving that the
pale and beautiful face had suddenly grown
surchanged with color, be, instantly, and
to stumble on
''Oh, yes, of course" be said, hastily; "a
great honor-naturally-the royal table-a
great honor indeed-I quite understand
the Due de Sully, did you say ?-oh, yes
q great statesman"
'The greatest fnancier France has ever
possessed" the old man said, grandlv.
Though he was by profession a soldier,
when he came TO tackle the finances of the
country, he paid of 200, ,0o0, 900 of livres-
the whole of the kings debts, in fact-and
filed the royal treasury. 1t is something to
bear his name, surely; 1 confess am proud
of it; but our family goes far further back
than the Due de Sully and the sixteenth
century. Why, sir" he continued, in his
stately manner, "wnen the royal Stewarts
were known only by their offce-Dapi er
or Seneschallus they were called-the
Beatons and BethHnes could boast
of their territorial designation. In
1434, when Magister John Seneschallus,
Provost of Methven, was appointed
one OF the Lords Auditors, it was Alexander
de Beaton who administered tie oath to
him-the same Alexander de Beaton who,
some two years thereafter, accompanied
Margaret Of Scotland to France, on her
marriage with the Dauphin. Yes, sir, 1
confess am proud to bear the name; and
perhaps i
about the last OF our possessions they have
left US. Balloray-"
He paused for a second, and there was a
break in his voice:
''Do you see that child?' he said, point
ing with a trembling forefnger to his grand
daughter. IF there were any right and
Justice, there sits the heiress of Balloray,"
sit was a famous lawsuit in its time"
the wine-merchant observed-but not look
ing in Maisrie's direction.
sit killed my father, and made me a
wanderer on the face of the earth, the old
man said; and then he raised his head
bravely.
well, no matter; they cannot rob me of
nv name; and am Bethune OF Balloray-
whoever has the. wide lands"
Now PERHAPS there still dwelt in the
breast of the suave looking wine merchant
some remorse of conscience over the remark
that had caused this pale and sensitive look
ing young creature to flush with conscious
shame; at all events he had quite abandoned
the somewhat grudging coldness with which
he had first received his customer; and when |
various samples ci claret had been brought |
from the cellar and placed on the able, it |
was the more expensive that he frankly and |
fully recommended. Nay, he was almost |
pressing. And again he called to his as
sistant, and bade him fetch particular
bottle of champagne; and when that was
opened, he himself poured out a glass and
offered il to the young lady, with biscuit
or two, and seemed concerned and distressed
when she thanked him and declined. The
end of this interview was that old George |
Bethune ordered a considerable quantity of |
claret; and carried awaY with him lor i'm |
mediate use case o: II bottles, which was
put into the our-wheeled cab
Park street, Mayfair, occupies a promi- |
nent position in the fashionable quarter of |
London, but from it at intervals run one or
Two smaller thoroughfares, sometimes end |
ing in stables, the dwellings in which are of |
4 quite modest and unpretentious appear
ance. 1t was to one of these smaller thor
oughfares that George Bethune and his |
now drove, and when they |
had entered the quiet little house and as
cended to the first foor, they found that |
linner was laid on the table, for the evening
was now far advanced. When they were
ready the frugal banquet was also ready, |
md the old man seated at the head of the /
able with Maisrie en- his right soon grew
eloquent about the virtues OF the bottle OF |
,laret which he had just opened. The girl,
who did not take any wine, seemed hardly |
10 hear. She was more thoughtful even
han usual perhaps, indeed, there was
! trace OF sadness in the delicate, pen
i've features. When the fresh-colored /
Iervant lass brought in the things and
to remain in the room for a second
or two, Maisrie made some pretense of
her grandfather; then, when they
we're left alone again, she relapsed into
silence, and let him ramble on as be pleased.
And he was in a satisfied and garrulous
mood. The evening was fine and warm
The open window behind them they had lett
open. He approved of the lodging-nouse
cookery; he emphatically praised the clarer
with the conviction of one who knew. Din |
ner, in fact, was half way over before the
girl, looking up with her beauti ul, clear,
limpid eyes-beautilul although they were
SO strangely wistiul-ventured to say any
hing.
Grandfather" she asked, with obvious
hesitation, "did-did Lord Musselbnrgh-
give you-something toward the publication
of that book?"
"Why, yes, yes, yes, certainly" the old |
man said, with much cheerfulness. Seer
Gnrnatbin0 en- hSfo nfiol foa Ub-