Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-01-30

81 d1nne ken. / fear ma" returned.
Il am JUST the son o my fayther, James
Blackjack, an he is Dunblane born"
How wad you like to gae to Edin-
burgh!" he speirt next.
My heert gied great boun. Its the
ane wish o my life!" cried.
The old laird smiled. "Ane o my
friens there is banker. He needs an
honest lad O. your ain age, an you shall
hae the place as sune as you wish"
| fell on my knees i gratitude, but he
bid me rise at ance. "Hae you mither,
Jock?' he speirt again.
AYE, my laird"
'Then tax me to her an we'll arrange
aboot the Edinburgh matter"
led the way to oor cottage wi falter-
ing footstep. l had lied to fayther aboot
the "pebble," an how could / confess it
a to mither? She met US at the door
stane wi wond'rin cen, courtesyin low,
as was her humble fashion.
Il am Laird Kinross," the auld noble
man began. Your son Jock foun an re-
stored to me the diamond l had lost,
am
But juist here my ain fayther stepped
oot. "Was it the pebble you lied to me
aboot, Jock?"
An l had to admit that it was. Oh,
the shame an sorrow O wat wad other
wise hae bin the proodest minute o my
life.
at was a sair temptation" said guide
Laird Kinross. "Dinna be hard on the
lad. He is as honest as you an his mither
would wish him, an hae come to TAX
him AVA to Edinburgh, wi your con-
sent"
Fayther leukt at mither, mither leukt
at fayther, an then they bath leukt at
Laird Kinross. But l couldna leuk ane
O them i the cen, because O yestreen's
falsehood.
"Ye want Jock?" he stammered. "Oor
puir, weak Jock. Ye wad trust him
after a'l'
YES" said Laird Kinross, "a guide
place i an Edinburgh bank awaits him
if he will but tax it, wi your permis-
SION"
"Oh, Jockie!' sighed mither, 81 wad
hae staked my ain life ON your trowth,
but noo'-
HE shall max fresh start" pit i the
guide auld laird. "An you maun trust
him again for his youths sake!''
THAT we will, mitherv" cried fayther.
Jocks steady goin lad, but the findln
O the diamond turned his held. 1t was
his first lie, am
'It shall be my las'r' cried, wi a
burst o tears.
Mither kissed me then, an Laird Kin
ross TUX frae his pockit heavy purse,
also pittin han fu' O gowd ON the ha'
table. "It's for Jocks ootfit an his find
in O my diamond" he said. "Dinna re-
fuse it! the laddie deserves it a.; an on
the morrow he shall gae wi me to Edin-
burgh."
Sac fayther an mither thanked him
heartily, but couldna say word.
Laird Kinross pit his ungloved han on
my worthless held at parting-"Puir
laddie," he said. "It will be a guide les
son to you, an one you will niver forget.
God keep you a till the morrow An
wi that he ganged ava, his Draw plaid
flyin back on the stiff mornin breeze.
Then turned me quick to dear fay
TOlBit! L CIltu. l.
hae deceived you baithl But it shall ma
occur again l Ipromise to be true an
honest to the day O. my death an ne'er
disgrace the name you hae given mer'
You hae our blessing to TAX wi you
to Edinburgh" said fayther. "N1ither
an me will forgie an try to forget if we
can, but it was lie you told me, Jock;
always remember that. When you are
tempted again say to yourself, 4 told
fayther my first and las lie. l Gamma
tell anitherr"
Nor will l." cried sadly, as mither
kisst me ance mair.
went to Edinburgh the next day wi
Laird Kinross, as agreed upon. Mr..
Brayham, the banker, proved guide
maister. My position at the first was
lowly ane, but step by step l rose, as
any ither laddie can an will. Laird
Kinross' generous handful O gowd kept
fayther and mither free frae want till
was able to help them my ainseP. |
cam to America at las, and they didna
hesitate to come wi me. l prospered
here also an am moo called mon o
means. But the foundation O. my sue
cess was laid the autumn mornin | re-
stored to Laird Kinross his Draw dia-
mond against my own selfish desire.
Fayther and mither died five years
apart, an they bath died blessing me.
"You have been guide son." they said
i turn, "honest an true, as you promist.
God keep you, Jockie to the end?'
An their loving blessing follows me
still like constant benediction. Surely
they are watchin and waitin aboon. An
maun meet them there.-Mrs. Finley
Braden in New York Observer,