The record-union., 1893-05-06

over the bare fields. settling on the naked
ooughs IN chilly drops OF moisture. The
careful mother wrapped u plaid round
the boy and bade him run as he went to
Keep himself warm. Away sped Sandie
alohg the nigh road, driving a ball be-
lore hlin, anu running alter it to send it
hylng again with dexterous blow of his
SUCK, uh his pale cheeks glowed with
exercise, ana he overshot his mark, ran
past old Elspeth's cottage and had to be
recalled by Ellie.
1e maun pit the basket in her hand
your ain sell" she said, rs she led the re-
luctant child into the dark, close room,
where the old woman sat shiyering by
the nre, spreading her skinny hands over
she dying embers. But Sandie held back,
ana neither threatening nor coaXing
would induce him to move step nearer
70 Elspetn, so that, stigmatizing him as
"a dour limb" Etfie was Obliged to set
the basket on the table herself
IT'S just pudding and few broth
that Mistress Galbraith has sent ye, for
she's aye mindful o. the puir." she said,
as she set out the can and bowl before
the old woman. Elspeth looked with
oItter smile at the good things spread be-
fore her.
Its a. vera guide sac far as it gaes, but
gin I'd been the rich body, and Mistress
Galoralth the puir carline, l wad hae sent
her lnutchkin o. something stranger
than mutton broth. Does she no warm
her ain thrapple wiz drap whusky
hersel'?"
For shame, Elspeth! Ye maun just
TAX WHAT'S sent ye and be thanktu'n'
sad Ellie sharply; and turning to Sandie,
VINO stood gazing intently at the old
woman, w hat ails the bairn that he
Gamma taxi his eyes aft your face? IU's no
your beauty, Pm thinking, Eispeth, that
draws him sae''
The ill-favored old woman cackled to
herself, displaying a few yellow tusks,
the last survivors of set OF teeth that
had once been as white and strong as
Ef1ie's.
IT'S lang since man or BARN looked at
auld Elspeth VII sic gaze. What does
the BARN see i'll an ouId wite's face? Ye
suld look at the lasses, Sandie, lad" and
Elspeth stretched out her lean arm,
caught the boy by the wrist and drew
him towards her. She was a hideous old
woman, and in the gathering twilight,
when the red glare OF the emberS shed a
glow on her harsh features, she appeared
positively witch-like. Sandie suffered
himself to be drawn close to her as one
who walks in his sleep, with wide-open
eyes void of expression, and then stood
opposite her Tor moment pale and silent.
Before either of the women could speak
the child's voice was heard.
w hat for haze ye bawbies on your cen,
Elspeth Mctie, and a white claith lappit
under your chimp
Old Elspeth dropped Sandie's hand and
sank back with a groan. "Eftie, Etfie.
mark till him! The BARN has the second
sight, and he sees me stricket for the
grave, aye, and yell all see it sune!
1eel the mouls upon me already! TAX
MIN ava, TAX him ava, he's an awesome
bairn" and Sandie quietly put on his
cap and went out into the cold mist.
Fine followed him, and relieved her
fright and agitation by speaking sharply
to the child.
For shame of yourself, Sandie, to
fright an old woman wi' gruesome words
that ye never heard from your mither
nor met"
But what for suld Elspeth be frighted?
There were bawbies on her cen, and d
white claith round her held, and | Just
tauId her aboot it; and gin [ see the
like OF 1t on your face, Elite, 1 will tell
yep
MY certie! but ye'll be brent for war
lock gin ye read folks deaths on their
faces, and ye'd best haud your clavers!,'
And Ellie said no more, but thought
much on her way back to the farm. She
was sure that SandIe did not know the
meaning of his own words. He had
never seen dead body, and he did not
know how corpse is prepared for the
grave, and he certainly had no informa-
ton on the subject from books, for he
could not read. And the appearance he
described on old Elspeth's face did not
seem to frighten him. He had gazed at
her from the moment in which they en-
tered the cottage till they left it, but with
wonder and interest rather than fear.
The fright was for Elspeth McFie and
herself, and as she watched the child un-
Of h i L.
given, bounding along the road, still
playing with his ball and stick, Ellie
shuddered with vague and nameless
fears.
That night at supper Effie told her fel-
Iow-servantS of Sandie's weird words.
and they took counsel together whether
his mother should be told about it or not.
and they decided only to speak to her
If anything untoward happened to old
Elspeth. 1t was on Thursday that Etfie
had been sent to Eispeth McFie's cot
tage, and she resolved TO 90 there again
on her own account on the following
Sunday afternoon. Her native supersti7
uonS were strong upon her, though she
had never impaired them 10 her Young
charge, and she drew near to Elspeth cot
tage with boding heart. 1t scarcely sur
prised her when she entered to find old
Elspeth lying dead on the bed, with coins
on her eyes and a white cloth bound
round her head, precisely as Sandie had
seen her on Thursday.
Two women were in the room with the
dead, eager to tell how EIspeth had taken
TO her bed on Thursday evening, refused
bit or sup. and had died early that morn
ing. Efle trembled, but merely asked
of what old Elspeth died, for three days
before she seemed in no likelihood of
death. But the only account the women
could give OF her sudden death was that
she appeared to have no illness at all.
and tnat she had said, Pm no a sick
woman, but dying, and maun gael"
Effie fastened home to tell her mis-
tress everything, repeating faithfully
every word that old Elspeth and Sandie
had said on the previous Thursday, and
Mrs. Galbraith listened with white and
awe-struck face.
Yell just say naething about it. Effie:
it'll be a sair prejudice against the Door
barn, and stand III his way, gin folks
think Sandie has the second sight" and
Ellie did not think it necessary to mem
ton that every servant in the house was
acquainted with the result of her visit to
OLD Elspeth'S cottage. But she limited
that if she continued to wait on such an
awesome bairn, that might see the death
tokens on her face any day, and fright
her into an early grave, her wages should
be raised in proportion to the danger of
her service.
When Mrs. Galbraith told her husband
of Sandie's CHASTITY remark, its tragic re-
suit, and the child's Inconsistencies in
the matter, he disguised his fears that
possessed him beneath bluster of wrath.
and rated her and Ellie soundly. 1T
stands TO reason that the BARN Gamma
speak o. what he does na ken, and YOU
and Eifie, but mair likely Ellie than YOU
for l was used to think you a woman o.
senSe-hae been telling Sandie auld wives,
tales about the second sight, till he thinks
it tine thing to practice what we've
taught him, and the auld doitered fule
E,l.,nnrl, lila. ~