Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-01-28
A STRUGGLIN ClIIEL.

NAd diito tiltl tlc NlSllCN ty lOuIlSlS
frae a parts. Some auld beeches pro-
tected us frae the SINNERS heat an win
ter's cauld, an we were vera hoppy the
| gither afore oor separation. But we
were sue puir i those far back days!
| Mother wore the same manteele year
after year, an fayther's claes an mine
were always O. raploch, II vera coarse
cloth. Yet oor chimla lug was warm
spot an | hae na seen its equal sim. Fay
ther was simply unlucky, an rither an
me often suffered i consequence. Sac
little O beuk learnin fell to my share,
nor did blame my parents for it. But
had my ain way to max, an sune re-
solved that wad gae to Edinburgh to
max it. But puir mither wasna willin.
"Better bide at hame, laddie." she wad
whisper again IN again. Stay wi fay
ther an me, an dinnn fret"
But we'll a be starvin," wad argue
i turn. Better let me gang AVA j.
search O. siller."
mo. Jockie! Dinna think aboot it!
Edinburgh is IL Draw town an wicked
one! Dunblane an the Allan are far
better"
Sac, though secretly rebelled. still
staid j. the auld home, wi little to eat
save waterbrose, which mither made O.
meal an water, wi'oot the pleasant addi-
ton O. milk an butter.
An then cam the struggle of which
mann tell, recht there i Dunblane.
warked wi fayther at any days labor
that cam to his diligent hand. hi one arl-
tumn mornin it CHANGED to bc DOT Kip
penross way. We walked alang the
Allan i silence. niver ance lool1in up at
the grand auld beeches owrehed. for
wo were bath thinkin an thinkin hard.
My cen We're on the groun. or wadna
haze foun wat did. 1t was something
brecht an shinin directly i my path. an
stoopt an poclsited it i flash.
Wat was it," asEt fayther carelsssly.
IA Draw bit o u pebble" answered.
"It can gae on mithers shelf" An wi
that We hurried on to the wark that
waited us.
But inony times that day drew forth
the stane an leukt it owre. That it was
mair than u pebble had kenned at first
glance. If it was really diamond. who
was its owner? There We're lairtls an
ladies ma sac far AVA, un they often cam
to walk ulang the bonnie Allan. Perhaps
hue and cry wad be raised aboot the
lost jewel. Or it might haze lain for
weeks. juist where foun it, and there
wad be Nh further question. / the latter
case could gae to Edinburgh an sell my
lucky find. an sac get a start j life. such
as had lang hoped for. didna step to
think how wrasg it wad a be, for had
but my ain selfish advancement III view.
Where's the pebble you foun for
mither. Jock" askt fayther that nicit.
Il maun hae lost it again" stam-
mered. for it was my first lie to either
him or nitEcr. wanted to tell them
the trowth then an there. but yet KEEP
it back because was sac placl,less, for
Tthey wad bath gay, Your pebble may
prove diamond, an you maun find its
riyhtfu' owner. Jockie Blackjack" But
that wnsna ut a to my notion, an stole
out under the moon an stars instead,
to be alane wi my struggle tween recht
and wlang. An ivry ance an awhile l
wad leuk the stane in my pockit owre.
Wat a sparkle 1t had! Perhaps it was
worth hundred pounds or mair! An
whose was it? Weel. l hoped then that
might never ken.
But the vera next nicht, as / cam
slow from work along the Allan, saw
o man i II Draw velvet plaid seerchin
the spot where l had foun my stanc.
He had blackthorn stick i his han,
an ho was scatterin the beech leaves
recht an lef'. A second glance tauld
me it WIS auld Laird Kinross O Edin-
burgh. who had shootin box near by.
He didna leuk up at my approach. an
juist stood an watched him i silence. /
wanted to pass on. but somehow
couldna do it, for the brecht thing he
seercht for was in my pocllit. Conscience
whispert, BE honest an true, Jock
Blacklock!" But satan shoutit: "Keep
the auld laird's stane! He has many
anither. an this ane will gle you stert
Edinburgh" Sac l hcsitatcd for q
spell.
But Laird Kinross leukt up at las
my gnde lad" he said kindly, II hae
lost a diamond O. mooch value. It was
yestermorn when we cam through to the
hunt, an it was recht here by the Allan.
Perhaps you hae heard o its tindin."
An the guide God aboon gied me
strength to answer, II hae, my laird"
His keen gray cen quickly leulst me
owre. You may hae foun it your aim
SELL"
An answered again: 81 did that, my
laird, an here is your precious stane. 1t
has been load on my heart an con-
science, though licht us bit feather i
my pockit."
"You wanted to keep ity" he speirt as
he TUX it frae my tremblin ham,"
Eyes, my laird"
"But you hae been an honest lad for a
that, IAN shall reward you as you de-
serve. Wat is your namc?"
"Jock Blackjack, my laird"
"Aye, mayhap descendant O the puir