The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1894-12-29
THE PORqENq.
A Story Of the Inner Vision OF the
Highlanders, Commonly Called
the Second Sight.
By GEORGE MACDONALD.
CHAPTER L
MY BOYHOOD.

spread family of the Campbells, and
| possessed a small landed property in
the north of Argyll. But although of
long descent and high connection, he
was no richer than many farmer Of
few hundred acres. For, with the
exception of narrow belt of arabic
land at its foot, bare hill formed al
most the whole of his possessions. The
sheep ate over it, and no doubt found
1t good. l bounded and climbed all
over 1t, and thought it kingdom.
From my very childhood, I had re-
joiced in being alone. The sense of
room about me had been one of my
greatest delights. Hence, when my
thoughts 60 back to those old years
1t Is not the house, nor the family
room, nor that in which l slept, that
first Of all rises before my inward
vision, but that desolate hill, the top
OF which was only wide expanse of
moorland, rugged with height and ho]-
low, and dangerous with deep, dark
pools, but in many portions purple
with large-belled heather, and crowd
ed with cranberry and BURBERRY
plants.
There was one spot upon the hill,
half way between the valley and the
mOOrland, which was my favOrite
haunt. This part of the hill was COW
cred with great blocks of stone, Of all
gether, like the slain where the battle
had been fiercest; there parting asun-
der from spaces of delicate green
OF sOftest grass. In the center of one
Of these green spots, on a steep part
of the hill, were three huge rocks
two projecting out of the hill, rather
than standing up from it. and one,
likewise projecting from the hill, but
lying across the tops of the two, so as
to form little cave. This was my
refuge, my home within a home, my
study-and, in the hot Moons, often my
sleeping chamber, and my house of
dreams.
On the opposite side of the valley.
another hill lay parallel to mine, and
behind it, at some miles distance, a
great mountain. AS often as. in my:
hermit's cave. lifted my eyes from
the volume l was reading l saw this
mountain before me. Very different
was its character from that of the
hill on which l was seated. 1t was
mighty thing. a chieftain of the race,
scanned and scared, featured with
chasms and precipices and overleaning
rocks, themselves as huge as hills; here
blackened with shade, there over
spread with glory; interlaced with the
silvery lines of falling streams. which,
hurTying from heaven to earth, cared
not how they went. so it was down.
ward. Fearful stories We're told of the
CULTS, sullen waters, aud dizzy heights
upon that errOr-haunted mountain. In
storms the wind roared like thunder
in its caverus and along the jagged
sides of its cliffs, but at other times
that uplifted land-uplifted, yet secret
and full of dislnay-lay silent as a
cloud ON the horizon.
One summer evening had fingered
longer than usual in my rocky re-:
treat; l had lain half dreaming in the
mouth of my cave till the shadows Of
evening had fallen, and the cleaning
had deepened half way toward the
night.
The mountain rose before me Il
huge mass of gloom. brit it's several
peaks stood out against the sky with
clear, pure, sharp outline, and looked
nearer to me than the bulk from
which they rose heavenward. One
star trembled and throbbed upon the
very tip of the loftiest, the central
peak, whkh seemed the spire of q
mighty temple where the light was
worshiped-cr therefore, in the
darkness, with the emblem of the day,
l was lying, as l have said, with this
fancy still in my thought, when sud
denly heard, clear, though faint, and
d. <,f a MI
hoofs Of horse, in a furious gallop,
along an uneven rocky surface. There
was a popularity, too, in the sound
a certain tinkle, or clank, which l
fancied myself able, by auricular anal
ysis, to distinguish from the body OF
the sound. A terror-strange even to
my seized me, and hast
ened home. The sounds gradually died
away, as I descended the hill. Gould
they have been an echo from some
precipicc of the mountain? I knew Of
no road lying so that, ii a horse were
galloping upon it, the sounds would be
reflected from the mountains to me.
The next day, I'M one OF my rambles,
l found myself near the cottage of my
old foster mother, who was distantly
related to us, and was q trusted ser
want in the family at the time was
born. For some years she lived alone
in a cottage, at the bottom of a deep
green circular hollow, upon which, In
walking over healthy tableland, one
came with sudden surprise. I was
her frequent visitor. She was a tall,
thin, aged woman, with eager eyes,
and well defined, clear-cut features.
Her voice was harsh, but with an I'M
dertone Of great tenderness. She was
scrnpulously careful lin her attire,
which was rather above her station.
Iran down the side OF the basin, and
entered the little cottage. Nurse was
seated on a chair by the wall, with her
usual knitting, a stocking, In one
hand; but her hands were motionless,
and her eyes wide open and fixed.
knnNu that the nQiQhh0rR stood rather