The morning news., 1894-10-21

! temDests howl among Skiddaw's dreary
/ scars or thunder along the "Stridtng
/ Ridge of mighty Hevellyn.
] found, in fact, had come into a new
world OF feeling and association: had
stepped from old England into older
Britain, intact and unimpaired by time
or change, and the elation Of discovery
was like wine within my veins.
With this environment and in this al
most eXultant mood / came TO a little
eerie in Southern Cumberland. near where
its hoary peaks peer over upon the still
mountainous but gentler nights and more
! peaceful lakes and glens of witching
WestmOreland.
It was tiny hollow in the highest hills,
a marvellous misty dell, set like an en-
erald nest between encircling pixies whose
gray old peaks were half in sunshine
and half in feathery, trailing cloud. Still,
as within nest, here and there lay brown
and mottled rounded clumps of trees and
stone, housing the almost inert life of
the quiet statesman community.
Spumy waterfalls hung ghostlly against
/ the crags. A dark line of FIR trimmed the
hollow at the base, and just where ] had
left the shadowy pass through which !
had come from Grasmere in search of
my own scant acres, quaint stone bridge,
perhaps as ancient as Devorgllla's gift
to olden Dumfries, in Scotland, 'panned
roaming stream, which tumbled melodi-
ously around the edge of the dale in it's
mad pace from the shawowy tarns above
to some invisible gorge below.
Ola stone walls, zigzag and sinuous di-
vided the dale into little steadlngs and
these again into tiny fields. Narrow, wind
ing lanes trailed in and about the low
gray abodes Of stone. and i'm the branches
OF the matted shrubs and trees overhang-
ing them birds fitted and sung as if
ever undisturbed by change of season or
by man.
But one outlook from this peaceful
scene was given. Away westward through
the mountains was a single rift in the
wall of stone Bright sunshine lay beyond
on the bosom of a slumberous valley
sapphire set with the lovely Vast Water,
with pUrpling mountains still beyond.
Cattle grazed lazily within tiny out
| reaching dells. Above these, almost like
the chamois of the Alps diminutive Um-
brian sheep scampered along perilous
lodges or leaped prettily from rock to
rock in quest of hidden banks of grass.
Cattle and sheep bells in innumerable
| varying tones, from seen and unseen
herds echoed and re-echoed until the spot
was vibrant with sweet and musical
sounds while through and over the lit
tie dale lay a warm and saftrony light
which limited of the mornings orange
the sunsets crimson and autumn s
dreamful, smoky haze.
'As stern as Switzerland, as melodious
as the Azores and as pastoral as Italy!'
l could not but eXclaim as l crossed
the ancient bridge and passed upward
through the dappled shadows of the lane
to the first stone cottage beyond.
l had come to it's jumbled outbuild-
ings and stood at the corner of the main
structure, which 1 could see faced the
exquisite outlook upon Vast Water. Two
other stone cottages stood along the lane
at almost equal distances from each
other nd 10 Oh, I ho1 Ao1
each perhaps a quarter of a mile apart.
The first one appeared to be deserted
and weazened old man, the only hui
man l had so far seen in the glen, stopped
for moment as he passed it and shook
his withered old fist toward it menac-
ingly.
a feeling came upon me that this cottage
and this man were in some way to be-
come concerned in my own mountain ex-
pertenCes; but it was only a fleeting
fancy instantly dispelled, for / heard
earnest and protestive voices but a few
feet distant, apparently proceeding from
the open space in front of the cottage at
whose corner / stood.
I'VE ha' glen ye five years, Betty Bam-
thet," came first in measured and re-
proachful tones 'on'y t ha' ye gle Matt
| Curbison tn sneck-posset (the cold
shoulder"
"Ay, fadder" This quietly and deter
minedly from some lass near the first
speaker.
An yere no nearer weedlock nor
| iver! added some elderly woman impa-
tiently and complainingly.
'Ay, mudder;" the lass responded in
the same set and dogged tone.
'Dost see Matt sheakin' ees fist at Z
aud place, Betty?'
'Ay, fadder!"
so cell sheak ee's fist at us, Betty"
of i'm che ,,,t
sheakin'. Afore I'd weed sec an auld
boyle banes, Td-Td cast myself i tn
beckr
''Lans marcyn whimpered the mother
in dismay.
"Ay, in tn beck. Did ye weed sec a boyle
banes? Was fadder sec a skinny, dried
/ auld chip? Did yere ane mudder worrit
yer heart still, till ye gaed in t sec a fate
mudder?"
The mother was silenced by this i'm
| petuous pleading, but the father spoke up
/ sternly and at once.
If yer gran mudder had tow'd her, do
this or yam, she'd a done it, Betty Bam-
thet She'd ne'er haddered out her poor
auld leefv
What dost ee mean, fadder?" retorted
| the gir Indignantly.
| 'Aw mean yere layin' a deadless curse
/ on us a, fra yer poapish ways. Who's
/ standn' atween our maxim tn three
t BTauiey pledCeS dltl-naDuQQy s claim [
| ither, an we'll get it for a sang!-but
/ yerseF? Lass lassr' he continued plead
/ ingly, 'ff yed on'y TAX auld Matt afore
/ ee drappit oaff Eel swat oot like a
rush-leet i tn weend. Betty, Betty!
/ Think over it; there's a sonsy lass. We'd
! ha' a tn daal atween us them
LAY, Betty, dear, think over it-think
/ over it," came wheedlingly from the
/ mother.
There was a little silence now. Then I
heard few firm steps moving toward the
father, and following these came caress-
ing sounds. l could not see the girl, but l
now knew she was standing beside him,
/ stroking his face and head softly. Then
| she spoke to him almost tenderly.
'Theer, theer, fadder. Gle me a wee bit
time I'll ma snabe (fiouD aul Matt mair.
1 Gle me four weeks, o'ny four weeks, fad
der. Then--if nabuddy cooms, fadder-
/ I'll talk auld Matt, skin, banes, powe,
barrow-back an a? Ye can gle me four
weeks fadder?"
"Ay, Betty, four weeks; ma mair, mind
Betty. An Wen ma tn three gradley
! pleaces aim
Laws a marcyr chimed in the mother
joyously. wen ha' Matt an Betty strut
tin ava L kurE wi a so1sv rowth O.
! fripO'sT'