People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-02-14
THE POR7EI4.
a Story of the Inner Vision of the
Highlanders, Commonly Called
the Second Sight.
By GEORGE MACDONALD.
CHAPTER I.
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 a farmer Of
a few hundred acres. For, with the
exception of a narrow belt of arabic
land at its foot, a 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 it, and thought it a kingdom.
From my very childhood. l had re-
joiced in being alone The sense. of
room about me had been one of my
greatest delights Hence. when my
thoughts go back to those old years
it 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 Il wide eXpanSe of
moorland, rugged with height and hOl-
low, and dangerous with deep, dark
pools, but in many portions purple
with large-belled heather, and crowd
ed with cranberry and blueberry
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 Gov
cred with great blocks of stone. of all
shapes and siZeS-here crowded to-
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 steep part
of the hill, were three huge rocks
two projecting out of the HILL rather
than standing up from il, and one,
likewise projecting from the hill. but
lying across the tops of the two, so as
to form a 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 nv
hermitS cave, | lifted my eyes from
the volume | was reading | saw this
mountain before me. Very different
was its character from that of the
hill on which l was seated. 1t was a
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
sllyery lines Of falling streams, which.
hurrying from heaven to earth, cared
not how they went. so it was down
ward. Fearful stories were told of the
CULTS, sullen waters, and dizzy heights
upon that terrOr-haunted mountain. In
storms the wind rOared like thunder
in its cayerus and along the Jagged
sides of its cliffs. but at other times
that uplifted land-uplifted, vet secret
and full of diSmay-lay silent as a
cloud on the horizon.
One summer evening had fingered
longer than usual in my rocky re-
treat; had lain half dreaming in the
mouth of my cave till the shadows of
evening had fallen, and the cleaning
had decpened half way toward the
night.
The mountain rose before me a
huge mass Of gloom brit its several
peaks stood out against the sky with a
clear pure, sharp outline, and looked
nearer to me than the bulk from
which they rose heayenward. One
star tembled and tmObbed upon the
very tip of the Hottest, the central
peak, which seemed the spire of a
mighty temple where the light was
wOrshiped-c crowned, therefore. in the
darkness, with the emblem of the day.
l was lying, as | have said, with this
fancy still in my thought when sud
I denly heard, clear, though faint, and
far away, the sound as of an irOn-ShOd
hOOfS of horse. in a furious gallon.
along an uneven rocky surface. There
was a popularity, too, in the sound
certain tinkle. or clank, which
fancied myself able, by auricular anal
ySis, to distinguish from the body of
the sound. A terrOr-Strange even to
my experience-Seized me, and | hast
ened home. The sounds gradually died
away, as | descended the hill. Could
they have been an echo from some
precipicc of the mountain? | knew of
no road lying 50 that, if horse were
gallOping upon it, the sounds would be
reflected from the mountains to me.
The next day. in one of my rambleS.
found myself near the cottage of my
old fOStermOther. who was distantly
related to us, and was a 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 a healthy tableland, one
came with a sudden surprise. was
her frequent visitor. She was a tall.
thin, aged woman, with eager eyes.
and we'll defined, clear-cut features.
Her voice was harsh, but with an un-
|. dertone of great tenderness. She was
scrupulOuSly careful in her attire.
which was rather above her station.
Altogether, she had much the bearing
of gentlewoman. Her devotion to
me was quite mOtherly. Never having
had any family of her own, although
she had been the wife of one of my
fathers shepherds, she expended tine
whole maternity of her nature upon
me. She was my first resource in any
perplexity, for | was sure of all the
help she could give me.
ran down the side of the basin. and
entered the little cottage. Nurse was
seated on 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. |
knew that the neiOhhOrS stood ro+ho,.