Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-02-14

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We mind haddin' then on yir knee till
we're over, an keep firm in yir seat in
case we come on a stane in the bed O.
the river"
By this time they had come to the
edge, and it was not cheering sight.
The Tochty had spread out over the
meadows, and while they waited they
could see 1t cover another two inches
on the trunk Of tree. There are sum-
mer floods, when the water Is blown
and fiecked with foam, but this was
winter food, which is black and sui
len, and runs in the center with
strong, fierce, silent current. Upon
the opposite side Hillocks stood to give
directions by word and hand, as the
ford was on his land, and none knew
the Tochty better.
They passed through the shallow
water without mishap, save when the
wheel struck a hidden stone or fell
suddenly into rut; but when they
neared the body of the river MacLure
halted to give Jess breathing.
at ill take ye a yir time, lass, an a
wud rather be on yir back; but ye
never failed me yet, an wumman's
life is hangin' on the crossin'."
Will. the first plunge into the bed OF
the stream the water rose to the axles,
and then it crept up to the shafts, sc
that the surgeon could feel it tapping
in about his feet, while the dogcart be-
gan to quiver, and it seemed as if il
were to be carried away. Sir George
was as brave as most men, but he had
never forded Highland river in flood,
and the mass of black water racing
past beneath, before, benin him, af.
fected his Imagination and shook his
nerves. He rose from his seat and or
dered MacLure to turn back, declaring
that he would be condemned utterly
and eternally if he allowed himself to
be drowned for any person.
"Sit DOOM" thundered MacLure;
condemned We will be suner or later
gin ye shirk yir duty, but through the
water ye gang the day"
Both men spoke much more strongly
and shortly, but this is what they in
tended to say. and it was MacLure
that prevailed.
Jess trailed her feet along the ground
with cunning art, and held her sboul-
der against the stream; MacLure
leaned forward in his seat, rein in
each hand, and his eyes fixed on Hill
locks, who was now standing up to the
waist in water, shouting directions and
cheering on horse and driver.
"Haud tae the RIGHT, doctor; there's
hole yonder. Keep oot OF for ony
sake. That's it; yir daein' fine. Steady,
man, steady. Yir at the deepest; sit
heavy in yir seats. Up the channel moo,
an ye'ill be oot o. the swirl Weel
dune, Jess, weel dune, auld mare!
Max STRAIGHT for me, doctor, an all gle
We the road oot. Ma word, ye've dune
| yir best, bath o. ye this mornin'," cried
Hillocks, splashing up to the dogcart.
''Sall, it ives itch an go for a
meenut in the middle; Hielan' ford is
kittle (hazardous) road in the snaw
! time, but ye're safe moo.
| "Gude luck tae ye up at Westerton,
! sir; name but richt-hearted man wud
! hae riskit the Tochty in flood. Ye're
: boond tae succeed after sic a graund be-
! ginnin'," for it had spread already that
| famous surgeon had come to do his
best for Annie, Tammas Mitchelfs
wife.
Two hours later MacLure came out
! from Annie's room and laid hold OF
! Tammas, a heap of speechless misery
by the kitchen fire, and carried him off
to the barn, and spread some corn on
/ the threshing floor and thrust fail
| into his hands.
moo we've tae begin, an we Ill no
be dune for an oor, and ye've tae lay on
withoot stoppin' till a come for We, an
all shut the door tae haud in the noise,
an keep yir dog beside ye, for there
maunna be cheep aboot the hoose for
Annie's sake"
'A'u dse onythius ye want me, bpt
S=if5"