The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-11-02
BLINDMAN'S HOLIDAY.
CHAPTER I.

vino gave him little rest night or oay'
for when the lights were out and the
loom laid aside, his brain was still con-
demned to be weaving imaginary plans
for the future when the long working DAY
should be over.
The taskmaster who drove him so pitt
lessly was fear of the workhouse. 1t was
great bare building with cold stone
walls, and it seemed to grow larger and
nearer as his sight waxed DINNER and
yet more dim. What else was to become
of him when blindness overlook him
rs he knew must soon be the case-unless
the ransom could be paid to save Nun
from the fate he dreadedT
Angus Blair was an old man IN every
thing except years. His hair was thin
and scant. and his back was bowed with
constant bending over his work. Inc
poor begin life sooner than the well-Lo-
do in the world. He had scarcely had
holiday since the time when ne was
wears old, and used to trudge to the mill
before day break on bleak winter morn
ings, rubbing his sleepy eyes with small
red fists.
But now he was saving. He felt quite
q miser to think of the little hoard Iald
carefully away. Soon The long holiday
must come when he would be opllgeu 10
rest, and would have nothing to DO Dut
wander over the braes with Marget, and
feel the fresh air blow on his face. why,
he would grow quite young again. 10
long for MISUNDERSTANDING that such
should ever come to be the end OF hu-
man desire.
The holiday need not have been so long
deferred had it not been for Marget; but
one could more readily have wished Ter
the last ray of sunlight to fade that the
evening might come more quickly, tnan
Angus have grudged the time 10 the
child. So much brightness had not shone
on his path that he could have Afforded
30 lose this incarnation OF sunshine.
All the beauty OF clear skies and gllst-
ening waters, all the gladness to be
cleaned from the broad nelds Of nature.
had become part of Marget. The wild
freshness of the highland breeze was re-
animate in her childish form, aud 1ound
u voice in her song.
In the daytime she rambled barefoot
over the heather hills; but the half hour
between the lights when Angus paused
from his Iabors, she would not tor any
thing have missed.
'Ye wouldna like to pass your blind
mans holiday all your lane?" she said
once, and Angus gripped the small hand
lying on his knee tightly, as he an
swered:
at wouldna be holiday, syne 'twould
be hantle mRir dowie than aught be-
side"
Marget was not his own child. though
he had almost come TO look upon her as
such. To her he was simply Angus as
he was TO the others. 1t was three years
since he had found her upon the brae on
his way home from the town. puny,
siekly thing, wrapped in an old plaid
shawl.
'Ie surely Wilma be for keeping her;
it will never do for you 10 be shackled
wiz BARN." said the neighbours; but they
were kind and helpful. nevertheless,
though they thought him fond DAFT
BODY to take upon himself the RESPONSE
bihty OF mite who scarcely looked four
summers old.
The minister busted himself in max
ing inquiries to solve the mystery or her
parentage. but nothing came 10 be
known. In the meantime Angus list
eped patiently to all the advice that was
given him, and just went the way his
simple heart directed, taking the child
with him to his home, and loving her
as tenderly as if she had been his daugh-
ter.
The months rolled on, and, day by day,
the two sat together IN the cleaning. IL
was then Angus used TO tell the child
stories of second sight, and weave le-
gends out of the odd assortment OF old
forgotten lore and weird Highland super
slition which he had amassed during the
course of his dreamy out OF the world
existence. There was one tale that had
made deep impression on Margeps
mind. but she never could get Angus TO
repeat ii; he always saying that he did
not rightly know the end, and that 1t was
but half q story, alter all.
Lang syne," Angus had told, there
lived a lassIe who was as bonny as a
princess in the fairy books. a cabin
! ~. Cd VNaio hoe no
dwelt in il, because o. the grace and
grandeur that surrounded her. her hair
was fui O. heavens gold, and TO think Of
her was to be minded of bluebelI among
the heather.
Every one lo'ed and courted the Prin-
cess and her kingdom stretched far and
wide. for wherever she did but cast her
cen there were those to do her homage.
There was q puir hunchback who lo'ed
her more dearly than aught beside, but
he just held his peace. W nat Tor should
he be troubling her-what should she
have to say to sic an auld rickety body
as he? \ ct she kennel RIGHT weel there
were name mair ready 10 do her q
service.
For a time she bided happily in her
ain kingdom, but at length she wearied
of 1t sac saiTly that 1t became nathing
mair TO her tn In prison. And often she
was lonesome and wac, and wandered
III Oh uOOl " bk buO ILLS kDdk noiS oct
round her CT pntry; yet could she gang
nae further because of the wolf that
haunted her ather's door and ever fol-
lowed her steps. AT first 1t had been as
familiar friend TO the Princess as DOu-
maids dog is TO him. for they had been
brought up together. and II had been her
companion frae BARN. But now IL had
shown its teeth, an she had been afeared
and tried TO escape frae 1t and frse the
kingdom where 1t prowIed on the watch
for all who were ma stout and brave.
MANY came who sought TO release her,
but she just look it doom on them in
scorn and pity. The glamour she shed
around seemed to inclose her in shining
tower that rose proud an high aboon the
heads of her subjects. Only the hunch-
back did ma come amang the rest, seeing
he had naething sharper than a weaver
shuttle, and the wolf could only be over
come by sne wha battled against it WI
weapons o. gold.
Then there came night, an at ane
touch of his sword the wolf lay doom as
be were dead; an the Princess gaed ava
wiz the knight an let him place the ring
on her finger as she had promised to the
one who should STAY the monster.
And because the hunchb back missed
her sairly, she used to send a beautiful
dresm-maiden in her likeness, and when
bis cen ached he had but to close them to
see her sitting by his ain tireside. AM
ika twilight the bonny dream used to
come for just one minut before it glided
and heightened AVA like a shadow, and
in the place where it had been was left
only wee maid glinting into the fire.
Once, as the hunchback WIS passing
over the boundaries of her kingdom, he
had met the Princess again. She was
greeting because she had returned to her
auld hame to find bath her father an
mlther dead. She was disguised a
beggsr-maid. and wrappit frae head to
loot IN vol o, darkness that name mipht