Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1896-08-10

is not only pain but disgrace TO Us
of his family and clan. There are the
BARNS forby, the children and the hope
of Appin, that must be learned their
letters and how to hold a sword, III that
far country. Now, the tenants of Appin
have to pay rent to King George; bur
their hearts are stanch, they are true to
their chief; and what with love and
bit of pressure, and maybe threat or
two, the poor folk Scrape up second
rent for Ardshiel Well, David, I'm
the hand that carries it," and he struck
the belt about his body, so that the
guineaS rang.
DO they pay both? % I cried
cay, David, both,'' says he.
what? two rents?" repeated. :.
SAY, David" said he. Il told diff
ferent tale to yon captain man; but this
is the truth of it. And it's wonderful
to me how little pressure is needed.
But that's the handiwork of my good
kinsman and my fathers friend, James
of the Glens; James Stewart, that is:
Ardshiers half-brother. He it is that
gets the money ins and does the man
agement."
This was the first time heard the
name of that James Stewart, who after
ward became so famous at the time OF
his hanging But 1 took little heed at
the moment for all my mind was oc-
cupied with the generosity of these poor
HighlanderS
4 call it noble,'' l cried. I'm
Wing, or little better; but l call it
noble"
cay" said he, "ye're Wing, but
ye're gentleman; and that's what does
1t. Now, if We were one OF the cursed
race of Campbell, We would gnash your
teth to hear tell of it. Ii We were the
teeth shut together, and he ceased speak
ing. l have seen many a grim face, but
never a grimmer than Alan's when he
had named the Red Fox.
''And who is the Red Fox?' | asked,
daunted, but still curious.
''Who is hep cried Alan. "Weli, and
I'll tell you that. When the men of the
clans were broken at Culloden, and the
good cause went down, and the horses
rode over the fetlocks in the best blood
of the north, Ardshiel had to fee like
poor deer upon the mountains-he and
his lady and his BARNS. sair job we
had OF it before we got him shipped;
and while he still lay in the heather,
the English rogues, that couldnae come
They stripped him of his powers; they
stripped him of his lands; they plucked
the weapons from the hands OF MS
clansmen, that had borne arms for
thirty centuries; ay, and the very clothes
off their backs-so that it's now SIN to
wear a tartan plaid, and a man may be
cast into jail if he has but kilt about
his legs. One thing they couldnae kill.
That was the love the clansmen bore
their chief These guineas are the proof
of it. And now, in there steps man.
Campbell, red-headed Colin of Glen
ure--" -.
us that him you call the Red Fox?
said l.
sWill We bring me his brush?' cried
Alan fiercely. ''Ah, that's the man. In
Ee steps, and gets papers from King
George, to be so-called kings factor on
the lands of Appin. And at first he
sings small, and is hail-fellow-well-met
with Sheamus-thats James OF the
Glens, my chieftan's agent. But by and
by. that came to his ears that have
Just told you: how the poor commons
of Appin, the farmers and the
crofters and the boumen, were
wringing their very plaids to get sec
ond rent, and send it overseas for Ard
shiel and his poor BARNS What was 1t
We called it, when [ told We"
Il called it noble, Alan,' said |.
"And you little better than a common
Whigw cries Alan. but when it came
to Colin Roy, the black Campbell blood
in him ran wild He sat gnashing his
teeth at the wine table. What! should
a Stewart get a bite of bread, and him
not be able to prevent it! All! Red Fox,
II ever nOlu you aC gun ciu' 'ii
Lord have pity upon yeH' (Alan stopped
to swallow down his anger.) "WeH,
David, what does he do? He declares
all the farms to let. And thinks he, III
his black heart, I'll soon get other ten
ants that'll overbid these Stewards, and
Maccolls, and Macrobs for these are all
names in my clan, DAVID and then,
thinks he, 'Ardshiel will have to hold his
bonnet on a French roadside
well" said /, what followed?'
Alan laid down his pipe, which he
had long since suffered to go out, and
set his two hands upon his knees.
''Ay," said he, yell never guess that!
For these same Stewards, and Maccolls,
and Macrobs THAT had two rents to pay
one to King George by stark force, and
one TO Ardshiel by natural kindness),
Offered him better price than any
Campbell in all broad Scotland; and far
he sent seeking them-as far as to the
sides of Clyde and the cross of Edin-
burgh-seeking, and ffeeching. and beg
ging them to come, where there was
Stewart to be starved and red-headed
hound of Campbell to be pleasured!
''Well, ATan-" said |, this is strange
story, and fine one too And Wing
as | may be, / am glad the man was
beaten"
Him beaten?~ echoed Alan. Its lit
tie We ken of Campbells and less OF the
Red FOX E1lm beaten! NO, nor VIII
be, till his bloOd's ON the hillside! But
if the day comes, David man, that l can
find time and leisure for a bit of hunt
ing, there grows not enough heather in
all Scotland to- hide him from my ven
geance.'
~Man Alan,- said I, Eye are neither
very wise nor very Christian to blow off
so many words of anger. They will
do the man We call the Fox no harm,
and Yourself no good. Tell me your
tale plainly out What did he next?"
'"And that's good observe, David,
said Alan 'tTrOth and indeed, they will
do him NO harm; the mores the pity!
And barring that about Christianity (of
which my opinion is quite otherwise, or
I would be nae Christian / am much of
your mind"
"OpiniOn here or opinion there" said
1, '-it's a kent thing that Christianity
forbfls revenge"