The herald., 1896-03-22

Cf1Af EN- 1.
LIFE AND DEATH OF MRS. WEIR.
The Lord Justice-Clerk was stranger
In that part of ths country; but his lady
wife was known there from a child, as her
race had been before her. The old riding
Rutherfords of Hermiston." of whom she
was the last descendant, had been famous
men of yore, i'll neighbours, i'll subjects,
and i'll husbands to their wives, though
not their properties. Tales of them were
rife in twenty miles about; and their name
was even printed in the page of or Scots
histories not always to their credit. One
bit the dust at Flodden: one was hanged
at his peel door by James the Fifth; an
other fell dead in carouse with Tom Dali
yell: while fourth land that was Jeans
own father died presiding at Hell-Fire
Club, of which he was the founder. There
We're many heads shaken in Crossmichael
at that judgment; the more so as the man
had villainous reputation among high and
low, and both with the godly and the
worldly. At that very hour of his demise,
he had ten going pleas before the session,
eight of them oppressive. And the same
doom extended even to his agents; his
grieve, that had been his right hand in
many left-hand business, being cast from
his horse one night and drowned in peat
hag on the Kyeskars; and his very doer
(although lawyers have long spoons) sur
viving him not long, and dying on sudden
in bloody flux.
In all these generations, while male
Rutherford was in the saddle with his
lads, or brawling in change-house. there
wo-l,i be always white-faced wife immur-
ed at home in the old peel. or the later
manson-h house. 1t seemed this succession
of martyrs bided long, but took their ven
geance in the end, and that was in the per
son of the last descendant. Jean. Sh'
bore the name of the Rutherfords, but sht
was the daughter of their trembling wives
At the first she was not wholly withou
charm. Neighbours recalled in her, as
child, strain of elfn wilfulness, gentl
little mutinies, sad little gaieties, even
morning gleam of beauty that was not tt
be fulfilled. She withered in the growing
and whether it was the sins of her sire!
or the sorrows of her mothers) came t.
her maturity depressed, and, as it were, de
faced; no blood of life in her. no grasp O.
gaiety; pious, anxious. tender, fearful, ant
incompetent.
1t was a wonder to many that she ha
Misunderstanding SO wholly OF tno Sui
that makes old maids. But chance cas-
her in the path of Adam Weir, then tn
new Lord Advocate, a recognised, rise
man, the conqueror of many obstacles, an
thus late in the day beginning to thin
upon a wife. He was one who locke
rather to obedience than beauty, yet !
would seem he was struck with her at tn
first look "Wha's she?" he said, turnin
to his host: and, when he had been TOLD
cay" says he, "she looks menseful. Sh
minds me-; and then, after a paus
(Which some have been daring enough
set down to sentimental recollections), 81
she releegious ?" he asked, and was shortl
after, at his own request, presented. Th
acquaintance, which it seems profane t
call a courtship, was pursued with MI
Weir's accustomed industry, and was Ion
a legend, or rather source of legends. i
the Parliament House. He was describe
coming, rosy with much port, into tn
drawing-room, walking direct up to tn
lady, and assailing her with pleasantries
to which the embarrassed fair one respond
ed, in what seemed kind of agony, Gel
Mr.. Weir!'' or "Oh Mr.. Weir!" or "Kee
me, Mr. Weir.' On the very eve of the en-
gagement, it was related that one ha
\awn near to the tender couple, and ha
erbeard the lady cry out, with the tone
one who talked for the sake Of talking