The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-11-27

AhA As
I. Patrick Vernon, the younger, OF
Irongray, in Galloway. now private in
Col. Douglas regiment of dragons,
take pen in hand in order that i may
write for the easing of my heart the
story of a life wherein the bitter has
ever Tapped over the sweet, the evil
overflowed the good, and the faint visit
ings of worthy desire have been blown
away before the blasts Of pride and
black envy.
mind well how IL began. II was the
day ON which there came TO visit us that
best of ministers, good, simple Mr.. John
Welsh, Of Cludep. He had been over at
the Scaur preaching, and after the SER
mon and the scattering Of the folks
which as yet was done in peace, for
Clayerhouse had not then settled him
self down to watch the Galloway hill
folk at the bridge end of Dumfries-the
minister came ON with my father, John
Vernon, to dine ut our house OF Iron,
gray.
On the way he held converse with him
concerning duty and privilege.
"Ye have seven sons. John Vernon; 1t
behooves you to give one of them to
the Lord" said Mr.. Welsh to my Ia
ther. Eye are a man that, so far as the
times have sped. stand as yet in good
odor with them tbst are in high places.
You are a man substance. Well can
YOU afford to spend some of your living
on the educating Of one of your lads
for the preaching of the Word. Now,
have come so far to tell you thing
which it behooves you to give ear to.
There are four youths OF promise who
are going by ship to Rotterdam, on
their way to the College of Groningen-
William Gordon. of Earlstoun. lad OF
parts and promise, being one OF them.
Wherefore, then, having this good
chance, John Vernon, do you not send
one of yours with them, to skill himself
In the humanities; and afterward, II so
his heart incline, to be exercised In
sound divinity by Mr.. Bracket, OF Leeu-
warden, and the other great divines or
the pure reformed kirk Of HollandT
And my father lent not unwilling att
tendance, and considered Of the matter,
while /, who had been with him to the
conventicle. pricked up my ears and
listened. For SO soon as had heard OF
the journey TO Holland I was smitten
with very great desire to go.
1t was not that had any great call to
the preaching work-God wot. There
was never aught of that about me. But
Il may as well tell it out soon as syne)
there was lass over at the Torwood
that was fairly daft upon. She had SO
twiued herself about my heart that in
her presence / became but a little
whipping dog, that twists itself and.
0rovels in the dust to draw its mistress,
eye.
Isobel Weir was her name, and sweet.
maid she was-bonny, aye, beyond all.
In that countryside, and with such a SCI
rene. persuasive way with her that
there was nothing that she would have
asked that even heart of stone could
have refused. / loved her more than all
this world. and infinitely more than the
next. But me she would say no good
word to. For had the name of wild
ish lad, and one that was a deal better.
at the sword-play than at the seven
teen points of doctrine. But Isobel,
as became a daughter Of the Weirs Of
Torwood, was a true-blue maid OF the
Covenants. And many was the time she
told me that If wanted aught Of her
favor, must company with those who
sought the good way of her folk, and
shun the back-swording and the
weapon-showings where only the i'll
exampled and the unseemly congregate.
And SO for awhile, to the infinite
weary trial of my spirit, / did. Yea, for
the sake of Isobel Weir, attended the
cuveuticies, and kept watch and ward
for the coming of the prosecutors" over
the moor. Also sometimes when sat
near her my heart was glad, and me-
thought that had indeed found some
thing of the religion of which my
father and one or two of my brothers
were always speaking. But when for .
season l saw Isobel no more, and Glib