Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-03-29
A SCOTCH LEGEND.

In lonely glen surrounded by lofty
mountains and miles from any habitntion
lies a small loch, or tarn, around which
tradition has cast u legend OF the olden
time. Situnted amid the Gramplans, the
scenery is wild and rugged, such n scene
amid which tho wandcrcr may pause and
feel that tho hand OF man has never dis
turbed nature in her solitude
Years and years ago, when the turbulent
state Of Scotland rendered life and prop
erty insecure, a large amount Of treasure
was supposed TO have been thrown into
the loch, there TO escape detection and TO
await the return of peaceful times TO en-
able it to DO recovered 1t had been thrown
Into its hiding place In the night by those
who possessed It, and the secret had been
solemnly sworn to on the naked BLADE Of II
dirk, an old form Of highland oath, held
to be binding and sacred. Time passed,
and quiet times or necessity induced those
who held the secret TO attempt to recover
the treasure. In those primitive days OPP
pliancos were limited, and the first at
tempt failed from inability to reach the
bottom. Months were spent in the manu-
facture of rope from hides in hopes that
the dark water would yet give up tho COW
eted treasure it held within It's inky depths
BY different routes I'm the lone hours OF
night the holders OF the secret assembled
on the shores of this highland tarn and
vainly tried TO reach the bottom. Fathom
after fathom went down, but to no avail
Again and again, with increased lengths
of rope, did these midnight seekers after
gold prosecute their task, but to end in
disappointment. The loch yielded nothing
save now the almost certain fact that 1t
was unfathomable.
Years rolled away md no further ut
tempts were made, since, dispiritcd, they
agreed to sbandon the hopeless toll OF try
ing to fathom Lochnn Kin Dhoan, or the
bottomless loch, as they then styled It,
Nor was 1t over again attempted by those
who first essayed 1t, Subsequently, how
ever, to their last failure an incident oc-
ourrcd TINT in that age OF superstition cast
around the loch the weird belief that 1t
was haunted.
In baronlal keep lived chief In all
the rude pomp of feudal pride. His lady
had died and left an only daughter, who,
now grown up TO womanhood, presided
over the household. Her fathers temper
was naughty and imperious, and he ruled
every one around him with stern sway.
As was the custom In those days, he had
long been at enmity with u neighborlng
chief. But love laughs at highland pride
us well as at locksmiths. His neighbor
Ind a son, who became ennmored Of the
maiden. But how was the fatal gulS of
feudal strife to be bridgcdS Time went
on. Stolen interviews, when by accident
they met, or when her father was absent,
were all that the young hearts could CLEAN
from the stern hate of both the parents,
till, unable TO bear the long, weary weeks
that occasionally prevented their meetings,
the young chieftain determined TO beard
the lion In his den and demand the hand
Of his daughter. Accompanied by an cs-
cort, he arrived before the drawbridgc and
demanded an interview with the chief.
The interview over, the young chIeftain,
with heavy heart, recrossed that draw
bridge and DOTTED his bonnet to fair form
on the battloments
1t was some time before they again met.
The chief had used harsh words and harsh
measures to his daughter, but Glove will
find out the way" and at the next meet
ing of the lovers they had arranged 10
clope. The strong power OF woman q love
neryed her for the deed. The hcartless
home she was about to leave seemed to
pnlliate the act The temporary absence
Of the old chief afforded opportunity.
On q dark November evening about two
hours after sunset horse bearing the
young ohieftain and his intended bride
was vending its way with difficulty along
the rugged mountain path amid the dark
ness when the sound of horses hoofs was
heard. To turn was to encounter foes be-
hind as well as In front, If foes thoy were,
as doubtless tho flight of the lady had been
discovered Mt the castle. Besides the nature
of the ground and darkness rendered flight
1.nr H.. Al -. Ii
quietly await the chance Of being passed
in the darkness WIS ali that now remained
to tho youthful lovers. The night had
hitherto been dark, but still The wind
WAS now sweeping over the bleak moor
and hurrying the black clouds across the
sky with increasing violence. Tho young
chief felt tho fair hand TINT held his girdlo
tighten ms the sound of the horses hoofs
WINS heard, but no scream, no signs of
fear. All had az yet gone we'll when q
CLEAN of moonlight lit up the scene and
revealed u party of horscmen scarce 80
yards distant There was no time for de-
liberation. The young chieftain dashed
his spurs to his horse, and with bound
the noble animal was crossing the now
moonlit moor at full speed, hotly pursued
by the chief and his party. Capture, but
don't flreP' was the brief command
At first the lovers outstripped their pur-
suers. But the double burden began to
tell on tho young chieftnin's horse, and
the distance between lesscned The chief
WAS gaining on thcm at every stride, and
the pale moon still shone on the scene,
Suddenly, as II the earth had opened at
their feet, over the precipico that ovcrhangs
the Lochan Kin Dhoane, leaped tho horse
and his riders. An exclamation OF horror,
a wild yell Of agony from the chief as he
beheld this fatal leap. \ dull, heavy splash
In the deep, dark water beneath was all
that responded. From TINT hour 1t was
summed as fatal spot.
The story of tho treasure had been hand.
ed down from father to son, and party
of stout hearts again resolved to brave the
dangers that surrounded the scene of the
hidden gold A night was fixed. But
scarce had the task begun cro an arm and
hand, holding u naked dirk, is said to have
risen from the water and nn uncarthly
voice to have calculated, "Forbearl'-Ex-
ehaDup