The times., 1897-10-31
THF qoRMEs AT THEFEAsT.


THE GoRBEs AT THEFEAsT.
Now when after all, the call came to
the parish stnlsI was placed there with
the solemn laying on OF hands of the
presbytery, thought that the strirlHgs
OF my lille had Come to an end. Wbefeas
had | known 1T, they We're but beginning.
For the soil was being ia attened for the
crop OF troubles,I was TO harvest ere many
years had Come and gone.
Straight ana oierous were the charges
the reverend brethren laid upon me. had
been OF the iIili-foIk iii my youth SO was
reminded. 1t might be that | was not
yet pnrged of the evil faint Earnestness
in labor would lot avail alone. | must
keep me in sutjetaion to the powers that
De. | mnst purge myself of partial counsel
and preach the gospel in moderation
with various other charges which | pass
over in silence.
Yet l had tie conceit within me that |
knew better than these men could tell me.
what Had come TO Raimashie to perfornl
minded me every day uf the Beunan
top and OF the men that had been slain on
tine i.eatHer specially ON the p6or lad in the
brown coat. Aud was noways inclined To
| be over lenient withtho who had wrought
stood by with their hands In their pockets
| aad whistled while the deed was beingdone.
! After tie ofdlnation. as was the custom,
| there was q great dinner spread in a long
! tent, set 10 by the kirk cachan.
! Here the Presbytery, the elders, ara
such OF the leading men of the parish
rs We're free or scandal few enough there
We're OF these!-were entertained at the
/ expense or the session.
one there was among the brethren who
had watched me keenly all the da :, Cam
eron, minister or Kirkcudbrieht, an uuc-
tuousy smiling man. but with side long
! and dubious eye that could not meet yours
| IIehdd thereputeof greatlearningi and was
| besides of highest consideration among the
mem beTs, beeE.use ne was the blood brother
of the famous Richard Cameron, VIM died
! at Ayrsnoss in the year OF 1880
As for me, l talked mostly to a little,
wizened. hump-sbouldered man with Is
nassock of black hair, " which cameover his
forehead. and great eyes that looked out
on either side Of a sharp nose peeping
| birdlike man, ! found him to be, one Tel
fair OF Rerrick the great authority in
the South count:yton ghosts and all mani
| festaticns OF the devil.
MebHlUkS Iu1 sptFlE Oh eNlI u once more
abroad" l heard Telfair say in a shriil
falsette "Rerrick hath seen nothing like
1t since the famous affair OF the Ringcroft
visitation. SO fully rccounted in n1y little
panphlet-w bicn as yoa are aware, has run
| through several editions not alone in Sect
land, but also among the wise and learned
| folk OF London The late King even or
dered elpy for himself and was pleased To
] n, n
III All his life before; and, by the grace ot
God, he never would again. Was u4r taat
compliment freIn 50 great a prince2"
"A compliment indeed' cried Cameron.
of Kirkcudbright, notlding his head ironI-
| cally, but watching me all the tine as l
talked with Nathan Genmell, OF Drumgiass;
| .'but what is the new portent?''
" Tis bat the flatter Of a child near the
village of 0rraIand, which. as all the world
knows, is she heart Of my parish a BARN,
the son of ver~ respectable folk, looking out
upon the faoon. had vision OF man in red
appatcl cutting the moon in two with
sword of flame. The child screamed and
ran in to it's Inother TO tell the marvel.
And as soon as they came to me l said:
THERE'S that to be done today which shall
cut the Kirk of God in twain within the
bounds OF this Presbytery Z"
Truly marvellous child" said Caui
eron, again Lodding, as he went about the
ordering Of his dinIer and calling the wait
ing folk TO bt quick, and SIT clean platters
before the presbyters-
Now said Telfair, 10, ng straight at
me, there haiti nothing tappened this
week in the pTesbytery save the ordaining
OF this young man. Think we that through
him there will come this breaking asunder
of the kirk9''
Cameron suiaied sardonlcally.
How an ye suppose it for moment?
Mr. Mac Cellau is q youth Of remarkable
| promise and ramon. We have, in deed, yet
TO learn whether there be aught behind
the sound aud show OF religion and respect
for the kirk
All this time DrumglasS was pouring forth,
without stint, his joy at my settlement
among thelu
Be never feared for the face o man.
young sI-,'' he cried; "be bold to declare
what We think and believe, and gif We ken
what ye want and earnestly pursue it,
there are few things that ye viii not at.
tain IN this world.''
Atlong and last the day came TO an end.
The MINISTERS Of the presbyterv, one b,
one, took horse orsferry, and so departed.
1 Went with NaLhap Gemmeli over TO the
house or Drusnglass; for was deadly wea-
Tied, and tie voice Of Nathan uplifted "
tell of odd things was like the pleasant lap,
pering of water on the sides OF boat in
which one rocks and dreams. Indeed.
was scerce conscious OF a word he said
till in tie gloan Of the trees and the
creamy evening light We met two lassies
Jean and Ale xander Jonita.
As we came within the shadow they two
divided the one from the other, the wild
lass gong to her fathers side, Jean being
left to ceme 70 mine.
81 saw you not at the ordination, Alex.
ander-J Jonita," said her father.
no" she answered, sharply; sit was q
brave day for the nowt TO stray, aud there
was never man, woman or bairn about