The times., 1897-12-05
u u x Ill

XXXII.
THE DEMONIAC In THE GARRET.
AS all may understand, it was with
bowed head and a crushed heart that
bent my steps toward the gray tower, sit
ting 30 sJiiIy among Lne iedIage OF tile
wood above the water.
Duty is doubtless noble and virtue its
own reward. but when there is a lass in
the question why, il is somewhat harder
to go against her viii than TO counter all
the law and the prophets.
As / came witnin sigIJ OF the tower one
Hugh Halliday, an old servant of the
Gordons, came running toward ME.
Minister minister - he cried, ye
mauna Come here. The ma lister has gotten
the possession by evil spirits. He swears
that II minister come near him he Will
brain him, and he has taken his sword and
pistols into the garrett under the roof, and
he cries out constantly il any man stir Linn
he VIII surely die the DEATH
But, / answ ered ''be will not kill
me, who have had no hand in the mat
ter-me who have also been perse-
cuted by the presbytery and by them de-
posed
An, laddie," said the old man, shaking
his palsied hand warnlngly al me, 'ye little
ken the laird II ye think that when the
power o evil comes over him he bides TO
think. he lets drive RIGHT anu left, and a ,
that remains is TO sinder the dead ira e the
leevin-or TO gather up the fragments that
remain in baskets and corn bags and sic
like.
For instance, there was Gleg Toshie,
the carrier, tnat was counted great man
o hisneiyes, and at the Carlin 'sCalrn Sandy
the laird, mean-cam' on Toshie spyin'
on him, or so he tLocht. An oor maister
near ended him when he laid hand on him.
Haud off, cried Peter Pearson, the
curate. 'Wad ye kill thenan ,Earlstoun?
wad XIII him and eat him, too cries
the laird, as he gied hun aye Tie liner
drive wi ms fist. o, he's far frae canny
when he's raised
Nevertheless, l Will see him., said /;
Il have my message to deliver"
fThen / hope and trust ye hae made
your peace WI your maker, for We will
come doom frae that laft a dead stiff
corp, and that ye'e see.''
BY the gate the lady OF Earlstoun was
walking to and fro, wringing her hands.
and praying aloud.
Wrath, wrath, and dismay have fallen
on this house" she cried. The five walls
are poured out. And there yet remains
the sixth vial. o, Sandy, my man, that
1t should come 10 this That he should
take the roofs like pelican in the ucsert
anu SIX charges o pOoder in yon flask,
forDye swords and pISlois ana tnen me
sWearin'-nae minced oaths, but as braid
as the back o. Cairnsmutr. Aae's me Tor
Sandy, the man o. my choice. A carnal
man was Sandy a the days O. hlm--a man
no to be ruled nor yet spoken to, but rather
ike a lion To be withstood. But then a
little while and his spirit would come on
him like the spirit OF a little child
We could hear as We walked and COM
muned growing somewhere far above
Ike the growing OF a Gagged wild beast
&c eNasa aa~.e
come to rend him." she said Hear to
him; he is hard at it, cursing the Presby
terry ana a ministers. He is sorest upon
those that he has like d best, as indeed the
possessed ever are. He says that he knows
Dot why he is restrained from Draining
me, that have been his wife these many
sotroWful years. But thus far he hath been
Kept from doing any great injury. Even
lhe servant man that brought the message
from his master, Boyd, summoning Alex
ander TO appear before the Presbytery. he
cast by maiu force nto the Well. and il the
man mad not caught the rope, and SO gone
down more slowly To the bottom, he wouId
surely have been dashed TO pieces"
But how long has he been thus7,
saiu, Tor as We listened quaking. the
noise waxed and grew louder. Then anon
l. would diminish almost like the bowling
OF a dog, most horrid and uncann y To hear
Ever since yesterday at the hour when
ne gat the summons from the Presbytery.1
said the lady of Earlstouu.
And have none been near him since
that tlme?" ''n0e
only Mary" she said, s'she took nm
20 hiIn bowi of broth. For he has never
hfted ms hand TO her in his life. He bada
hef begone quickly, because be WAS NO rir
company Tor human kind any mora She
asked him TO come TO his own charnhar
and lie down In peace. But he cried ont
ehdt the ministers were Coming and that
she must not stand in the way. For he
' as about to shoot them all dead uI,o
the blacR hoodie-craws that pvke the
young lambs cen. ~ me- 'no
And bonny bit lamb We sra faith
er' said Mary, trying to Jest with him
70 divert his mind, a bonny iarnh In
DEED with that great muckle heather basoTo
or beard 'eSoin
but instead of laughing he cursad bo-
Ior an lmpudent wench, and told har -,
besone, That she was no daughter of his ;,
as he been oftentimes thus?,,
IL has come to him once or t,r,oo
SINCE ne was threatened with torture harore
cue ioros or the privy council, and brare
=, JuV upon them all as has often been told
nut never before like this
VIII go to him. / said. stand nj
JuTe MIN To return to himself. will av-
osclse Vne demon, IL power be granted me
pray you do noty' she cried, catch
ing me anu looking at me even more earn
es1iy than her daughter had done, thouph
perhaps, some what less knowingly. LET
OF EariSfnuT, -AoSeo