davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The herald., 1897-12-05

"Yet the man doth not live who doeth
good and sinneth not. So, because we
desire a minister, we would offer you
the strong sustaining hand. Though
you be not able at once to unite with
us, nor for the present to take upon
you our strait and heavy testimony.
yet because you are faithful to your
lights, we will stand by you and see
that no man hinder nor molest YOU"
And the others, beginning with Sir
Alexander Gordon, said likewise, 1--WE
will support you"
Then I knew that these men were
the leaders and elders among the Hill
Folk, and the ancient reverence to
which 1 was born took hold on me.
For had been brought up among
them as a lad, and my mother had
spoken to me of their great piety and
abounding steadfastness in the day Of
trouble. These were they who had
never tangled themselves with any en-
trapping engagements. They alone
were no seceders, for they had never
entered any State Church.
With a great price, had 1 obtained
this freedom, but these men were free
born.
II thank you, sirs," answered, bow
ing my head. II have sought to keep
in the past that I cannot hope to guide
my way Alright for the future. But one
thing I shall at least seek after, and
that is the glory Of the great King,
and the honor and independence of the
The herald., 1897-12-05

Kirk Of God in Scotland, Covenanted
and Suffering!"
The dark, stern-faced man spoke
again.
You are not yet one Of US. You have
yet far road to travel. But 1, that
am old, see vision. And one day you,
Quntin Mac Clellan, shall serve tables
among us. I shall not see it with the
eyes of flesh. For even now my days
are numbered and the tale of them Is
brief. Farewell! Be not afraid. The
Seven Thousand will stand behind you
No evil shall befall you. The Seven
Thousand have sworn it-they have
sworn it on the Holy Book in the place
Of Martyrs and in the House of Tears!"
and with that the six men went out
through the door, and were lost In the
darkness of the night. And the wind
from the waste swept in and the lowe
of the candle flickered eerily, as If they
had been visitants from another world
The herald., 1897-12-05
TO BE CONTINUED,
Contents Of a Woman's Handbac,

An inventory Of woman's handbag
picked up on the street Of a big city
not long ago showed the following list
of contents:
Paper Of hairpins.
Package of chewing gum.
Proofs of photographs.
Buttonhook.
Four short lead pencils.
Photograph Cracked in the middle.)
Six chocolate caramels.
Package of samples.
Tablets.
Small pocketbook containing change.
Card case.
One glove.
A garter buckle.
A broken brooch wrapped in tissue
paper.
A small bundle of darning cotton.
These, of course, are all Indicative
of character, and prove the owner to
be Of literary turn of mind, an indus
trious correspondent, fond of dress,
fond of good things, not too austere to
chew gum, mindful of her social obli-
cations, and withal an influential club
woman. No other article of the owners
belongings could give so many clews to
her habits, occupations, and idiosyn-
crasies as this we'll filled hand bag.
The herald., 1897-12-05
xxx.
SILENCE IS GOLDEN.

1t was not long before found my
self, almost against my will, skirting
the side Of the long Loeb Of Ken, on
the road to Earlstoun.
The lady Of the house met me by the
outer gate. When I came near her she
lifted up her hands.
Three times have We been warned,
The Lord will not deal always gently
with you. 1t is ill to run with the
hares and hunt with the hounds"
Mistress Gordon" said I, wherein
have now offended" For there was
no saying what cantrip she had taken
into her head.
"How was it, then," she said, "that
the talk went through the country
side that We were married to that las
sic Jean Gemmell on her dying bed p"
ut is true" said I. "but wherein was
the SIM
49," said she. "the sin was not in
the marrying, (though that was doubt
less silly caper and the lass so near
Deaths door, but in being married by
a minister of the Kirk Established and
Uncovenanted."
But what else could I have done?"
l hasted to make answer. There are
none other. For the Hill Folk have
never had an ordained minister, since
they took down James Renwick's body
from the gallow's tree, and wrapped
him gently in swaddling clothes for
his burial"
1T is even true" she said, "but I
would have gone unmarried till my
deaths day before 1 would have let an
Erastian servant of Belial couple me.
But 1 forgot-'tis not long since you
yourself escaped from that fold!"
So there she stood so long on the step
of the door and argued concerning the
points of faith and doctrine without
ever asking me in, that at last 1 grew
weary, and begged that she would per-
NIT me to sit and refresh me on the
step If the well-house, which was close
at hand.
AYE, surely, we may that!" she
made me answer, and again took up
her parable without further offer of
hospitality.
And even thus they found us, when
Mary and her father returned from
the hill, walking hand in hand, as was
their wont.
"Wi' Janet woman!" cried hearty AL
exander, what ails you at the minis.
ter that We have set him down there by
the waters O. Babylon, like a pelican
in the wilderness? Could We no hae
asked the laddie ben and gied him bite
and sup. Come. lad" cried he. reach
The herald., 1897-12-05
Xxx.
xxx.
THE FALL OF EARLSTOUN.

1t was toward the mellow end of Au-
gust that therc came a sough Of
things terrible, waited down the fair
glen Of the Kens-a sough which neith-
er lost in volume nor in bitterness,
when it turned into the wider strath Of
the Dee.
1t arrived in time at the manse Of
Balmaghie, as all things are sure to
turn manseward ere a day pass in the
land of Galloway.
One evening, in the quiet space be-
tw- en- the end Of hay and the first
sickle sweep of harvest, Hob came in
with more than his ordinary solemn
staidness.
But he said nothing till we were over
with the taking Of the Book, and ready
to go to bed. Then, as he was winding
the watch I had brought him from
Edinburgh, he glanced up once at me.
when ye were last at Earlstoun,"
he said, "heard ye any news?"
I thought he meant that Mary was
to be married, and it may be that my
face showed too clearly the anxiety of
the heart.
About Sandy himself" he hastened
to add.
about Alexander Gordon?" cried I,
in astonishment. what news would
hear about Alexander Gordon of Earls-
toun? He nodded, finished the winding
Of his horologe, held it gravely to his
ear to assure himself that it was 60
ing, and then nodded again.
"Well," he said, "the Presbytery have
had him complained of to them for
drunkenness, and worse. And they
will excommunicate him with the
greater accommodation, if he decline
their authority"
But Earlstoun is not Of their COM
munion," I cried, being much aston
ished, the matter being none of the
Presbytery's business. "He is Of the
Hill Folk, an elder and mainstay
among them for thirty years"
1.-The Presbytery have made it their
business, because he is a well-wisher
of yours" said Hob. Besides, the re-
port of it has gone abroad throughout
the land, and they say that the mat
ter will be brought before the next
General Meeting of the Societies"
"And in the meantime" 1 began.
"In the meantime" said Hob, those
of the Hill-folk who form the Commit
tee of Seven Thousand have suspend
ed him from his eldership."
Hob paused, as he ever did when he
had more to tell, and was considering
how to begin.
go on, Hob" cried I-testily enough,
fear.
"They say that his old seizure has
come again upon him. He sits in an
upper room like a beast, and will be
approached of none. And some declare
that, like King David, he feigns mad
The herald., 1897-12-05
you MUST HAVE LOVED HER." SHE SAID.

my disapproval, would not venture to
! tell me all.
Yet I feared that I had brought my
folk into a trouble which might in the
event prove a grievous enough one for
them.
But kind Providence watched over
them and me. Ever when it came to
the stormiest, the wind ceased, and
there was a blssful time of quetness
and peace.
Also there was that happened about
this time which brought us at least
quiet and security within our borders.
| 1t was, as l remember it, curly
night in late September, the wind COM
ing in gusts and swirling flaws from
every quarter, very evidently blowing
up for storm.
| Hob had come in and set him down
by the fire. lie was peeling a willow
wand for his basket-weaving and look
| ing into the embers. 1 could hear Mar
tina Little, our sharp-tongued servant
lass, Gathering among her pots and
pans in the kitchen. AS for me, was
among my books, deep in Greek, which
1 had been somewhat neglecting Of
| late.
| Suddenly there came loud knock
! ing at the outer door,
| looked at my plaid hung up to dry,
and bethought me who might be i'll
and in want of my ministrations such
a threatening night.
could hear Martha go to the door,
and the low murmur of voices without.
Then the door of the chamber opened,
and I saw the faces and forms of half
a dozen men in the passage.
"It has come at last" thought I, for
I expected that It might be the sheriff
and his men, come to eXpel me from
the kindly shelter of the manse. And,
though I should have submitted,
knew we'll that there would be blood
shed on the morrow among my own
folk.
But it turned out far otherwise.
The first who entered was tall,
thin, darksh man, with a white pal
lor of face and rigid fallen-in temples.
His eyes were fiery as burning GOALS,
deep set under his bushy eyebrows.
Following him came Sir Alexander
Gordon Of Earlstoun, and in the lee of
his mighty form-three or four others
douce, grave, hodden-gray men, every
one of them, earnest of eye and quiet
of carriage.
Hob went out, and I motioned them.
with courtesy and observance, to such
seats as my little study afforded.
AS usual, there We're stools every
where, with books upon them, and OBJ
served with what careful scrupulosity
the men laid them upon the table be-
fore sitting down. A Hebrew Bible lay
open on the desk, and one after an
other stopped over it with an eager
look of reverence.
I waited for them to speak.
1t was the tall, dark man who first
broke silence.
Reverend sir" he said, what my
name Is, it skills me not to tell. Enough
that I am a man that has suffered
much from the strivings Of feshly
thorns, from the prosecutions of un-
godly man. But now I am charged
with mission and a message.
you have been cast out of the kirk
from adherence to the ancient way.
Yet you have u!held in weakness and
the frailty of mortal man the banner
of the older Covenant. You are not
ignorant that there are Societies and
General Meetings of the Suffering Rem
nant who have never declined, as you
yourself have dine, from the plain way
Of conscience and righteousness.
The herald., 1897-12-05

platters and silver of price, the like Of
which I had never seen, save as it
might be in the house of the laird of
Girthon.
"Come your ways, SIR" she said,
briskly, "and help me with my work" :"
This I had been very glad to do, but
that knew her father was waiting for
me above.
} Right willingly" said I, "but Earls-
toun himself desires my presence"
She gave her shoulders a dainty lit
tie shrug in the foreign manner she
had learned from her cousin Kate Of
Lochinvar.
II think" she said, that the job at
which We would find my father can be
managed without your assistance
So, in the great chamber, I abode
very gratefully. And with the best will
in the world, set myself to the fetch
ing and carrying of dishes. the spread
ing Of table-cloths, fine as the driven
snow. And all the time my heart beat
fast within me. For had never been
so near this maid of the great folk. nor
so much as touched the robe that
rustled about her, sweet and dainty,
The herald., 1897-12-05

ripe grain rustled with the parched,
well-won sound that is music to the
farmers ear.
But If the gathering of the yeo-
manry had been spread by summons,
far more wide and impressive had been
the countercall sent throughout the
wide parish of Balmaghie.
For we knew that matters had come
to the perilous pinch with us, and if it
should be that the civil powers were
not turned aside now, all the past
watching and sacrifice would prove in
vain.
1t was about noon when the sentinels
reported that the sheriff, with his hun
dred horsemen, had crossed Dee water,
and were advancing by rapid stages
1t was Jonita's plan to draw together
the women also-for what purpose we
did not see. But since she had sum-
moned them herself. it was not for any
of us to say her nay.
So, by the roadside a mile from the
manse and kirk, Jonita had her, hun
dred-and-fifty or more women assem-
bled, old and young, mothers of fami-
lies and grandmothers thereof, young
maidens with the bushes on their
cheeks and the snood unloosed about
their hair.
Faith, spite of the grandmothers,
many a lad of us would have desired
to be of that company that day. But
AleXander-Joni would have none Of
us. We were to keep the castle-so she
commanded with gun and sword We
were to sit in our trenches about the
kirk, and let the women be our ad-
vance-guard.
So. when the trampling of horses
was heard, and the cavalcade came to
the narrows of the way. Halt" cried
AicXander-Jonita, suddenly. And. leap
ing out of the thcket like a young roe
of the mountains, she seized the sher-
iffs rein. At the same moment, her
hundred and fifty women trooped out
and stood, ranked and silent, right
across the path of the horsemen.
What do We here? Let go, besom!"
cried the sheriff.
go back to those that sent ye, Sher-
iff," cried Alexander-Jonta "for an ye
will put out our minister, ye must ride
over us and wet the feet of your horses
in our woman's blood"
"Out upon you, lass! Let men do
their work." cried the sheriff, who was
jolly rollicking man-and. moreover
as all knew. like most sheriffs, not un-
kindly disposed to the sex.
Leave you our minister alone to do
his work. / warrant he will not med
die with you'll" answered Alexander
Jonita.
Faith, but you are a well-plucked
one!" cried the sheriff, looking with ad-
miration on her, "but now out Of the
way with you, for must forward with
my work" ''t'
Sir" said the lass, I'VE may turn
where ye are, for we all will by no
means let you proceed one step nearer
to the kirk of Balmaghie this day!"
Forward" cried the sheriff loudly
to his men, thinking to intimidate the
women.
stand firm!" cried Alexander-Jon
clnging to the sheriff's bride rein.
And the company of yeomanry stood
still. For, being mostly householders
and fathers of families. they could not
bring themselves to charge a company
of women-as it might be their own
wives and daughters.
aye, forward" cried Alexander
Jonita, forward and ye shall have
great honor, Sheriff! More famous
than my Lord Marlborough shall We
be. Ride us down. Put your horses to
their speed. Be assured we will not
ninch!"
Time and again the sheriff tried, now
The herald., 1897-12-05
XVII.
ALEXANDER-JON VICTORY.
Addition by Hob Mac Clellan.l

Addition by Hob Mac Clellan.]
But as for my brother, concerning
whom was all this pother, he took no
hand in the matter. If the people
wished him there, they must maintain
him there. If the Master he served had
other fields of labor, He would break
down dykes and make plain his path
before him.
But as 1t was. he went about as usu-
al. with his pilgrim staff in his hand,
visiting the sick, succoring the poor,
lifting up the head Of weakness and
pain.
On the day when the sheriff came
with his men to the water-edge, Quintin
saw little cloud Of men running hith-
er and thither upon the river bank.
There Is surely some great ploy of
fishing afoot," he said, quietly, and so
let his eyes fall again contentedly upon
his book.
Faith tits easy to hoodwink learn
ed man." cried Alexander-Jonita, when
! told her.
1t was at this time that I grew to
love the lass yet more and more. For
she flashed hither and thither and
whereas she had been no great one for
housework hitherto. now since her sis
ter's death, she would be much more
indoors. Also with the old man, her
father. she was exceedingly patient in
his oftentime garrulity. But specially
in the defense of the parish on Quin-
tins behalf against the civil arm, she
was indefatigable.
Often she would go dressed as a
hcartsome young gallant, with clothes
that her own needle had made, her own
deft fingers fashioned. And in cavalier
attire, tell you, she took the eyes of
lass and lady. Once. when we rode by
Dee Bridge. a naughty dame sent back
her servant to ask Of me, whom she
took to be a man in waiting, the name
Of the young gentleman 1 served.
replied with dignity, "'Tis the
young Lord Alexander Johnstone!"
which was as near the truth as could
come at a quick venture.
In that crowning ploy, Of which I
have still to tell. it was Alexander
Jonita who played the leading part.
The sheriff, being admonished by his
legal superiors, and complained of by
the reverend court Of the Presbytery,
resolved to make bold push for it.
and at one blow to take final possess
sion of kirk and manse.
So he summoned the yeomanry of the
The herald., 1897-12-05
A Sportive Peeress.

Lady Florence Dixie, in addition to
her other multifarious occupations and
distinctions, is, or at least has been,
president of the British Ladies' Foot
ball asSOciation,-a well deserved honor
in view Of the fact that this active and
energetic sister Of the Marquis Of
Queensberry is one of the champion
football players among the women Of
the United Kingdom.
The herald., 1897-12-05
xviii.
THE ELDERS OF THE HILL FOLK

THE ELDERS OF THE HILL FOLK.
1.-THE Narrative taken up again by
Quintin Mac Clellan.1
1t was long before I could see clearly
the way I should go, after that dismal
day and night, of which I have told
the tale.
1t seemed as If there was no good
ness on the earth, no use in my work,
no right or excellency in the battle
had fought and the sacrifice l had
made. Ought 1 even now to give way?
Surely God had not meant a man so
poor in spirit, so easily cast down, to
hold aloft the Standard of His ancient
Kirk.
But nevertheless, here before me and
around me, present duty, were my
parish and my poor folk, so brave and
loyal and steadfast. Could I forsake
them? Daily I heard of their strug-
glings with the arm of flesh. Though
now Judge that Hob in some fear Of
The herald., 1897-12-05

threatening and now cajolling. But
equally to no purpose.
At last he grew tired.
This is a thankless job," he said.
turning him about, '1et them send their
soldiers. I am not obliged to fight for
it."
And so. with a Fright about" and
a wave of the hand. he took his valiant
horsemen off by the way they came.
And as they went, they say that
many youth turned him on his saddle
The herald., 1897-12-05
Gladstone Dislikes Tobacco.

Gladstone's friends say that he has
become very sensitive to the odor of to-
bacco in his old age. He dislikes 1t in
tensely, and the surest way to obtain
his antagonism is to go into-his pres
ence with the odor Of cigar or a pipe
on your person
The herald., 1897-12-05

to cast longing look upon Alexander
Jonita, who stood there, tall and
straight, in the place where she had
80 boldly confronted the sheriff.
Then the women sang psalm, while
misunderstanding, leaping on horse,
rode a musket-shot behind the retiring
force, till she had seen them safely
across the river at the fords of Glen
lochar, and SO finally out of the par
ish.
The herald., 1897-12-05

province to meet him under arms at
the village Of Causewayend, near the
famous and beautiful loch Of Carlin-
wark on a certain day, under penal
ties of fine and prlsonment. And about
a hundred men on horseback, all we'll
armed and mounted, drew together on
the day appointed. A fine breezy day
in August 1t was, when many of them
doubtless came with small goodwill
from their corn-fields, where a winnow-
ing wind searched the stocks till the
The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-10-29
PROGRAMME.
Associated Charities.

The annual meeting of the Associated
Charities organization was held at the Y.
M. q. A. rooms Tuesday evening. The
work done last winter under the auspices OF
this association is still fresh in the minds of
our readers, and it hardly seems necessary
to urge cooperation with the work for the
coming months. Every family should take
a membership, secure a supply of introduc-
ton cards and send all applicants for aid to
ID. F. Biair, general secretary, who will see
that their wants are cared for. Mrs. Il. f.
Dudley presented her report as secretary
and asked to be relieved of the work for the
next year. Treasurer Stewards report
showed expenditures during the year
amounting to 1914 OF; cash on har d, $50. A.
The officers elected are: President, DR..
G. Mccormick; vice president, j. s. Hag-
CART; treasurer, @. ID. Stewart; directors, j.
H. Lsverock, Mrs. T. NJ. Wiley, Mrs. Seth
Hughes, DR.. Mccormick, A. E. Hartshorn.
The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-10-29
Byron.

Miss Emma Greenway, of Howell, Is vls-
iting in Byron and vicinity--E. @. Tuck
ey and wife went to Howell Thursday--
Rev. G. K. Rowe attended the Q. K. con-
ventlon at Bay City last week.-Mrs..
George Runyan has been having poor health
for some time--A. Tillman, of Owosso,
was In town last Week.-Mrs. Maud Kin
ney, of Hartland, visited at G. s. Lewis
last week MRS. Geo. Gordon and daugh-
ter, of Conway, were guests at Prof. Stead
mans last week--Mr. and Mrs. Lewis
Eckert, of Newark, N. j., were entertained
at e. Fishers, Sunday--Vernon Sawyer,
of Hamburg, son of Mrs. FL. ii. Rosen-
krans, was In town Wednesday, on account
of the funeral of Mrs. Dewitt Kanouse--
Quite numerous company were
entertained at Frank Savage on Thursday
of last week, among the number being John
and Thomas Channon, of California--B.
s. Fosket went to Howell, Monday
George Joslin, son of Rev. j. S. Joslin, IL
at the parsonage, having come from Detroit
on his bcycle--Thomas Gordon Jr., o.
Howell, was in Byron Tuesday on busi
ness.
The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-10-29
Laingsburg.

Mrs. A. G. Blood is still very dangerously
slck-Daniel Rittenburg has been con-
fined to his house by sickness for the pas
week-We only have one mild case or
dlphtheria In the village, regardless OF all
reports otherwise. that of Den Williams.
and he Is now valescent-Lillian Piatt
is back In her usual place at the postoffice
Grant Mosher has moved into the +.
e. Allen house, and Ralph Smith now occu-
pies the Wherry house DIR. @. A. Carle,
formerly practicing physician here, was a
caller on friends this week--At special
council meeting Wednesday evening, Dr.
r. Fl. Scott was appointed health officer In
place of DR.. G. M. Freeman, who has moved
away-The M. e. society has begun build
ing barn on the parsonage lot-A new
heating apparatus has been placed i5 the
Congregational church-A. ID. Barnes,
G. W. Swarthout, and others, attended the
grand lodge 1. o. o. +. at Lansing-The
hunters are packing up for the annual hunt
in the north woods-No one kicking about
the weather now.
The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-10-29
Burton.

Farmers in this vicinity have nearly all
got their corn husked and potatoes dug
Rev. S. S. Fleming commenced a series of
revival meetings Sunday evening, in the
church at the North Owosso appointment.
Rev. G. III. Curtis, of Saginaw, will assist
in the meetings---Miss May Love, of
Owosso, was the guest of Mrs. q. Barrows
over Sunday--Mrs. Jas. Ockerman is very
i'll at this writing--Mr. and Mrs. +. Will
liams and two children, of Owosso, were
guests of Mr.. and Mrs. A. r. Cummings
over Sunday--Mr. and Mrs. A. K. Cadz
were in Jessie, Sunday, to attend the fu-
neral of Mrs. G. kcCreery--Silas Shan
non returned to his home In New York,
Thursday of last week--Messrs. Sam and
Iven Ferguson, of Ovid, Sundayed at r. w.
Williams'--Mrs. K. w. Mason and daugh-
ter, Miss Anna, and Miss Sarah McWil-
liams were guests of friends in Brady,
Thursday and Friday of last week--James
McWilliams was in Chesaning the first OF
the week on business--The Endeavor
meeting will convene Sunday morning in
the M. p. church. Leader, Mrs. A K.
Cadz. Topic: "Trust Christ-for What?'
All will be made welcome.