The herald., 1897-11-07

side of the kitchen.
| Wherefore have ye not set the table
FOR the meal of meat?" he asked,
frowning upon the maiden whom had
I first seen. She stood with meek and
smiling face, looking at us from the
Intel. Her face was shining and her
hair very becomingly attired though
Gas l observed) in a different fashion
from what it had been in the morn
ing by the Kirk gate, when she gave
me her piece" to stay my hunger.
Il have been praying upon my knees
for blessing upon the work of this
day in the Kirk" said Jean Gemmell,
| looking modestly down. land 1 waited
for Alexander-Jonita to help me lay
the table"
Were ye not vainly adorning your
frail tabernacle? 1t seems more like
ly!" said her father somewhat cruel
ly, as 1 thought.
Then she looked once across at me,
and her eyes filled with tears so that
I was vividly sorry for the maid. But
she turned away from her fathers re-
proof without a word.
1--WE can well afford to wait: there
is no haste'' 1 said, to ease her hurt,
if SO I could. This good, kind maiden
gave me all she had this morning in
the Kirk-yard. or I know not how I
should have sped at the preaching
work this day!"
Jean Gemmell lifted her eyes to mine
with look of sweet and tender graft
tude and understanding, which more
than thanked me for the words had
said.
At that moment in came Alexander
Jonita, with a free swing like some
STRIPPING gallant of high degree. ] own
that l liked to see her walk. She, at
least, was no proud dame like-well
like one whose eyes abode with me,
and whose averted gaze (God pardon
meD lay heavy about my heart when
l ought to have been thinking of other
and higher things.
AleXander-Jonita waited for nc bid
at once the empty board and Jeans
smooth and well-ordered hair, she hast
ed to spread a white cloth on the table
a coverture, bleached and fine as it had
been for a princes repast. Then to
cupboard and aumrie she went, bring
ing down and setting in order oaten
bread, scones of honest crispness,
dried ham-of- of-mutton, which she sliced
very thin before serving, the rarest
dainty of Galloway, and enough to
make a hungry mans mouth water
only to think upon.
Then came in Jean Gemmell, who
made shift to help as she found occa-
sion. But. listening over-closely to the
conv erse of her father and myself, it
chanced that she let fall a platter
which, breaking, set her sister in a
quick, high mood. So that she ordered
the lass to go and sit down while folk
with hands did the work.
Now this somewhat veXed me, for
could see by the modest, covert way
the girl glanced up at me as she set
herself obediently down in the low
window seat that her heart was full to
the overflow.
Also something in the wild girls tone
nettled me.
So said to Jean: "Be of good cheer,
maiden. There was one at Bethany
who waited not, but yet chose the bet
ter part"
"Aye," cried AlexanderJonita. as
she turned from the cupboard with
plate of butter; SAY ye so? I ever
kenned that you young ministers
thought excellent things of yourselves,
but dreamed not that we went as far
as that
Whereat 1 blushed hostly, to think
that l had unwittingly compared N.Y.
self to one who sat with Martha and
Mary in the house. And 1 was dumb
before the sharp-tongued lass all that
time of eating. But under the table
Jean Gemmell put her hand a moment
on mine, seeing me fallen silent and
down-cast.