The herald., 1897-11-07
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

| SO the service being ended for the
day, 1 walked quietly over to Drum
glass with Jean and her father. where
l found a house well-furnished, with
oxen and kline knee-deep in meadows
pastures, crofts of oats and bear ir
the hollows about the door, and ovei
all such an air of bien and hospitable
comfort that the place beckoned me tC
abide there.
We had gotten almost to the door of
| the farm when we saw q horse and
rider top the heathery fell to the left.
and sweep down upon us at tearing
gallop.
The old man hearing the clatter of
stones. turned quickly.
"AleXander-Jonita!" he exclaimed,
shaking his head with fond blame to-
ward the daring rider that lassie
will break neck-bOne some O. thae
days! And that will be Seen!"
With dark hair flying in the wind,
eyes cleaning like stars, short kirtle
drieen back from her knees by the
rush of the horses stride, came a girl
of eighteen or twenty on the back of
haltered but saddle-free mare.
"Lassie," cried the elder, with a not
intolerant reproof in his tones, where
hae ye been that the kirk and the SER
vice of God saw ye not this day."
The girl came fearlessly forward,
looking me directly in the eyes The
reins were yet in her hand.
Father" she said, gently enough,
but without looking at him, II had the
marches to ride, the avail sheep to
turn. the bitten ewes to dress with tar,
the oxen to keep in bounds, the horses
to water. Besides which, Jean wanted
my stockings and Sunday gear to be
Draw the day at the Kirk. So 1 had
to bide at hame!"
''Think shame o. yourself. Alexander
Jonita!" cried her father; I'VE are your
mither's dochter. Ye tax not after the
douce ways O. your father. Spite O.
a. excuses, We should hae been at the
Kirk
rs this the young minister lad?"
said Alexander-Jonita looking at me
more with the assured direct gaze of
a man than with the customary BASH
fulness of maid. Singularly fearless
and forthlooking was her glance.
Even So" said her father, 1.-The lad
has spoken weel this day."
She looked me through and through.
Il am no Kirk-goer-no," she said,
NOR yet great Kirk-lover. But I ken
man when 1 see him.
She held out her hand frankly, and,
curiously enough, / took it with an odd
sense of gratitude and comradeship.
1.-THE Kirk" said I, "is not indeed all
that it might be, but Kirk and con-
venticle alike are the gathering place of
those that love the good way. We are
not to forsake the assembling of our
selves together"
Even so, minister" she said, with
some sudden gravity, land this day 1
have been preaching the Gospel to the
sheep and the owsen, the kye and the
horse beasts within the bounds of my
parish, while we spake your good word
to human creatures that were maybe
somewhat less grateful"
'The folk to whom 1 spake have i'm
mortal souls!'' said I, little indignant
to be thus bearded by a lassie.
"And how she retorted, turning
on me quick as a. fire-nash, "ken We,
that the beasts have none. or that their
spirit gOeth downward into the earth?
Have they not bodies also and graft
tude? There was sore, distressed
sheep this morning on Tornorrach that
looked at me with eyes that spake a
prayer. But after l had cleansed and
dressed the hurt, it breathed a bene-
diction. sweet as any said in the Kirk
of Balmaghie this day."
Nevertheless, it was for men and
women, perishing in sin, that Christ