The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-08
A SCOTCH LEGEND.

In q lonely glen surrounded by lofty
mountains and miles from any habitation
lies a small loch, or tern, around which
tradition has cast a legend of the olden
time. Situated amid the Grampians, the
scenery is wild and rugged, such q scene
amid which the wanderer may pause and
feel that the hand of man has never dis
turbed nature in her solitude.
Years and years ago, when the turbulent
state of Scotland rendered life and prop
erty insecure, a large amount of treasure
was supposed to have been thrown into
the loch, there to escape detection and to
await the return of peaceful times to en-
able it to be recovered. 1t had been thrown
into it's hiding place in the night by those
who possessed it, and the secret had been
solemnly sworn to on the naked blade of a
dirk an old form of highland oath, held
to be binding and sacred. Time passed,
and quiet times necessity induced those
who held the secret to attempt to recover
the treasure. In those. primitive days ap-
! plianceS we're limited, and the first at
tempt failed from inability to reach the
| bottom. Months were spent in the manu-
facture of rope from hides in hopes that
the dark water would yet give up the COW
eted treasure it held within its inky depths.
By different routes in the lone hours Of
night the holders of the secret assembled
on the shores of this highland tarn and
vainly tried TO reach the bottom. Fathom
after fathon went down, but TO no avail
| Again and again, with increased lengths
of rope did these midnight seekers after
! gold prosecute their task, but to end in
| disappointment. The loch yielded nothing
save now the almost certain fact that it
was unfathomabie.
Years rolled away and no further at
| tempts were made, since, dispirited, they
agreed to abandon the hopeless toll of try
1 G-4z- ~
bottomless loch, as they then styled it.
| Nor was it ever again attempted by those
| who first essayed it. Subsequently, how
ever, to their last failure an incident oc-
CURED that in that age of superstition cast
around the loch the weird belief that it
was haunted.
In baronial keep lived chief in all
the rude pomp of feudal pride His lady
had died and left an only daughter, who,
now grown up to Womanhood, presided
| over the household Her fathers temper
was naughty and imperious, and he ruled
| every one around him with stern sway.
| As was the custom in those days, he had
long been at enInity with q neighboring
! chief. But love laughs at highland pride
as well as at locksmiths. His neighbOr
had son, who became enanored of the
maiden. But how was the fatal gulf of
feudal strife to be bridged? Time went
on. Stolen interviews, when by accident
they met, or when her father was absent,
! were all that the young hearts could CLEAN
/ from the stern hate of both the parents,
till, unable to bear the long, weary weeks
that occasionally prevented their meetings,
the young chieftain determined to beard
the lion in his den and demand the hand
! of his daughter. Accompanied by an es-
cort he arrived befere the drawbridge and
demanded an interview with the chief.
The interview over, the young chieftain,
with heavy heart, recrossed that draw
and dOfT0d hia bonnet q fair form
on the battlements.
1t was some time before they again met.
The chief had used harsh words and harsh
measures to his daughter, but Glove will
find out the way" and at the next meet
ing of the lovers they had arranged to
elope. The strong power of woman's love
neryed her for the deed. The heartless
home she was about to leave seemed to
palliate the act. The temporary absence
of the old chief afforded opportunity.
On dark November evening about two
| hours after sunset a horse bearing the
| young chieftain and his intended bride
was vending its way with difficulty along
| the rugged mountain path amid the dark
ness when the sound of horses hoofs was
heard To turn was to encounter foes be-
hind well as in front, if foes they were,
as doubtless the fight Of the lady had been
discovered at the castle Besides the nature
| of the ground and darkness rendered I'll ght
| hopeless. To move little to the side and
| quietly await the chance of being passed
in the darkness was all that now remained
to the youthful lovers. The night had
| hitherto been dark, but still. The wind
was now sweeping over the bleak moor
and hurrying the black clouds across tho
sky with increasing violence. The young
chief felt the fair hand that held his girdlo
tighten as the sound of the horses hoofs
was heard, but no scream, no signs Of
fear. All had as yet gone well, when a
CLEAN of moonlight lit up the scene and
revealed party of horsemen scarce 80
| yards distant. There was no time for de-
liberation. The young chieftain dashed
his spurs to his horse, and with bound
moonlit moor at full speed, holly pursued
by the chief and his party. Capture, but
don't hrel" was the brief command.
At first the lovers outstripped their pIr-
suers. But the double burden began to
tell on the young chieftain's horse, and
the distance between lesseRed- The chief
was gaining on them at every stride, and
the pale moon still shone on the scene.
Suddenly, if the earth had opened at
their feet, over the precipice that overhangs
the Lochan Kin Dhoane, leaped the horse
and his riders. An exclamation of horror,
beheld this fatal leap A dull, heavy splash
in the deep, dark water beneath was all
that responded. From that hour it was
Stunned as a fatal spot.
The story of the treasure had been hand
ed down from father to son, and party
of stout hearts again resolved to brave the
dangers that surrounded the scene of the
hidden gold A night was fixed But
scarce had the task begun ere an arm and
hand holding a naked dirk, is said to have
risen from the water and an unearthly
voice to have CALCULATED, "Forbear PIX
change.
Doctors Who Can't Cure.
A new class of doctors has sprung up.
This consists of specialists of every disease