Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1898-11-28
ONE PIBROCH.

Pherson told me one day last autumn
n bn the Black Moor that is over Glen
Roy. 1t was after long mornings
fhoot, and he and were lying upon
he heather in the fraternal enjoyment
s. bf usquebaugh unpolluted by the fiscal
bye and surrounded by the soothing reek
& bf our postprandial pipes. had won
Donald's heart by certain qualities
(which l once had the felicity of acct
ientally overhearing him name to a
Fellow gillie who was charging him
with undue friendship for "a BIZ Of a
5assenach body" "He is no Sassenach
%bodyr' cried my indignant champion
n excited Erse. "He is highland gem
leman, for his mother will have been
"a daughter Of the Clan -, which is
|R very good name whatever. He is
very straight shooting gentleman. more
3. over, and he has the Gaelic as we'll as
II or you, Angus MacIntoshI" So, when
ID asked him that day with due oere-
B mony) to explain his "to name" of
y "MaoChat Fraoch" (son Of the heath
Ncr cat), and to tell me curious legend
which I had somehow learned in the
hamlet to be attached to the name, he
'readily responded to my request
I translate his wild tale from the
Gaelic in which he told it me. How
& much it loses in the process those who
& know that beautiful language will
easily understand.
"It is from the father Of my great
q grandfather, " said Donald, "that will
be having the name. A very pretty man
he was, Dougal MACPHERSON. He stood
more than feet high. His back was
B as broad as the door of his dwelling,
and he could carry a full grown stag on
his shoulders over Ben Mhor, and the
activity of him was as great as his
a strength, for at the hattie of FalkiIk,
q where he was fighting in the first rank
Of Clan Mhuirach, he sprang against
Il the side Of dragoon's horse and slash
ed off the head of the rider with one
sweep Of his claymore in the leap. And
Cluny himself called him next morning
in front of the clan and said that it was
srring like the spring Of Cuchulaind
at the ford fight with Ferdia in Ireland
long ago, and that he should be hence
forth called the Heather Cat for his
fierce, active, heroic deeds in the battle
and as name of honor upon him.
"Now, there were very few in the
highlands that could be matching Dou-
gal In strength or fieetneEs or in the
managing of the gun, or the dirk, or
+ the claymore, but there was one art
that he could never at ali be the master
of and that is the art Of playing the
pipes, though he longed for that one
more than for any other, and the want
of it was a very great loss TO him what
ever, as shall be explaining to you,
for the piper of Glen Roy-and that was
& Duncan CameIon-had a daughter, the
sight Of whose fair face was dearer ia
Dougal than the sight Of a moor cover
ed with deer, or Of a river full Of
salmon, or of battle line Of the slider
roy, and her heart was given to Dougal,
as his was to her, but her father had
said that no man should have her in
marriage who could not play the pipes.
1t is very dour, hard, obstinate man
he was, Duncan Cameron, and Dougal
could never at all persuade him to lei
him have his daughter Helen to wife on
any other conditions, ard it was a hope
less task for him to be trying to learn
the pipes. Duncan liked him very well,
and would be giving him plenty Of In
structing. but it was all Of no use what
ever. He might as well try to learn the
flying as the pipe music. 1t was moi
that he was not q clever lad, as l have
said before. 1t was as if some one had
been laying a spell Of druidical en-
ohantment upon him to prevent hin
from learning, and it was not thai
either, for he had gone over the noun
tain to old Brigid, the witch of Loeb
dhu, and she had made the deasil arounC
him and said spells that would have
freed him from enchantment if any
there had been on him, but it did no
at all avail him in his learning thu
music, and his hopes of Helen Cameron
kept getting smaller every day, for hi
knew she would never marry him with
out her fathers consent, though shl
never would marry any one else-whicl
was aye some consolation TO Dougal.
"Now, one day he was up in tn
piper's house, and Duncan was, a
usual, giving MIN lesson, pu5 IL
worse he seemed to be getting instea'
of better, and Duncan kept growini
angrier and angrier, till at least he wa
fairly stamping with rage upon tn
floor Of his house. He was big man
with very red head and beard, ant
his temper was conforming, being yer.
hot whatever (Which you may hav
yourself noticed in those that have tn
red hairy. Till suddenly he rushed owe
to Dougal and tore the pipes from hin
and dashed them ON the floor. an
thinking he was very near to stampin
on them too.
".Amadanr Cfool) he shouted
'Amadanp
"Dougal got mp very slowly, lookin
him full between the eyes.
Duncan Cameron, he said-an
it was in q very quiet voice he wa