The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-13
A Bonnie Scotch Lassie.

Today. a school-boy passed my open
window, whistling blithely, THE Rose
That All Are Praising," and so bringing
back little incident that occurred fully
thirty years ago. Ny school days were
just over, and 1 had crossed the sea to
Canada, to make my home with near rel
| atiyeS-a Presbyterian minister and his
wife. The manse was a humble one, the
Stipend small, and the "de lass or maid
of-ail-work, young.
| This de lass" was the daughter OF a
respectable Scotch farmer, who, though
he had wrested from 1.-THE bush" a goodly
clearing, was sensible enough TO send to
service such daughters as were not need
ed at home. Maggie, in personal appear
ance, was as unlike a specimen from the
bush as can possibly be imagined. She
was, to express it, in one word, and
that a much misapplied one-lovely, slight
in figure, fair-skinned, fair-haired, with
the bloom Of blush rose Chat would
deepen 10 damask on the slightest provo
cation, rosebud mouth, and large, beau
tIful blue eyes that literally looked like
violets, with the dew on them She was,
as became an elders daughter, as good
as she was bonny," and as grave as she
was good. Maggie's "auld farrant" ways
were, indeed, a source of amusement even
TO the heads Of the house. Her dress
l remember, indulge in a white ribbon
for her Sabbath bonnet" but then the
bonnet itself had been her mothers; so
had the Paisley shawl, which hid the
pretty figure. She was but Is or II at
the time she sported this gala attire.
Well, Maggie, though so grave, happy,
and had, like many happy people way
OF singing as she went about her work.
She hummed TO herself over the bread
beard or washtub; and when she sat down
with her knitting in the evenings, she
put her Bible on the table beside her, for
reference presumably, although she had
an excellent memory, and sang psalm af-
ter psalm. Paraphrases she regarded as
Barrie's Little Minister" regarded them.
Sometimes, as l fancied, / had caught
the strains of something lighter than a
psalm Of David, 1 was SO convinced of
this that when Maggie informed me, one
day, that she regarded all songs except
sacred ones sinful, 1 mentioned the cir
cumstance. Maggie was so hurt, so scam
dalized, that 1 was puzzled. II was diff
ficult TO doubt my own ears, but even
more difficult to doubt her sincerity. She
assured me she would just as soon be
guilty of dancing or playing cards and
her knowledge of evil went no further.
About week after this conversation,
the head of the house had gone out 10
tea party and I was preparing 70 fol-
low them, when there floated up from the
kitchen steps, where Maggie sat sewing,
the strains of the very song the school
boy whistled today. I rushed down in
triumph, II thought you never sang any
but sacred SONGS I cried.
The blush rose deepened into damask.
but not with guilt Beside her, popped
up against her work-basket, was dainty
49,
the song framed in garland of the flower
it praised. She looked from me to it, and
from it to me. ''And do u" she simply
asked.
do your I repeated in fine scorn.
pray what's that?" and 1 seized the
card.
Maggie looked quite bewildered "And
is not that sacred song?" said she.
"A sacred fddlestick.' said l. who DO
you suppose the rose is p"
list no. the Rose o. Sharon" she ask
ed, tears gathering in her violet eyes.
'9rhe Rose o. Sharon, indeed" cried
I. Il should think il isn't Why, what do
you make of this;
"But there's a rose in yonder glen
That shuns the gaze of other men
On, that's the rose for me-"
HAS it no a speeritooal signification?"
asked Maggie, with Quivering lips.
Not bit of it. 1t means a sweet
heart"
Are ye sure?" she asked slowly, as II
the idea were intolerable.
Quite" said /, TASK Mrs. w. when she
comes home.
Maggie was speeches., her breast
heaved, her lips quivered, but she was not
the kind of a person TO indulge in tears
before others Girl as I was, it began to
do hot had "a
cord, had, like the child VINO rudeIy
handles a butterny's wing. broken some
thing beyond my power to repair.
IT'S not bit OF harm" said 1. by way
of comfort.
But Maggie would not be comforted
IT'S harm for me-" she said.
But you thought it meant the Rose
Of
"Oh, dinna," she cried in real pain.
That's just what hurts maist," here a
tear rolled down each burning cheek
at meant what you said. and, oh. 7
thocht it meant Him" And then I had
to leave her.
Circumstances took me far away from
Maggie: but I am glad to be able TO say
that she did not, like so many of the
good young people in books, sink into a
decline and an early grave; or hide her
self in a convent. The world has need
Of such people. She married neighboring
farmer, a man as Old as her father and
as grave; and bore herself meekly and
dutifully as a wife and sang her babies
to sleep with Scottish psalfs. I have
not heard OF any of them for many
year. But the pain of that lament, "Oh,
1 thocht II was Him. comes back 20 me
today. And l realize the tender reverence
that inspired IT. and the rare purity OF
the young heart that held bur one Image
and dreamed OF only one LOye.-New
York Observer.