Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-02-14
BONNIE BESSIE.
And That Happy Marriage at the Rural
Kirk.

Bonnie Bessie every one called
her, and rightly enough; for of all the
highland lassies who gathered at the
| title kirk Sabbath mornings not one
was half so pretty and winning as Bes-
sic.
Squire Renfrew of the Red pass was
desperately in love with Bessie and
sought to- make her his wife in spite of
Red pass were the finest and largest in
the neighborhood. The barn and store
! houses were always well filled. He
was a bachelor, something over two
score years old and he wanted Bonnie
Bessie for his wife.
IF the lassie thinks she can fancy
me-" he said, addressing Bessie's
grandmother, as he stood under the
low, brown rafters of the little Black
Lynn cottage, a hot flush mounting to
the shining crow of his bald head
If the lassie thinks she can fancy me,
the bargains made. I'm ready and Will
| ing to lead her to the kirk tomorrow,
end if a good, true husband and some
gold and siller will make her happy,
she'll be as happy as a queen at the
Red pass"
Bessie listened with wide, startled
eyes, burning cheeks and quivering
lips. She held her peace, standing tall
and slim in sort of stunned silence,
until her gray haired lover had taken
his leave. Then she burst forth into
vehement, passionate protest.
The old grandmother suffered her to
storm until her passion was spent.
''Well, tits DER now, and yell simmer
down and keep quiet, mebbe. I've let
We have yer say, and now I'll have
mine. We're poor folk, me and We. 1
found it hard to get bread when I had
but my own mouth to feed, and since
I've been burdened WI We I've gone to
bed mony a night fit to cry wi hunger.
But I've borne it all and done my best,
and always been willing to gil We a
share o. my last crust"
'But, dearest grandma
Now, 1ookee here, my LASS inter
rupted the old woman, lifting her bony
finger and glowering fiercely upon Bes-
sic, eff ye're fllle enou' to refuse this
good fortin, that ends it 'twixt us two.
We pack out o. my house and ne'er
CT oss the threshold again"
The springtime came and the we'd
ding day was close at hand when one
evening, just before the cleaning, Bes-
sic went to fill her pitcher as usual at
the rocky spring near by. She had ac-
complished her task and Lifted the
pitcher to her shoulder and had start
ed for the cottage, her white, shapely
feet twinkling prettily below the short
petticoat ais stepped from stone to
stone in crossing the little braWling
stream, when suddenly she uttered a
stuffed cry, and, staggering to a moss
grown bowler, sat down and put the
pitcher hastily on the ground, pressing
her hand on her heart and trembling
all over.
It's his ghaist; it's his ghaist," she
cried, fand, OH, how sair he looked at
mel He has come from his grave. l
dare ma, dare ma do it. Oh, forgive
me, Jamie, that 1 ever thought O. it,
She drew a silken cord which en-
circled her throat from her bosom as
she spoke and kissed the slender hoop
of silver which depended from it. 'I'll
never ha' peace if | marry the squire,
she said, "and I ought ma to ha' it.
shall feel I am a traitor. And, oh,
Jamie, Jamie, after all, I love no one
but you, and never can.
Suddenly she rose, with resolution
stamped on every feature. Leaving
her pitcher there, she tossed back her
abundant locks as she finished this
abjuration and went speeding away
through the falling darkness with the
light foot of a channels.
When she reached the Red pass, the
bright glow of the warm ingleside lit
the windows. She approached the
nearest one and pressed her sad, tired,
yet resolute face against the glass.
A minute and she tapped lightly
against the glass. The squire turned
quickly, stared, and then started to his
feet,
well now, well now, what's the
meaning of this?' he cried, rushing
across the room and throwing up the
window. Bessie, my lassie, what's
happened?"
Something that never should ha'
happened she answered, looking at
him with a sort of desperate defiance
and drawing the gold ring from her
finger as she spoke. GIVE come to give
this back to you, Squire Renfrew.
was wrong ever to let you put it on. :"
Why, child, what do you mean?"
"Take your ring" she said you've
heard of Aud Robin Grey, maybe,
haven't your
Eyes, I have. But what then?"
well, had Jamie once" she went
on, clutching at the little silver ring
suspended from her neck, great throb
of pain shaking her. "He gave me this,