Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-08-11
BONNIE BESSIE.

"Bonnie Bessie every one called her,
and rightly enough; for of all the high
land lassies who gathered at the little kirk
Sabbath mornings not one was half so
pretty and winning as Bessie.
Squire Renfrew of the Red pass was
desperately in love with Bessie and sought
to make her his wife in spite of difference
in rank. The herds at the Red pass were
the finest and largest in the neighborhood.
The barn and storehouses were always well
filed. He was a bachelor, something over
twoscore years old, and he wanted Bon
ME Bessie for his wife.
"If the lassie thinks she al 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 crown OF
his bald head-"if the lassie thinks she
1 can fancy me, the bargains made. I'm
/ ready and willing to lead her to the kirk
| tomorrow, and 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 guivering lips. She
held her peace, standing tall and slim in
a 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, mebAe. I've let 20
have yer say, and now I'll have mine.
We're poor folk, me and We. l found it
hard to get bread when l had but my own
mouth to feed, and since I've been bur-
dened wi ye 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 gi' ye a share O. my last
crust"
"But. dearest grandma
"Now. lookee here, my lass" interrupt.
ed the old woman, lifting her bony finger
and glowering fercely upon Bessie, "if
ye're fule enou' to refuse this good fortin,
that ends it 'twixt us two. Ye pack out
O. my house and ne'er cross the threshold
again."
The springtime came and the wedding
day was close at hand when one evening,
Just before the cleaning, Bessie went to
fill her pitcher as usual at the rocky spring
near by. She had accomplished her task
and lifted the pitcher to her shoulder and
had started for the cottage, her white,
shapely feet twinkling prettily below the
short petticoat as she stepped from stone
to stone in crossing the little brawling
stream, when suddenly she uttered a stifled
cry, and, staggering to moss grown bowl
der, sat down and put the pitcher hastily
on the ground, pressing her hand on her
heart and trembling all over.
cts his ghaist; it's his ghaist," she
cried, "and, oh, how sair he looked at me
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 encircled
her throat from her bosom as she spoke
and kissed the slender hoop of silver which
depended from 1t. "I'll never ha' peace il
l marry the squire" she said, land
ought ma to ha' it. I shall feel l am
traitor. And, oh, Jamie, Jamie, after all,
love no n but you, and never cam"
Suddenly she rose, with resolution
stamped on every feature. Leaving hel
pitcher there, she tossed back her abundant
locks as she finished this abjuration ant
went speeding away through the falling
darkness with the light foot of a chamois
When she reached the Red pass, tn,
bright glow of the warm ingleside lit the
windows. She approached the nearest ont
and pressed her sad, tired, yet resolut'
, face against the glass.
A minute, and she tapped light.
against the glass. The squire turned
quickly, stared, and then started to hi
feet.
"Wc1l now, we'll now, what's tho mean
ing of this?' he cried, rushing across TIN
room and throwing up the window
bessie, my lassie, what's happened9"
Something that never should ha' hap
pened," she answered, looking at hin
with a sort Of desperate defiance ant
drawing the gold ring from her finger a
she spoke. "I've come to give this bacl
to you, Squire Renfrew. l was wrong
ever to let you put it on"
"Why, child, what do you mean?"
"Take your ring" she said. "You'y'
heard Of Aud Robin Grey, maybe, haven
your"
eyes, I have. But what thenf''
"Well, I had a Jamie once" she wen
on, clutching at the little silver ring sus
pended from her neck, a great throb o
pain shaking her. "He gave me this, ant
T I can't ever wear any other ring. Heb
went off to seek his fortune" with an
other repressed sob, land he was lost a
, sea. l tried to forget him, but I cannot
/ can't keep my promise to you, Squir
Renfrew-I-I couldn't feel like she di,
10 Aud Robin Grey should hate 70,
II should And here she broke dow
completely.
He took the ring she offered and pause'
for q moment. A look of unutterable pail
and regret came into his eyes.
49," he said slowly, "you have com
to tell me this, and to ask for your free
dom? And you really think, too, you hav
seen Jamie's ghaist?"
> Eyes. And I shall never return t.
grandmother again. dare not. So l an
going away"
"Bessie, my darling" cried a voice, a
t his strong arm clasped her. The mex
moment she was on the breast of he
lover, who had come back alive and safe.
A few days after there was a happ
marriage at the kirk, Squire Renfrev
3 himself giving away the bride, our Bon
ME Bessie.-New York News.