The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-17

or common wayside inn. which sits on
the brae overlooking the little Scottish
town OF New Milne a low door ii had,
to enter which your head had to bow
and your feet simultaneously to de-
scend NH with a crick and double twist
of the spine presently you found your
self within, and after the sunshine
blinking and sneezing in the blush
smother of the peat reek that beloved
and bellied between you and the thatch,
But Brydsons inn was mostly freA
quented by weaVers, and they had
bowed backs, anyway. So Its peculiar
ity of access mattered little, though
now and then gentleman or hill far
mer broke his head on the croSS-beam.
remember / was sitting on a creepie
stool by the peat fire warming my feet
at the red glow and admiring the CLINT
ing of the little flames on my new sill
yer shoe buckles. ! had gone thither
from the lodge Yeti, which was my
mothers dwelling. clinging to my
grandfather's hand. AS l went my
feet had hardly touched the ground, so
firm hold he took of my wrist, and
such long strides as he conquered the
ground Withal. Sir James StanSfield of
New Minis he was called, a fine, up
standing. we'll regarded man as any in
that country reverend of demeanor,
gracious of speech and exceedingly
SeenliN 10 the eye Will HIS DIOdu DI1liA-
med hat wide skirted coat of fine blue
cloth, white silk undercoat. white stock
inss and the silver buckled shoes that
were copies in great of mine. There
was no finer gentleman in all the south
lands of Scotland than my grandfather.
He seemed at once to ennoble and to
illuminate that smoky little hoStelry
as he sat in the high-backed elbow
chair and tapped the bare boards light
" with his o1oxa Tins With him tVara
Mr.. John Bell, preacher of the gospel.
in whose discourse my grandfather
sometimes delighted Cat other times he
would laugh heartily at his simplicity,
and Umphary Spurway. the old man
ufacturer-a great red Englishman
from Yorkshire at whose laugh you
seemed to see the rafters dirl as he,
threw back his head and battered ap-
plause with his palm on the white
secured deal of the inn table.
To these three gentlemen, sitting at
their wine in the change house kitchen
of New Minis that snowy December
night in the year of our Lords grace
Il, there entered q fourth, and with
him presently a fifth, at sight of whom
silence fell upon the men and con-
straint upon the women folk. James
Brydson.- the landlord. was out upon his
occasions. and / mind nothing of him
spinning a web across a window pane
But Mistress Brydson. the landlady,
sat in the corner by a flickering cruisie
lamp deity and silently as a spider
q web across a window pane and
smiling good humoredly all the while.
she glanced up and caught the eye of
this one and that among her guests.
proud, l Ween. that Sir James himself
did not disdain TO leave his great fur
nished house 10 sit with his guests in
her kitchen. A broad woman, as all
might see. was Lady Brydson. smiling
and Decking at her ease as the white
bore knitting pins clicked and twinkled
in the cross lights. Shyly and at times
slyly whispering, nodding and confid-
ing secrets to each other, as girls will |
her two daughters, Eispie and Margit.
stood by the door of the inner room.
where the entrance to the cellar was. /
suppose they were bonny enough ROSY
checked Wenches. | was not yet of an
age to note or care. But this know. |
that Elspie was kind TO me- and often |
gave me fine fairies Of cake and honey !
in the comb spread thereon literally. / !
had no fault 10 find with Elspie Bryd- /
son that night or any night. but san !
composedly mUnching my piece and |
busting the crumblings from my hosen. |
lest. when returned to New Minis. my I
grannie's eye should note that I had 4
been eating between meals: a beinous |
sin in the decalogue of Lady Griselda /
Stansield. which must. indeed. have
been written upon two tables of stone. |
The talk had been brisk and merry !
all the evening, and such of it as / can !
remember now goes to show how de- |
copyright 1898. S. r. Crockett. in the ,
United States of America.
@*Of the truth of this part of Philip !
strange narrative any
to the series of state Trials" in So, /
A - L.. h.