Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-31

tie loaning and 10! like the rubbing Of a
| wet palm over a school BARNS slate, the
kindly glow of the watch lights at the Min
house was blotted out, and the singing noise
of the weir ceased as if a door had been
shut between us and the downrush of the
water.
Philip, lad, said Umphray Spurway, 81
have brought you out this night that We
may be a witness Of a strange transaction
one that we will never forget, one the
Brightly considered and thought on) will be
a boggart to fright We from evildoins more
than the devil and the ten commandments.
We went down the waterside to the fords
J of Esk, marching silently. And, as we
went Mr.. James Bell would have improved
the occasion with sundry remarks upon the
fate of sinners and the certainty
with which their sins found them
out, but Umphray Spurway Ca
little roughly, as thoughD
babe him keep the wind in the bladder
against the Sabbath day. To which the
minister answered nothing. Anon we
came to the ford across Esk water and here
1t was no pleasant road we had to travel.
For the floods were out, and what with the
melting of the snow and the great pieces of
ice floating by in the swirl of the shadows it
took the men some Of them above the knee
and, indeed, to the waist, as often as they
slipped from the stepping stones. AS for Mr..
Bell, he was wet breast high by falling from
the great center one, and, Indeed, was we'll
nigh wholly swept away, the strength of the
ford at that place warning against the stones.
But while struggling thus in the water he
had this expression, Lord, | am about Thy
work! | look to Thee to bring he through"
And it really seemed as if the waters
Stacked and became less impossible. As
for mn unS nathan wat n ny, for
Umphray Spurway caught me up on the
verge of the black interspace and carried
me right sickerly on his shoulder to the
other side, going as easily as if | had been
no more than a pound weight avoirdupois.
Presently we were passed the peril of the
waters, and the minister returning thanks.
Umphray Spurway put his hand on his
shoulder and said: "Sir, l humbly crave
your pardon for my uncivil words. | spoke
as a rude man. for which am heartily
sorry" And Mr.. Bell answered that he
thought no mere about the matter. For which
l thought the better of him.
But all this was soou forgot when we
came to where the kirktown of Morehafn lies
low beneath the kirk thereof. For we saw
lights dancing here and there-nOt lam
thorns with dip candles in them alone, such
as the men use at the stables, or the
maidens at the milking of the COWS, but
great torches OF tar and rosin knots, max
ing a red trail of fire above on the dark and
cloudy sky. AS we came nearer we heard
also the crying of voices and the trampling
of many shod feet. So we went fast that those
that we're wetted at the ford might take no
hurt.
Then as We proceeded at the swaying trot
Of the Irish harvester we came on a man
running as eagerly as ourselves, but in a con-
trary direction. Him Umphray Spurway called
upon to halt and, when he did not, tripped
him up incOntinent, being Of a country where
they are skilled in such ploys. Thereafter
Spurway stelled the man up on his feet and
said to him: "Ah, William Robson, It's you!
Wither away so fast l pray you at this
hour of the morning? What goes forward
with so great a concourse of folk at the kirk
of Moreham?"
Then the man, being held fast on both
sides and seeing no remedy, told us how
Philip Stansfeld had given orders for the
burial of his father that night secretly in the
kirk yard of Moreham, which was more re-
: tired than that Of New Milns. and in which
} also was the family burying place OF the
= Stansfelds.
For" cried the man, che had gone about
swearing that whether his father we're muir
l dered by the Englishman or whether he
: made away with himself, he died a dogs
1 death, and should be buried like a dog out
e OF the house that was now his!"
I And so fercely did he speak that no man
n dared to counter him by word or look. For,
as William Robson testified, ever since the
2 finding of his father, Philip Stansfeld had
been wild and disordered, threatening any
with death that withstood him in the small
e est trihe.
4 "Life-life," he would cry; 'at long and
r last | have come into my heritage of new
life. | that was yestereve a lickpot lacquey
and n whipped cur am now become the mas
g ter OF all. And on the heads of them that
Y Aouted me l will clean the mire from my
. shoon!"
. we will go down and see what is to be
seem" said Umphray Spurway, Il set Will
liam Robson in the midst that he may not
escape and follow me quietly, as babe you
at first"
: So, falling into the train Cbut yet keeping
carefully in the dark behind) we followed
the riotous concourse on its way up to the
kirk of Moreham. | remember as we
mounted the slope seeing the beard Of the
Engllshman glow red as fire in the light Of
the tossing pitch-pine knots ahead of us.
Then, when they slowed to go up the
final ascent, we took behind the whin
bushes, and, bending our heads, we hid our
selves at the back of the kirk dyke before
they entered, And a gruesome sight it was
that we looked upon from that coign Of van
tage,
Two women went dancing and singing
ribGld songs, mixed with psalm tunes. Thes,
had torches in their hands, and would often
stop to swear If one scattered tar on the
other as they waved their frebrands in the
air, And once | thought that they would
certainly fall like furies one on the other.
The wilder of the two was that same buxom
blowsilind, Janet Mark, whom ! had seen at
the change house with Philip Stausheld.
The other | knew not at that time.
Then came the corpse Of my grandfather,
white-sheeted and cofinless, borne upon the
shoulders OF half a dozen men, thus mlshan-
died and abused, looking at least twice the
length OF an ordinary man. I mind clear
as the pen In my hand that my poor grand
fathers swathed head affrighted me more
than all, for II was not stiff, but rather
waggling this way aud that. from side to
side like a twig with a broken tcp-a memory
for a grown man to carry with him 20 his
grave, let alone a halhing boy such as I
was,
And a thousand times since when have
slept alone (nay, even now, after / have
been in strange places for years. and en-