Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13

pincers and run to the door at the words
Here comes Anna!" And long after she
was past they could be seen looking out
after her, sheltering their eyes underneath
grimy palms, as she trippcd up the street
with Cmphray SpurWay.
But mothers, jealous for their own chill
nren, would call them in ostentatiously
lest they should be englamored with the
fascination of the witchbairn's spell Ev-
cry douce well-born lassie in Moreham and
New Minis was forbidden to play with
httle Anna Mark, and also encouraged to
call names after her to keep her mindful
OF her condition. Usually, however, they
only tried this once. Then on the fol-
lowing day, their mothers would come in
populations to Umphray Spurway praying
him to send the little wildcat away
But the Enslishman, caring no more for
women than for the idle clashes of the
villages, drove them out of his presence
without more ceremony than If his mill
gates mad been invaded by tail-wagging,
loud-clacking flock of geese from the com
mon.
She had cast glamor over him. That
was evident And the gossips took coun-
ell together to rid him of this spell and
themselves of a pest and possible rival Of
tEe1r own growing daughters.
l well remember the day of the prize
giving at Dominic Nathan Tawse's school,
had begged SO hard to be allowed to
stay with Umphray, and the Englishman
| mad used such arguments to my mother
10 make her consent that 1 was allowed to
Dde through the week at the mill house
But on Saturdays Umphray himself took
me down the water to my mothers house
| in the town of Abercairn where 1 STAYED
till Monday, on which morning Caleb Clink-
aberry conveyed me back half way to
the place called hill O the Cock, where
William Bowman met US and relieved him
| of his charge.
When Cmphray spurway took me to my
mothers he never stayed long, sitting only
| 10 drink a cup of tea, and make HIS COM
plfments on how well she was looking his
| eyes mostly upon the floor the while up
| hfted to my mother only when she was
| ordering the tea bowls with her back TO ia
| or spooning the black China herb into the
| bottom of each.
l remember once saying to my mother,
| Why does Umphray never look at you?
| Is he angry with you, or are you angry
! with him."
Her cheek paled and then flushed again
knew l was hurting her and yet l kept
| II do not know whether he is angry
with me-" she replied 4 am not angry with
| him.
And Immediately she sent me forth to
play on the quay with the town lads Of
| my own age For she had notion that
| l might grow maidenish by associating
with little Anna Mark! How far this was
| from the truth l have already indicated
! in this history. l fought a good fight be-
hind the butcher sheds with Allan Kemp,
| Mr.. Smalltrashs prentice. and beat him
by lodging blows as Anna Mark did mine,
| and then, in the nick of time, planting my
| left on the point of his chin, after a feint
| at his breast, a thing 1 had learned the
I trick of from her.
But when l was in Abercairn my mother
! thought that such ploys made me manly,
| and took no notice when l came home
marked on Saturday night. though she did
| not let me wander far on the Sabbath DAYS
| except TO visit at the minister's Mr..
| Nicol Aitkn--with whose son Jock have
| fought as many as seven rounds during
| service in the windowless corner by the
| side of the vestry, while his father was
developing overhead his seventhly in the
| application Of the Gospel of Peace to the
| Christian Home"
| So, unlike many Scottish BARNS, ever
appreciated and enjoyed my Sabbath privi-
leges-and specially where 1t was my lot to
Sit in the kirk.
.
And now 1 come to that which sent me
finally and without reprieve to the gram
mar school Of Aborcairn.
| My uncle John, the falcon beaked Edin-
| burgh lawyer, mad for little taken it
| sorely to heart, that his precious instrument
| being only of effect when in case of INV
| fathers death, he had no control over mo
o. over the estate. The latter however
| he managed in some sore to retain as veil
| as the power at the great house nv a
| well-devised system of subservience tn thu
will Of my grandmother.the old Lady Stans.
field.
This, as he was not a man to souander
my uncle was permitted to retain by IIw
pbray Spurway and John Bell, though thew
informed him that he must in no case con.
| slider himself as my curator bonis