The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1900-08-24

IL,
In M1slIk parliament, an d
N9 Wl(0 lauding themselves
I'M ~ as the authors Of
~ their own distinc-
- ton. He was Of a
. M fat habit. even from
WI y y boyhood, and in
elined to a cheerful and cursory read
ing of the face of life, and possible
this attitude of mind was the original
cause of his misfortunes. Beyond
this hint philosophy is silent on his
career. and superstition steps in with
the more ready explanation that he
was detested of the gods.
His father-that iron gentleman
had long ago enthroned himself on the
heights of the Disruption Principles.
What these are land in spite OF their
grim name they are quite innocent)
no array of terms would render think
able to the merely English intelligence,
but to the Scot they often prove unctu-
ously nourishing, and Mr.. Nicholson
found In them the milk of lions About
the period when the churches convene
At Edinburgh in their annual assem-
6lies he was to be seen descending the
mound in the company Of divers red
headed clergymen these voluble, he
only contributed oracular mods, brief
negatives, and the austere spectacle of
his stretched upper lip. The names
'of Candlish and Begg were frequent
In these interviews.and occasionally the
talk ran on the Residuary Establish
ment and the doings Of one Lee. y
stranger to the tight little theological
kingdom Of Scotland might have lis
tened and gathered literally nothing.
Aud Mr.. Nicholson (who was not a
= dull man) knew this, and ragged at it.
He knew there was vast world out
side, to whom Disruption Principles
were as the clatter of tree-top apes;
the paper brought him chill whiffs from
It; he had met Englishmen who had
asked lightly if he did not belong to
tho Church Of Scotland, and then had
failed to be much interested by his
: elucidation OF that nice point; it was
an evil, wild, rebellious world, lying
sunk In dozenedness, for nothing short
OF a Scots word will point this Scots
mans feelings. And when he entred
into his own house in Randolph Cries.
cent (south side), and shut the door be-
hind him, his heart swelled with Sc
curfty. Here, at least, was a citadel
fmpregnable by right-hand defections
or left-hand extremes. Here was a
family where prayers came at the sane
" thn Coh ho<
unimpeachably selected, where the
guest who should have leaned to any
false opinion was instantly set down,
and over which there reigned all the
week, and grew denser on Sundays, a
silence that was agreeable to his ear,
and a gloom that he found comfort
Ahle. .
Mrs. Nicholson had died about thirty,
and left him with three children, a
daughter two years, and a son about
eight years younger than John; and
John himself, the unlucky bearer of
same infamous in English history. The
daughter, Maria, was good girl-du~
dful, pious, dull, but so easily startled
that to speak to her was quite a peril
aus enterprise. II don't think I care
to talk about that. if you please" she
would say, and strike the boldest
upeechless by her unmistakable pain;
this upon all topics-dress, pleasure,
morality, politics, in which the formula
was changed to my papa thinks other
WISE" and even religion, unless it was
approached with particular whining
Of %ho
q brother, was sickly, clever, fond Of
books and drawing, and full of satiri-
cal remarks. In the midst of these
Imagine that natural, clumsy, unintel-
Egent and mirthful animal, John;
mighty well-behaved in comparison
with other lads, although not up to The
mark of the house in Randolph Cres-
cent; full of sort of laundering af-
lection, full of caresses which were
never very warmly received; full of
sudden and loud laughter which rang
out in that still house like curses. Mr..
Nicholson. himself had great fund
Of humor. Of the Scots order-intel-
fectual, turning on the observation Of
men; his own character, for instance
If he could have seen it in another
would have been 9 rare feast to. him;
but his sons empty outlaws over a
broken plate, empty, almost light
Aearted remarks, struck him with pain
- the indices Of weak mind.
Outside the family John had early
attached himself (much as dog may
follow marquis) to the steps of Alan
Houston, lad about year older than
himself, idle. a trifle wild, the heir to a
good estate which was still in the
hands of rigorous trustee, and so
royalty content with himself that he
took Johns devotion as a thing Of
course. The intimacy was gall to Mr..
Nicholson; it took his son from the
saeuse. and he was . jealous parent; it
Kept him from the ONCE, and he was a
, aartinet: lastly, Mr.. Nicholson was am
tbiuous for his family I'm. which and
he Disruption Principles he entirely
tiyed, and he hated to see son Of his
9pIay second fiddle to an idler. After
some hesitation he ordered that the
friendship should cease an unfair
eommand. though seemingly inspired
~ the spirit Of prophecy; and John.
Sasyins nothing. continued to disobcy
80 ~ = II. III :. 7g Z