The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-30
The HUMBLING OF
STRENGTHEN ARM.
BY $. A. Crockett.
wright 1900. b. s. n. Crockett

This Zen out exceedingly VOL, ana the
f3,t was much bruitod abroad through
out all the southlauds oG Galloway, how
G.lt With thc tram 81 a bier couvortit
th.ly-three mcn in aud about the kirk
Na.rI OK EeIiB ga one day. But-the first
mlu that 4 brak The head OF was Roar
81 Rail- Prnele Of Northumberland / was
tusased iu The bands Of affection with
D. sister Rachel e0pegtug 10 wed her
with tho FIRST falling Of the leaf
Sow. Roaring Raif was So worshipfuily
shifted on the pate that before he could
I'll up 60 hcarkcn 60 the voice OF the Lit
az Fair Man he had ridden uorthward on
his way, and an his folk with him. NoH,
whom Haif sat up and drew his hand
across his brow Dee asked who had done
sfis aud when fhev told him that II was
Tuond Harry W~lderburn OF the Black
erals vino had broke his own familiar
head with the tram Of the dead bier. he
was wild man and swore la his UNI
halloNtd wrath 60 shoot me if ever cauIe
tlnteh the house Of kirkchrist 20 see his
sister or Tor any Othc- purpose.
Now. 4 WAS not anxious about Rachel
herself. I knew that when IL came 60 the
point. ehc cared not O. doit for Roaring
Inif or for Slice Tod PruEle. her cunning
u
bad always been great toast among us
Enough ever urging me 40 forswear sitting
drinking at the wine. with WILD runna-
gates in public places and change houses
sf / hopsd to stand wen in her favor.
But once having been with her and Roar
fug Rail- at bumtrics II waT my good
fortune 90 carry her across the ford az
Hollywood when Nth waeer was rising
4ast. aud since that day somehow she
"a u.nN nF For
3eft the Roaring ono on the DumiTies
shore blcatiug Ike a calf with fear and
liquor
on my back" said ]. And would have
plunged in again TO do Sc. For ! thought
uothing OF periis Of waters. being tan
and a good swimmer. 10 boot. But TINS
Rachel would in 10 wise permit. shr
caught me- by the arm aud would not let
IN. 90 back
deed. will YOU do somewhat Less,
Many Nyedderburn7 II Raft thinks 80
lltte of his sister as 90 convoy her nome
DISGUISED ia liquor. cen let him stand
there on the shore baaln th ne tire az.
.lse take his way home by the Brig oil
Dumfrics.'
Aua 80 I was very content 20 DO, de-
,t,.erlne Rachel into the hands OF her
,spele Iancelot Pringie ot Quarrelwood
a. due time. but a longer time mayhap
ahan In ordinary circumstances u to"h
40 traverse the distance between the
fords OF Hollywood over against Neither
tolm ami the mansion house Of Quarrel
wood For the pleasure tnat hho ~
carving OK Rachel Pringie through the
water had gone TO my head some little.
ana was perhaps NOT 30 clear ABOUT
INV way as / might have been.
80. Winding mo on that hearteome and
memorable night together with other
shtnga more recent. was not perhap.
very anxious about the affection OF Rachel
Tringle For j thought that Il would
sake more than the word Of Roaring Rail
40 change that little Rachel. whom hod
carried In my arms over the swelling Of
Nth water. ] minded me how tight she
haa held me. and how. when we got
over. che whispered In my ear before
Eet her down. "HarTy. like strong meat
which saving somewhat delayed my put
cling OF her down For the ground grew
sncontinently hoggy and unstable just
as that spot.
50 on the evening OF the day after hal
rorsaken my ~ courses az the bidding
Of the little Fair Man. l set out from
ahe onsteading OF Black Craig Of Dee,
leaving all there In the keeping OF my
brother John. a stark OUTSTANDING lad. and
those OF Gilbert Grier, my chief hired
herd. ! told them not where ] was going.
but think they knew well enough. For
John brought me my fathers bTOadsword.
=.hleh he had sharnoned. instead OF my
own smaller whinRer and Glib. the herd.
took the pistols out Of my belt and saw
% their printing anew. They were always
very loyal and sih SO my heart. these two.
and sped me on my love adventure with
out a word.
Now the turn or twist that cat at the
outdoor service at the Kirk 81 Kells
was strange enough IL may seem that
"a man can only be turned by the applica-
zion OF reason or argument. Bw IL was
not 50 with me The Little Fair Man
crooked his finger and said, Come
came. So also was u with the others
who were convertlt that day. aided. may
D.. somewhat by my black quarter STAN.
But I have since read tn the Book that
oven 30 I'D Mr.. Rutherford's friend. when
OF the shores OF the sea he called his
disciples "Comei" De said 70 the fisher
men. and forthwith they left an ana fol-
lowed him.
Now. my call did not cause me 90 fol
low the Little Fair Man. II was not Of
shat sort. He did not bid me 10 that OF
s.. But those who have been my neigh
Dors VIA bear me witness that ! never
was tho same man again. but through
many shortcomings and much warning Of
the flesh against the spirit. have ever
sought after better things. during All the
MY and one years since thas day.
So. out ] set on my road TO klrkchris,
with rose a. my coat. the covenaute1
work % reformation In my heart-and my
pistols priced. I knew II would need an
shree 20 win honny Rachel Pringle on,
oi tho hand Of the Slice Tod and his son
Ran the Roaring one.
Now. kirkchrist ia one OF tho farm
towns OF Galloway. which Ia the aneieu,
riays have been set like fortiiaces high
on "a defended III Indeed the ancient
tower san stands 100 one angle of the
square Of houses whore D. o. used for a
peat shed. But by an outside stair IL b.
possible 20 gen on the root and view the
country Tor miles round 90 one side tho
Cooxln burn runs down q deep ravine fun
OF hazel cops.s featherng 20 the mea-
dow edges where the big bumblebecs have
their Dykes and where 7 nrst courted
Rachel sitting behind = cole of hay on
the great day OF the iuRathcring on the
other three sides the approach 20 Kirk
christ is as bare as the palm OF my hand
al short s,rugy turf ana not 80 much
daisy on a. grazed over by sleo
Tod'H sheep. and cast up ia places by
voules. whose white tails are forever 10
a. seen bunting about here and there
among the warreny hracs
Vow. somehow. IL never struck me that
Roaring Raft would bear malice what
was "a broken head that he should take
oncnTc at his ancient frcnd7 Had / not
had my own scunse broke a score Of times
ana ever loved the breaker better. prac-
fmfr 4utttu with lohu and Efh