Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-03-16
CHAPTER XIX.
THE RETURN FROM CHURCH.

Again the red farm cart ratified out of
the town in the silence of the hedges.
For the first mile or two the church folk
returning to the moor farm might meet
and frankly reprove with word or look
the Sunday walkers" who bit, shame
facedy, as well they might, the ends of
hawthorn twigs. and communed together
apparently without saying word to each
other. There We're not many pairs of
sweethearts among them-any that were
being put down as regardless English
~" the spawn of the strange, uncanny-
like building by the lockside that the
General had been intending to finish
any time these half-dozen years. Most
ly the walkers We're young men with
companions of their own sex and age
who were anxious to qualify as being
broad in their views. Times have
changed now. for we hear that quite
respectable folk, even town councillors
take their walks openly ON Sabbath aft
ernoons. But it was otherwise in those
days.
But none of their own kind did the
Drumquhat folk meet or overtake, till
at the bottom rise of the mile-l0ng Whin-
nyhggate wood the red cart came up with
the three brave little old maids who.
leaving a Free kirk at their very door,
and an Established over the hill. made
true kirk of the prosecutions. 1t had
always been grief to them that
there was no Clavers now To make
them testify. up the chin in SOlway
tide, or with great fiery match be
tween their fingers to burn to the bone:
but what they could they did. They
trudged every Sabbath day. with their
dresses fate and sn0d" and their linen
like the very snow. to listen to the Cos
pei preached according to their thinking
They were all the smallest of women. but
their hearts were great, and those who
knew them hold them far more worthy
of honor than the three lairds of the
parish.
OF them all only one remains. but their
name and honor shall not be forgotten on
DeeSidc while fire burns and water runs.
If Walters biographer can help it, The
McTaggarts We're all distinguished by
their sturdy independence. but Jen Nc
Taggart was the clevereSt with her head
The parish minister had once taken Jeu
for a person of limited intelligence. but
he altered his opinion after .Jen had taken
him through hands upon the Settlement
.of "Aughty- aught' 0GSSl. when the
CameronianS refused to enter into the
Church of Scotland as reconstructed by
the Revolution of Settlement.
The three sisters had a little shop
which the two less active tended. while
Mary, the business woman Of the family.
reSorted to Cairn Edward every Monday
and Thursday with and for a miscel
laneOus cargo. As she ploddcd the weary
way. she divided herself between
coming the sermons Of the previous Sab
bath. arranging her packages, and anath-
ematiZing the donkey. "He persOn-ye
awfu' person. was her severest denun-
citation. Billy was a donkey Of parts.
He knew what houses to call at. and it
is said that he always braycd when he
had TO pass the Established kirk mlnse TO
express his feelings. But Billy was not
n true Cameronian. 1t was always sus-
pected that he could not be much more
than Cameronian by marriage tackled
on one" in short. His path was by no
means straightforward. as that of one
sound in the faith ought 10 he. 1t was
easy TO tell when Billy and his cart had
passed along the road. for his tracks did
not go forward. like all other wheel
marks. hut meandered hitber and thither
across the road, as though he We're weav-
Tag some intricate web Of his own devils
ing. He was called the Whinnyliggste
Express, and his record was a mile and
a quarter an hour good going. Mary her
self was generally tuggng at him 10
come on. She pulled Billy. and Billy
pulled the cart; but nevertheless il was
the will Of Billy that was law. Walter
was very glad to have the McTaggarts
on the cart. both because ne was allowed
to walk all the time. and because he
hoped To get Mary into a good temper
against next Tuesday. Mary came the
Drumquhat way twice q week, on Tues
days and FriiIyS. and as Waite went
TO school he met her, and. being allowed
by his gran one penny 10 spend at