The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-28

Ing cold. we determined to push on to the
next settlement. it proved to be a large
farm. or ranch. with far more than usual
attempts at comfort and even elegance; ana
our little party toyfully accepted the pleas
ant welcome. with It's abundant supper ia
bic and CHEEKY, blazing fire of fragrant ce-
Oar houghs.
Sitting around II after n refreshing meal,
| ] related the incident of Donald Houston's
escape. Our host startel violently and heard
me through with an anxious interest. When
assured of his certain freedom he gave a
sigh of relief and said:
"Obiige me by not mentioning this cir
cuDstance before my wife" And then. aft.
er n painful pause: The poor misguided
fellow married my little girl"
rs 1t possible? How could you let herr
"T could not help It; she loves him."
but you will not now take her home
again."
you may think Il strange. Tns'6m. but I
saw no. I would not ask her TO leave him
for the world: 1t would be to shut the king
dom of heaven forever against him. There's
good even in Donald Houston. and II there
is n woman in the world that can touch
| that good. It Is my little Ada. The fault
with Donald Houston is he had too much
of his mothers blessing"
I looked incredu1ously at the speaker and
touched tenderly the silky curls OF the
baby on my own knee.
l. itcch WDdt 4 Vi let sst tell sou NV" {.
Twenty-seven years ago there was a colony
of Scotch shepherds settled in this county.
and among them one called o Huston.
Hitherto his wife and he had known only
the hardest and barest existence among the
eternal mists and mountains of the Null Of
Kintire. The rich land. the plenty and sun
shine. the great herds and rapid increase of
wealth were like n fairy tale to them. They
grew rapidly rich. and. to crown their good
fortune. thev had a son. Six children they
had had before. hut all of. them lay in the
kirkyard of Macintyre: this one, however.
was a fine boy. 'warlike an lifelike.' as the
old man produly said.
HE grew up to be a very handsome 1T
tie lad. and the father and mother fairly
worshiped him. Ali that their own youths
had wanted they crowded into his. He never
had n wish ungratified. This was not the
worst part of his training: he was allowed
to rule the whole place. father. mother and
servants. and. having naturally a love for
authority he soon became a petty tyrant OF
the very worst description.
las he grew up he chose his own COM
panions. and they we're just the ones he
should not have chosen-Hild. bad men,
who courted him for his abundant pocket
money. and taught the beardless boy the
most abandoned habits. Yet his wild name.
his tyranny. his superiority in all deeds of
sinful daring, rather delighted than
alarmed the foolish couple. All their own
DbN iilA Stl Ba--'s az ~ vac
to the laird and the gentry: their Donald's
INSTRUMENTATION to all restraint was a visi-
BILE assurance that he at least was free
from the social slavery of his ancestors.
But the spirit of license once let loose is
not easily bound. Donald. having ruled at
home, would not submit at school. He de-
fed all his teachers and absolutely refused
to compass his fathers highest ambition
and study for one of the learned profess
sions. Then, at length. o Houston. a
dour. stiff-necked Highlander. undertook to
undo the long course of indulgence and dis
obedience. But the boy whom at 6 years of
age he could easily have controlled. at Is
defied him.
Then there were Quarrels which shocked
every one. and almost broke the poor moth
er's heart. and the Houston family were at
once the most prosperous and most miser-
able In the county. Finally. when General
Walker went to Nicaragua, Donald insisted
on raising q company and going too. In
vain the old people scolded and lamented.
Donald took what money he needed out
of his fathers desk. left a note acknowl-
edging the theft. and was gone.
You could now imagine nothing more
miserable than this lonely old couple. They
blamed one another continually. Dame
Houston said: The auld mans fitting and
gliding had driven the puir laddie ava