Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-06-08

ElSSlNc dtllluuc DclOlt hllll. pdhuy
has always resolutely disdained
learning any foreign tongue. If
the "braid Scots deealect" isn't
good enough for his customers,
they can go elsewhere.
"Meine mutter list todt," began
the child's gentle, accomplishing
voice, "und"-
"Come hither, Owen" cried the
old man impatiently. "Can ye tell
what is't the lass wants I"
The girl told me her story. Her
mother was dead. She was the old
est of four children and had seen
eighteen years, though she looked
but fourteen. She and two other
children had got work-tailor's
piecework-and they were all living
somehow, but it was very hard. She
had the money for mending the
shoes, but the neighbors had told
her that "der Herr MaoNab" was
such a kind hearted man and So
The look of puzzled inquiry in
Sandy's face changed to tender re-
gard as | translated. Before | had
finished he was nodding his head
theoretically in token Of compli-
ance and wrapping up the shoes in
sheet of newspaper. Then he put
them into the girls hands and gent
ly pushed her toward the door,
Zach! Du lieber Colt" said the
child, and, dropping a reyerent old
world courtesy, she turned to go.
"Whaur are We levin, lass 2" said
Sandy, following her to the door.
/ explained the query, and she gave
him an address near by. Sandy
tucked crumpled bank note into
her hand, and as he put pinch of
Maccabov to his nostrilS moment
later ! thought saw his hand dodg-
ing suspici1lsly about his eyes. The
girl looked at the bill in dazed sort
of way for moment and then
dropped another courtesy, this time
to the door of the shop, and was
gone. .,
"Puir mitheress bairns,' said
Sandy as he began loud rat-tat on
the sole of shoe. Presently he
paused and inquired, "What said
she as she gaed oot?"
"She said, 'Ah, thou dear God? y
I replied. ut was a prayer OF
thankfulness."
"Puir BARN, puir BARN" said
Sandy, stopping his work to take
another pinch of snuff. "She pits
the proud an MIGHTY to shame wi
her simple faith. An l ce'a her .
heather! Hech,, Owen, lad, it's a
sair warl for BARNS desertit by their
ain kin. Think OF, mon! In o
this great ceety four little anes fech-
tin wi want an poverty an hunger
by their lane in a garnet, the prey
O. the evil an designin', scorn'd by
them that's no their betters, neg
lectit by the powerful, except by
way O robbery, wi ne'er a SIGHT OF
the feels an wavin' woods O the
bonny country or the wash O the
sea; withoot time or strength fol
childish play-eh, Owen. What il
nv Janet-na, ma, better as she Is
puir little one, unner the sod i the
kirkyard that levin sac beset," And
Sandy dropped his head into his
/ hands. | had never heard him al
/ lude before to his wife and daugh.
ter, long dead in Lilithgow.
"It's an owre lang tale to tell,
said Sandy after a moments pause
seeming to find gentle comfort il
speech of his loved and lost ones
"but Pse cut it short i the telhn'
Ne'er mon in a Scotia was Sc
blithe as Alexander MacNab the da!
that made bonny Bessie his bride
nor for mony a year after. Thu
bairnies cam, two O them, but WEI
Sandie deed in infancy an ainl.
Bess was left to cheer the LITTLE
hame an max bright the ingl'
neuk. Yet still we were happy, sa
happy, till Bessie-she was nee
strong, nor her mither-seemed t.
weaken day by day an fade DOT an
waste AVA, till her face was pal
an clear wi the awful whiteness q
the great hereafter shinin' through
the vail O. flesh. Eth, she sud Ia
made bonpy ANGEL
Here Sandy paused abruptly ant
for some minutes sat silently brood
ing over the past. | did not inter
rupt him, and presently he begal
to speak again in low, tremulou
voice:
"Sae she went, lad. Better s.
perhaps in a the purity o child
hood. An the wife was like a hruis
ed an broken flow'r that droopts al
droopt weel. An i the kirkyar
they were sumo side by side, an q
was pit dark as NIGHT to me. trlen'
o my youth who had lang syn
leevit i the new Ian begged me sal
to come to them, an sac, as all tn
warp was the same to my reft halft
| cam. an here | haze leeved M
lane, waiting till the Lord Is please