The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-21
FIRST AND BEST


was Bcnnan-to the left Cairn Edward
The Orchar stretched itself out, long
barrow-like mound. All were streaked
IN brown and blue, for the first snow
had not yet come and the sheep were
still free 10 come and go
John Stoba, herd on Balminnie, came
down the hill towards the massive
farm steading which showed itself
white and grew ont of the mist that
filled the valley, He was slow man,
John Stoba, bachelor of forty years
standing. and he knew VOL his value
as herd and as q man.
Mrs. Colvend of Balminnie knew IL
too. She was John Stoba s employer
or would have been il either of them
had ever heard the word. 'Ths Mist
ress,' was what he called her.
".Joohn," uttered in one long.drawn
monosyllable-tha was his title TO
honour in all the head.end OF Balmag
HE. Everybody knew John Stoba. He
had como to herd the Hill OF Balminnie
when be was "but n Gallant. He
had been there before Archieo Colvend
had married Mary Shsnd He even
remembered "the auld man Archie 8
fatber-hale. bowed. keen-faced and
grippy of hand, who had SO spoiled his
only son, refusing HIM nothing-in
reason and out Of it-aud giving him,
as they said in these parts, ''money to
burn. -
John Stoba had been a kind of prov
ideuce at Balmiunie in many evil days
when young Archie Colvend was going
down bill, losing money in foolish spec
ulations, or driving recklessly home on
market nights with the reins trailing
among the horse s feet, himself stand
ing up shouting and threshlng, while
tho gig pitched and tossed like wave
of the sea from one side of the road to
the other.
Then when the end came (swiftly,
and as might have been expected(.
John Stoba stayed on in his old
capacity. Young Archie his master had
broken neck bane' at the Ralder,s $
Brig. But, because of that, Balminnlc
had more need of him than ever.
so John Stoba stayed on at the farm,
the same solid, quiet-movlng, silent man
as ever Mrs Archie had been little
older than her husband, a tall, dark.
buxom woman of Galloway type far
from uucomely, but reported to be of
most difllcult temper. She had no
children. So little Aggie Colvend,
niece of her late husband s had come
from Kyle to bear her company, and IN
time (it might be) heircss of the farm.
In the meantime. however. Aggie GER
taiply endured hardness, She was a
bright faced and winsome maid of ten,
who went to school at the Bepnan
when the roads were FIT. But her aunt
was hasty with her, and tears were
more frequent than smiles on Aggie
Colverd g face when at home, Indeed /
1t was generally thought in The district |
that Mistress Colvend should have had /
{. BARNS o her air. before she was /,
trusted TO bring UP ither folks,
As John Stoba came near the stead !
ing Of Ralminpie he looked about ham |
for something No. it could not he his |
dogs Glen and Cavic, They were both |
close at his heels, with their heads |
bols run out of their heels and toes
scarce a wag left in either of their
tails. a long day on the hull aud the |
gatherings Of the far Wb!nDv |
Kuowes had taken the sport ont of
them.
No, John Stobs was looking for the
smnll figure of 2 little girl. Aggie was
wont 10 watch for him as he came lei
surely down the hill-from his cow pas
lures in the summer time, and from the
hvre door when, az now 1t was the
season for wintry blealness.
But tonight he was disappointed, No
little girl could he spy-neither in pas
ture nor yet in the byre, where tho
breath of dozen COWS made ths air
warm and scented with tho
breath of the by.gone meadows-from
which the hay which they were MUNICH
nc had been cut and won.
The cows ratified their chains. and
ribbie Grier. the byre lass, called out
greeting to John. a man of forty
With a good wage and something laid
oy;' was not To be despised. But John
Stoba answered not at all to her rustic
,rovocation.
'Where IS the bairn7H he demanded.
"Wha bens7N said Tibhic. tossing
Ter head, there s ither lasses forbye
N the world
"Where IS wee Aggie?" said John,
steadily. with that faculty for keeping
IN which ultimately compels an an
wer
~ heard the Mistress on her tappan
while since. said Tibbie. but
hat s naething new. She s aye ragin
IT the lassie-for what I diuna ken
L S nae business o mine. She s neith-
II better nor waur than ither lassies,
iae far as | can see.
John Stoba ordered Cavie. the Young
II and moro troublesome of his colies,
o stop shifting at a milk pail, and as
;avie did not instantly obey, his mas
CT GUIOTccl IHe OENeT W1tI z cIlCklc
with the result that Cavie went out
# the byre door in one long yelp. and,
% far rs could be seen in the gIoam
ng. bent in the form of hoop
Then John himself showed signs of
eavng but was interrupted by Tib.
'ie, bold-eyed. yellow haired, free
ongued lass Of twenty-five.
Here, John. what s your hurry!'
he cried, ''sit down on the stool there
nd gle us your crack. Ye will forget
low TO speak, man alive-oot Wonder
IN the Mills since rnornin, | wadua
Tonder ii yc haena spoken word a
his blessed day.
''Some folks SAID John. senten-
iousIy, "speak mair words than
cnse. -
For shame. John; are ye meanin'
ne?', cried Tibbic. Surely neverl
7or | declare that / hae hardly had a
owl 10 talk 10 since yestreen And 10
ell you tho truth. John ye are the only
ne aboot the farm worth wearin'
words on -
To this quito life-sizcd compliment
ohm. replied with his usual plain spoken
rovity.
aye, ] heard We sayin' thae yorra
words TO Muckle Rob Steeusor yes.
reen. And be left Tibbie to rattle
cr pals and wonder for what purpuso