Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-27

Ahat " question open 10 argument
Donald said I: "can anyone play real
music on bagpipe. think your
Sir" returned the Scot, setting down
the empty flask and frowning darkIy at
the fire, the pipes is the king OF a.
instruments. Z Is the sweetest, the truest,
the oldest, whatenerV
"Hoot tootl the man talks like n muckie
fule," said Donald. nodding TO the hre.
For instance" I continued. there can
De no comparison between bagpipe and
a-hddle. say"
"A hddler' exclaimed Donald, in sc-
cents of withering scorn. and still ad-
dressing the fire. ''Ye can juist tell him
tee gang tae the de'n VII his hddle"
Music IL, take II. the expression Of
ones mood or thought, dream trans
lated into sound" said I thoughtfully.
therefore"
''Hae ye ever heard the pipes7"
Why. yes, but long ago"
Then" said Donald ''ye shall iuist
hear 'em again" SO saying. he wiped his
mouth. took up his instrument, and began
slowly initiating it.
Then, all at once. from drones and
chanter there rushed forth such a food
OF melody as seemed to sweep me away
upon its tide.
Donald" said 1. after a little, Don
aid. 1 will never speak against the pipes
again; they are indeed the king of all in
struments-played as you play them"
"Ou ay, I'm n bonnie piper, I'll no deny
itP' he answered. I'm glad We like IL.
for, Sassenach though ye be, II proves ye
nae the music. 7 is a bit pibroch / made
tae Wullie Wallace-him as the damned
Sassenach murdered-black be their fa'
Aweell Z was done afore your time or
mine-so-gude-nict tae ye, Southeronr
saying which. he rose, saluted me stiffly,
and stslked maJestically to bed.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE world was full OF sunshine. the
l. blithe song of birls. and the sweet,
pure breath OF waking flowers as 1 rose
next morning. and, coming to the stream,
threw myself down beside 1t and plunged
my hands and arms and head into the
limpid water whose contact seemed to fll
me with a wondrous gladness in keeping
with the world about me.
In little while 1 rose, with the water
dripping from me and having made shift
to dry myself upon my neckcloth, nothing
else being available, returned to the cot
tage.
Above my head I could hear gentle
sound rising and falling with a rhythmic
measure, that told me Donald still slept:
So clapping on my hat and coat 1 started
out TO my first days work at the forge,
preakfastless, for the good and sufficient
reason that there was none to be had.
Long before I reached the smthy
could hear the ring Of Black Georges
hammer. though the village was not yet
asttr, and IL was with some trepidation
as to my reception that l approached the
open doorway.
There he stood, busy at his anvil,
goodly to look upon in his bare-armed
might, and with the sun shining in his
yellow hair. a veritable son of Anak. He
might have been some hero, or demigod
back from the dim age when angels
wooed the daughters OF men, rather
than village blacksmith, and a very
sulky one at that; for though he must
have been aware of my presence, he
never glanced up or gave the slightest
sign OF welcome. or the reverse.
Now, as / watched l noticed a certain
slowness-a heaviness In all his move
ments-together with listless. sipshod
air which, l judged, was very foreign to
him; moreover as he worked, / thought
he hung his head lower than was quite
necessary
"George!" George went on hammer
ing. 'George!' said 1 again. He raised
the hammer for another stroke, hesi-
tated, then lifted his head with a Jerk.
and Immediately L knew why he had
avoided my eye.
What do zee want wi me?"
Il have come for two reasons" said I;
'one is to begin work"
Then ye'd best go away again." he
broke in; I'VE III get no work here"
And the second" ! went on, SIS to
offer you my hand. win you take it.
George. and let bygones be bygones2"
NO" he burst out vehemently mo.
tell zee. Ye think to come ere an
crow Ger me, because yet beat me. by
trick, and because ye heerd-her-" His
voice broke. and, dropping his hammer,
he turned his back upon me: Called me
coward she did," he went on after a
little while. You heerd her-they all
heerd heri I've been a DANCED fule" he
said. more as II speaking his thoughts
aloud than addressing me. "but a man
can't help lovin' a lass-like Prue, and
when e loves e can't 'elp hopin'. I've
hoped these three years an more, and
last night-she called me-coward."
Something bright and glistening splashed
down upon the anvil. and there ensued
silence broken only by the piping OF the
birds and the stirring OF the leaves out
side.
"A fule I ber' said Black George at
last. shaking his head, mo kind o. man
for the likes o. her; too big / be-and
rough. And yet-if she'd only given me
the chance"
Again there fell a silence wherein,
mingled with the bird-chorus. came the
tap, tapping of a stick upon the hard
road. and the sound OF approaching foot
stops: whereupon George seized the han
die of the bellows and fell TO blowing
the fire vigorously; yet once I saw him
draw the back of his hand across his
eyes with a quick. furtive gesture A
moment after. the Ancient appeared, a
quaint befrocked figure. framed in the
yawning doorway and backed by the
plnrX Of the rnnFninR gfnnA NH tIa
10 lean upon his stick and peer about,
his old eyes still dazzled by the sunlight
he had Just left, owing 20 which he
failed 10 see me where / sat In the
shadow Of the forge.
'Marnin'. Target" said he, with hts
quick. bright nod. The smiths scowl was
hlGcker and his deep voice gruffer than
usual as he returned the greeting; but
the old man seemed to heed II not at
ell, but. taking his snuffbOx from the
lining OF his tail. broad-brimmed hat (its
usual abiding place). he opened II, with
his most important air
'Jarge," said he, I'm thinking ye'd
better TAX Job back to strike for ye
again II you I'm goin' to mend e owd
screen"
what a ye meanr" growled Black
George.
Because" continued the old man,
gathering a pinch OF snuff with great de-
liberation. because, large. the young
feller as beat ye at the throwin-'im as
was TO have worked for ye At rs own
price-be deadH'
''whatr' cried Black George. starting
'Deadw nodded the old man, "a corp
e be-ehl such a fine. promisin' young
chap an nova corp" Here the An
cient nodded s0lemnly again. three times,
and inhaled his pinch OF snun with great
apparent zest and enjoyment