Kate Darlrymple

== KATE DALRYMPLE ==
=== By Amelia E. Barr ===
Love and family pride are the themes of this pretty and amusing tale, selected from “Mrs. Barr's Short Stories," (February1893). 
There used to stand in the upper part of Glasgow a handsome mansion, with fine stone balconies and a very beautiful garden. It has been pulled down now, to make room for an ugly row of shops and flats, but in my youth it retained a sylvan appearance and many a pleasant memory of Provost Thomas Dalrymple who built it. 
He governed “the good city" toward the close of that wretched period of English history which culminated in 1832, in the passing of the Reform Bill. But in spite of hard times lasting for nearly half a century, he had made money. His official position and his handsome dwelling showed that; and he had many more proofs of it in fine trading vessels, city property and bank stocks. 
Of all his wealth his daughter Kate was sole heiress. A very pretty heiress indeed! Slightly willful and romantic, but, upon the whole, just as good as she was rich and pretty. 
One evening, as far back as the winter of 1830, she sat chatting with her father over the walnuts and sherry. She looked unusually handsome, for she was a girl who understood contrasts and effects, and her black satin and white lace and crimson slippers had been thoughtfully put on. The provost was pleased and happy, and had just returned from a rather mysterious journey, about which Kate was curious. But she was too wise to show her curiosity ; her father would be certain to tell her in his own time and way. 
So the young girl admired her feet, sipped her wine, and waited, and the provost sat looking into the fire, and thoughtfully stirring the grace-cup of toddy he had just mixed. 
“Take a thimbleful, Kitty,” he said; "I have a great toast for you to drink — one that hasna been drunk in this house sin' the foundations o' it were laid : Here's to the Dalrymples o' Dairg! " 
Kitty did as she was requested, supplementing the new toast with her usual one: 
 “ Here's to you and me, father! Who's like us? " 
“ The twa are ane, lassie. You'll have heard o' the Dalrymples o’ Dairg?" 
"How should I? Has any one written a book about them? " 
"There have been many books written for less matter; but, howsome'er, I have just been at Dairg. The laird is dying, and we have been ill friends for twenty-sax years, but we are brothers for all that's come and gone." 
There were tears in the provost's eyes, and Kate drew close to him and took his hand between hers. This proof of sympathy was all he needed; indeed, he had much to say to Kate, and was glad to have so early an opportunity to say it. 
"Yes, Fergus and I quarreled twenty-sax years syne, anent Miss Grace Kirkconnell, and I left Dairg wi' £10 i' my pouch, thinking to just ga awa' to some o' the colonies. But I fell in wi' luck folks and met a bonnie English lassie, and just bided i' St. Mungo's city, where I hae been blessed i' basket and i' store — praise be where praise is due! Twa weeks syne Fergus sent for me; he is dying now, and there is much to settle anent the affairs o' the House o* Dalrymple, for he is poor, Kate, and I am rich. We made a solemn paction 'tween us twa, and you maun do your share, lassie; for, before a' ither things, the House o* Dalrymple must keep its head high." 
"It has done nothing for you, father; why should you prop it?" 
“ You'll never let me hear you speak words like them again. You'll never forget the brave men and noble women who were your forbears, and gave you your gude name. We must pay our debt to them though they be dead. You are no true Dalrymple, Kate, if you wouldna gie your right hand for the honor o' the auld house that crowns the Pentland crags." 
"I would give my right hand to pleasure you, father; that is better." 
" Weel, it's the same. Your uncle and I hae agreed that you are to marry your cousin Sholto, and I shall gie you a tocher down o' twenty thousand pounds. That will lift a' the mortgages, and you'll be Lady o' Dairg, Kate, and I'll be just the proudest man on the Trongate planestanes." "Did you see Cousin Sholto? " 
 “He was away in the Shetlands on a seal hunt; but I heard naught at a' but gude o' the lad — an', at ony rate, he is a Dalrymple." 
Not much more was said at this time. Kate was hardly ready yet either to oppose or circumvent the plan. She was not even sure whether she did not approve it, under conditions, for that intense pride of family which lies at the foundation of all Scotchmen's affections is not wanting in the women's hearts also, and if this young Dalrymple was worthy of her love and tocher, she was not disinclined to give it. 
Many a long talk she had on the subject with Alice Pierson, a young English girl that Kate's mother had educated and brought up, and who served Kate partly as companion and partly as maid. But for some months her father said no more on the subject. The laird died, and he went forth to the funeral, and came back more clannish than ever, after mingling with the whole tribe in the solemn feudal ceremony of burying the dead chief. 
It was the middle of the next summer before she heard any more of her intended bridegroom. Then a letter came, saying that he and his foster-brother Donald would be in Glasgow at the end of July. Kate had been sure that this news would come sooner or later, and was prepared for it. She received it with a smile, and said : 
“ Very well, father; I will try and like Sholto; only you must let me learn the lesson in my own way, and I have a little plan which you must help us to carry out. We are going down to Rothesay for sea bathing. No one knows us there, and Alice is to be Kate Dalrymple, and I am to be Alice Pierson. Sholto will then be at ease with me, and I shall find out his real character. If I can love him, I can win him." 
“ I'll play no Dalrymple false for any woman's scheme," said the provost, dourly; but at last, with infinite coaxing, he was persuaded to stay in Glasgow and remain passive. 
Then the young ladies took up their quarters in the lovely village of Rothesay, and they were hardly settled before the Highland gentlemen paid them a visit. 
Both were splendid-looking fellows, but Kate at once decided that Donald was the handsomer. Alice dressed and acted the petted heiress to perfection, and Kate put on the modest toilet and rather melancholy air of a dependent just as cleverly.. They fished and rode and rambled, and spent six charming weeks; but, somehow, Sholto Dalrymple was always at the side of Alice the supposed heiress, and Donald with Kate the poor companion. Occasionally the two young men went to Glasgow for a week or two, but the wooing went merrily on, and all parties seemed determined to enjoy the present without thought of consequences. 
“ Consequences! '* The word for the first time troubled Kate at the end of six weeks, and she resolved to run up and see her father, and find out what these might be. So, one evening, as they sat again together after dinner, she said : 
“ Father, I am going back to Rothesay to-morrow, and our pleasant little visit there must soon end. But I want to tell you that Sholto has scarcely left Alice's side. He thinks, of course, she is his cousin. It is humiliating, but he has paid me very little attention, indeed. Now, father, what if Sholto refuses to marry me? “
“Then he'll get his sword and a commission in the 42nd Highlanders. So much I maun do for him, anyway. But I shall buy the auld place mysel*, and when you do marry, you maun either marry a Dalrymple, or we maun rebapteeze the lad. " 
And suppose I am the disobedient one, father? ' You'll no daur to be that, Kate. It wad break my heart. But I should then give Sholto the twenty thousand pounds to lift the mortgages, an' you would hae to thole that loss, and, mayhap, mair besides; for I'll never see Dairg Castle shelter stranger heads." 
So Kate knew the worst now. She might be poor enough with Donald, but then, how generous and noble and unselfish he had constantly proved himself to be. And she loved him. Still, she felt that neither for this reason nor for any other could she so deeply disappoint and grieve her good father. No, no ; she had done a very foolish thing in deceiving her cousin, and the thing must be undone at once. 
Full of this determination she was shy and cold to Donald on her return, and when their usual evening ramble was proposed, refused to join it. Donald went out, but soon returned, and finding Kate alone, determined to know his fate. He told her how dearly he loved her, and he told his tale with such tenderness and earnestness, and was so handsome withal, that Kate was sorely tempted. 
If you knew how I loved you, Alice ; if you knew what I must sacrifice to win you, you would surely give me some hope. " 
"Sacrifice!" The word nettled Kate in her present mood. “She could not see how the laird's foster-brother could sacrifice anything in marrying her. " 
“Ah! but, Alice, suppose I am the laird I Suppose that I changed places with my foster-brother, because I wanted to see in her true colors this cousin of mine to whom I was to be sold? Suppose that I love you so well that I would gladly give up Dairg and all its lands to win you? '* 
"Donald! Donald! If, indeed, I could sup[>ose this, I should be the happiest girl in all the world." 
But she would not yet reveal her true character. She wandered out with him on the moonlit sands, and listened with a happy heart to all his plans. He would give up Dairg to his uncle Thomas; it was mortgaged to its last acre; and for his part, he was glad so true a Dalrymple was able and willing to keep there the old ancestral state. His uncle was a born noble, and had promised him, at all events, a fine company; and with Alice to love, and a good sword to cut his way to fame and fortune, he was more than content. 
Kate had never before been so bewitching ; she set herself now to charm anew, and the young laird was proud beyond all counting of the woman he had won, although he really believed her to be poor enough, save in love and beauty. 
Their radiant faces and the joyful confidence of their manners told their position at once to their companions, and Alice said, as soon as they were alone : 
"We have done a very foolish thing, Kate. This young laird is really beginning to like me, and there was more in Donald's face and yours to-night than your father will sanction. We have played a very foolish game, Kate. " 
" We have played wiser than we knew, Alice. Did it ever strike you that the Laird of Dalrymple may have played me back my own card? " 
Then Kate told softly over again the laird's own tale, and the two girls laughed a little, and cried a little, and were very pleasantly and happily astonished. 
"We must go home now, Alice. I must tell father at once, and I don't want, just yet, to tell Sholto. Let us see if his love will stand a week's reflection." 
So the party broke up for a week. The young men were to go to Edinburgh until they received a summons from Glasgow, and then return and arrange everything pertaining to the transfer of Dairg, and the marriage of Alice with Mr. Thomas Dalrymple. 
The provost was highly delighted when Kate told him how completely she had been taken in her own net. “It was," he said, “ Dalrymple again* Dalrymple, and baith have won ;" and he kept laughing out merrily at intervals, for the whole next week, at “ Mistress Kate playing sae cannilie into her ain hand." 
The young laird was a little amazed at the cheerfulness of his uncle's greeting ; but it was Dairg he was wanting, no doubt, bethought, “and he will care little enough for me now." 
“So you have fallen in love with the wrong party, Sholto; but that's nane o' my doing, lad an' you must not lay it to me." 
“Not I, uncle. I get Alice, and you are welcome to Dairg. I am glad it is going into such worthy hands." 
“ Yes, yes; doot less I'll look weel to its prosperity, Sholto; but I wish—" 
“ Never mind that, uncle — I am satisfied. If you will have the necessary papers made out, Dairg shall be yours whenever you wish." 
“The papers are a' ready, Sholto. But send your traps up to my house. You maun stay wi' me until this commission an' marrying business is over. " 
So the young men removed to the provost's mansion, and when he came down for dinner, in all the pomp of his velvet suit and lace ruffles and golden badge, he found them waiting for him in the drawing-room. 
“A11 alone by yoursel's, young men?" he said cheerily; "the lasses will be here anon;" and he seemed in such extravagant spirits that Sholto Dalrymple could hardly help doing his uncle's great heart a great injustice. 
Presently the door opened, and Sholto rose eagerly to meet his affianced bride. Her magnificent dress and costly jewels startled him, and threw quite into the shade the plain black silk robe of her companion. Before, however, he could identify any single thought but that of admiration and amazement, the provost advanced to the ladies, and, taking one by each arm, led them toward the laird and his foster brother. 
"Gentlemen," he said, gleefully, “ye hae gotten your introductions a* mixed up, so I'll just sort a' of your names right, afore we get our dinners. Sholto Dalrymple, Laird o* Dairg, this is Mistress Kate Dalrymple;" and Kate, with a loving smile, looked into Sholto's face and slipped her hand into his. 
“Alice!" 
“ Kate, if you please, Sholto." 
“Yes, indeed, Sholto, and dinna ye think, young man, you can play pliskies wi* a Dalrymple for naught. Ha! ha! you got paid in your ain coin this time, my laddie ! Come awa', all o' you; I winna have my fish cauld to suit your havering; and there I see Donald and bonnie Alice Pierson have been introducing themselves; but ye have got things right this time." 
It was a wonderful dinner, and when, at its close, the provost brewed his glass of toddy, and handed Kate and Alice their “ thimbleful," they were quite ready to drink the new family toast: “ Here's to the Dairymples of Dairg. Who's like them?" 
Category:Barr
Category:Published