Year: 1862

a Highland Legend.


ONCE upon a time, in Barr Glenn, on a wild
winters night a farmer and his family and
servants were comfortably seated around a
peat-fre, when the wind was bowling terri
bly, around the house, and the drifting snow
was clogging up the doorways. The farmer
knew that his son and the servant-maid were
much attached to each other, but he would
not consent to their marriage. While they
were all sitting round the fire on that winter'a
night, he thought of plan by which the ser
vant-naid should be got rid Of 50 he said
that if before the next day, she would bring
him skull that was in Saddell church, she
should have his son for a husband. The girls
love was so strong for the young man that
he joyfully agreed to the proposal, although
it was quite seven miles to Saddell, and the
road thereto lay over Bienn-au-Tuirc. She
knew the road well, and all its dangers and
difficulties even by daylight which would
now be immensely increased by the darkness
Of the night, the fierce wind and driving
snow, and the slippery rocks and swollen tor
rents.


But she did not shrink from the danger,
and at once made ready and weut on her
way. The farmer took good care that she
went alone, and that his son did not follow
her The brave girl went over kill and glen,
battling with the snow-storm, and tracking
her path with the greatest difficulty She
passed safely over the southern side of Bienn-
au-Tuirc and by midnight reached Sadden
church. It's door was open, burst open per-
haps, by the violence Of the wind. She knew
the place where the skull was kept and size
groped toward it in the dark. As she did so
she heard great and peculiar noise, made
up, as it seemed, Of loud moans. There was
a trampling Of light feet over the payement,
and she heard forms rush past her; then a
moments silence, succeeded by more Gaysteri-
GUS moans and sounds. Terrified, but not
disheartened, the brave girl kept ler purpose
steadily in view; and groping toward the
skull, seized it with both hands, and made for
the church-door The trampling Of feet and
the means continued, and the forms pursued
her Grasping the skull she gained the door,
and pulled it to after her. As she did so she
heard rush against it but she turned and
fed. By daylight she had regained her lovers
home, and, half dead with fatigue and excite
ment, placed the skull in the farmers hands,
and claimed the fuldllmcnt Of his promise.


The farmer was taken aback by seeing the
girl, having hoped that she would have per-
ished amid the snow and wilds. He would
not believe that she had really been to Sad
delI and taken the skull from tie church on
such night; so he at once set out to Sadden
with some Of his men, expecting to be able to
disapprove the girls tale, by finding the skull
still in IFS place IN the church. When they
got there, and had opened the churc- door
they found within the building-not the skull
but a number of wild deer, who, having found
he door open, had sought shelter from the
violence Of the storm. The girl had told him
ofIhe sounds she had heard within the church


Here was their cause; and nuchas he wished
it otherwise, yet it was impossible for him to
disbeEeve her tale. There was nothing for
him to do but to -, ield with the best grace he
might. He gave his consent 10 the match
and to make assurance doubly sure, the lover
tool; his brave girl to Saddell church the very
next day, where she replaced the skull in its
old position, aud they were married oG-hand
And as some Of the deer that had frightened
her had been killed and cooked, they had a
hearty wedding and plenty Of good venison
at the feast that followed G'sr2raggan, or a
Highland Home in Canta's,5y Gat5bart Beds.