Year: 1860

|. That Will not-may not, hnd tongue.
BYRON.


1t was early morning when Bessie Craig
stood with her sun bonnet in her hand il
the porch of their little cottage. -.


Indeed, father, I don't like to leave
you,' said she 'supposing harm should be-
fall you, 1 would never forgive myself fol
the desertion.


Gods goodness and my grey hairs viii
preserve me, lassie, replied the old man
sapd I'll be better satisfied to know you
are up at the mansion


,sYes, but father, Gods goodness can pre-
serve me, too and the mansion did not pre-
serve Miss Ellen from fear the other night.


Il know that, Bessie replied the old
man, sighing, sbut still I'm thinking they II
be apt to show you more respect if you
were up there; though it's little the respect
these tory troopers show to any one now.
Maybe it's as weel for you to bide with
your auld father after a. 7


Il will go, ifyou bid me, father, but I'd
rather be with you, replied the dutiful girl
as she clasped the old mans arm.


sAs you will Bessie after a it is He only
who kills and who makes alive again, and
though ken it so weel, and ken that he
who keeps the young ravens will guard my
little Bessie, still my faith is trembling to
night, and l fear for you my BARN


/ you have heard so many bloody tales
lately, dear father, of those wicked troop
ers, that you are uneasy; but Col. Camp
bell will soon drive them from our country,
and we will have peace once more


peace, peace said old Andrew. 'God
grant it Sometimes fear we will never
see it again


You desponding father Why thought
nothing could shake your trust in the holy
cause. Why you'll have your little Bessie
scoding you for want of faith. Go down
and see the minister awhile;' you know a
talk with him always does you good, and
you will come back cheered.'


Il believe l will, Bessie, for whether
this failing faith is sign that the silver
cord will soon be loosed and the golden
bowl broken or no, I Gamma say; but this
I know, that He who so long has granted
me living grace will also grant me dying
grace and l will do as you say, chiel, and
ava and seek strength from the man Of
God And the old man went away mur-
muring "a little child shall lead you unless
ye became as little child, ye cannot enter
the kingdom of heaven -y.


Little Bessie was too light hearteda mai,
den to remain long sad, and too busy body,
to remain long idle; so drawing her spin
ming wheel from its cover, she kept time
to its low buzzing music, with many
plaintive ditty of olden time. 1t was easy
to read the memories that filled her inno-
cent heart as she sang


"A soldier once lo'ed, forget him shall 1 never
And the yet more tender love that breath
ed from her lips in
The dearest lad that ever blest a woman's e'e.'
Bessie was never lonely; her wheel and
her song and her merry heart were an anti
dote against all ennui, as well as against
all care, and beside that wheel, her busy
fancy wove many bright hope for the fu-
ture, with Ellick Bowen to share it and
peace to bless them both. So absorbed
was she in her pleasant faucies, that she did
not notice the frequent passing of many
persons on the hitherto quiet road, and it
was not till her attention was aroused by a