Year: 1878

The auld inair will bear We well
Effie, my doc; and it's but bit jour
ney across the muir to your ain fire
side that is to be. And we were bet
ter there, with your own loves warm
heart to welcome ye, than here where
the ingle may be warm, but the hearts
are cold as the icicles on the thatch
outsider


So spoke sturdy John McNair, the
miller, as he stood proudly up in the
freight, and frightened Effie cluug
closer to her strong lover, as she gaz-
ed wistfully into her fathers hard,
set face.


1t was many months now since
John met Etfie Patton the first time on
a Hallowe'en and fell in love with
her sweet face their nuts blazed we'll
together that night, when mischiev-
Gus Jean McCraw persisted in nam
ing them together; and it seemed as
if, for once, Jean was in the right Of
it, and they were meant for each 9TH
er, so steadily did their mutual love
increase all the neighbors said what
q fine couple they would make, but
far otherwise thought old Hugh Pa
ton, Effie's father.


The old man was a sort OF grandee
the small farmers; he was
better to do than any in the country
side, and valued himself about equal
ly upon his greater wealth and upon
his superior origin, there being some
vague tradition that his fore Gathers had
been barons in their day, though
where their barony lay, or what had
become oft, Hugh would have been
as much puzzled to say as any body
who accepted his word as evidence
Now, left u widower with one daught-
er, he INDUCED himself in wild Wis
ions of that daughters possible tn-
ture. Why should she not hold up
her head with the best, since he had

given her good birth, and her dead
mother, careful training and there
would be money enough forthcoming
for her dover to make her an envia-
BILE match? There were lmrds hard
by who had sons to marry, and Ellie
Patton might win the hand of one of
these, thought old Hugh; it never
occurred tc him that some one might
win her heart.


So when, after careful waiting and
zsaaina the miller came tn hira al hk.s.
Whitsuntide fair To ask his daughters
hand, great was the farmers wrath
that John McNair, good man though
he were should presume to mate with
his bettersb In vain did the lover
plead his love in vain did he show
the angry father that his trace was
thriving; and his means would keep
a wife in comfort and plenty. Home
ly household life was not what Hugh
desired for his daughter, but rather
position in the world, and all of Johns
and Effie's tears could
win from the furious old man only u
harsh order to his daughter so 90 to
her room, and savage threat to her
lover if he ever again darkened the
door of the Byrie.


The days wore on to harvest, and
still Hugh Patton was relentless,
though Efiie's checks grew pale and
her step heavy; he looked sometimes
wistfIlly upon his darling, but his
pride was stronger than his love, and
conquered the rising tenderness. AT
length, he noticed one day that she
had resumed some thing of her old
cheerfuIness, and as he saw the roses
come back to her cheek, and heard
her voice once more lifting about the
house he smiled grimly to himself,
and said, SAY, ay! kent fine how
it would bel The lassie will ha' for
gotten her fancyP' Stupid old do
tardn"


They had met by chance at a neigh
boris cottage, and in despair of her
hard fathers consent, and weary of
life without love, Effie had gl,'en
away at last to her lovers earnest
pleading; before two trusty witness
es they took each other for man and
wife, and registered their VOW in the


DIoIe OF Inelr friendly go-between !;
and tho girl went home to her faith
er's house, knowing that, come what
might, she was Johns lawful wife
before Heaven and earth, and that
nothing but death could part them
now.


But this secret could not be kept
forever; both saw that, and, at their
few stolen meetings, they discussed
anxiously the question how their we'd
ding was 10 be told and ratified by
the parental consent. Both foresaw
a stormy scene, when the old man
should first leaIn the failure of all his
cherished hopes, but neither doubted
of his ultimate pardon. Was not
Effie his only child the one memento
of what, in spite of his hard, grasp
ing nature, had been a love-match,
resulting in a quiet, peaceful welded
life? At length it was agreed that,
upon the coming New Years Eve,
John should once more visit Byrie,
and declare to its master how he had