Year: 1874

murmured Kirstie Drydone, as for the
twentieth time that day. she rose and went
to the front door to look for her husband.
1t was between two and three in the after
noon of Hogmanay, the last day of the
year. On every side undulating ranges OF
hills met her eye, and seemed to close in
the wide valley from the world beyond.
The sun was low in the west, enveloped
in strange reddish haze behind the hills
to the north great masses of heavy clouds
were rolling up, piled one above another
bitter icy wind whistled down the val
ley. bearing on its wings an occasional
snow w-fake; while to the south the great
range of hills rose up, clear and distinct
in their slight mantle of snow, against the
purplish sky. kirstie looked round in all
directions but could see nothing of her
husband, who had been absent since the
early morning, and saying to herself, II
wish saw him safe hame it's gaun to be
Il wild nicht, doubt she closed the door
and returned to the fireside. She put on
some peats, made herself certain that the
kettle was boiling, SO that she might
''mask" the tea as soon as Archie came in;
then, drawing forward the table which
was all ready set fer tea, she sat down on
a low chair, and resumed her occupation
Of rocking the cradle. As she bent over
the fair little baby it contained, the fire.
light lit up very homely face; a mouth
rivaling in width the famous Meg Of Har-
dens; small gray eyes and low fore
head and yet tho face was not without
its points. The large mouth disclosed
two rows Of pearly teeth; the eyes were
frank and sweet, with confiding truth
fulness in them and her forehead was
crowned with masses of thick. soft brown
hair. She was remarkably tall. nearly six
feet and splendidly proportioned. with the
exception of her arms, which were rather
long. And at the time of her marriage
Just year before this-there were many
Jokes passed upon the fact that she was
two or three inches taller than her husband
who was little and slight. with fair boy
sh face, which made him look younger
than Kirstie, though he was twenty-five
and she was only twenty-five. Archie
Brydone let them laugh away. and could
afford to do so, for none knew so we'll as
himself what a treasure he had got in this
homely wife of his.


When kirstie was little lassie of eight
years old, her father and mother died OF
fever within few weeks of each other,
and her father, who was a shepherd
also, had had this very herding of Dyne-
foot, and the cottage to which she returned
rs bride was the same in which she
passed a happy childhood. Mr.. Gray, the
farmer of Auchensack, her fathers mas
ter, took her to the farmhouse, and there
she remained till she was married; first as
a little herd girl, then as nurse to the child
rem, and finally as dairy-maid. 1t was
during two or three summers which she
h.. tba hat sL fsrok1 1yva
Archie Brydone. He was delicate, puny
boy, who even then looked young for his
years, and his parents feared at one time
grew out of It afterwards. His father had
taken a dairy on the neighboring farm Of
Barbreck, and Archie was set to the task
great stretches Of moorland and pasture,
where there were few, if any, proper
fences.


In their pastoral enjoyment the two
children became inseparable companions.
Archie was a smart boy and a good reader.
and many q lesson he gave kirstie, who
was diligent though not very apt pupil
for at all times of her life her heart was
infinitely greater than her intellect. At
other times he would read aloud to her,
while she worked her stocking; and shell
tered by an old plaid, which preserved
them alike from sun, wind, and rain, they
passed many happy hours. Finally, Archie
| thought he must learn to weave stockings
for himself, and, under kirstie's tuition,
soon became nearly as clever as she was
! herself; and so her dreams of compan-
ion -kniiter under the rowan tree were
realized, though very differently from what
she anticipated. as dreams so often are.


Two happy summers passed in this way
and then Archie, having outgrown his
lameness, was sent away to farm service
and when he became older, went 10 the
Highlands as shepherd. For two or
three years his father and mother remained
at Barbreck dairy, and kirstie heard OF
him occasionally from them; but eventual
ly they went to large dairy down in
Galloway, and for several years she did
not know whether he were dead or alive;
but she did not forget him, and ON fine
Sunday afternoons in summer sometimes
walked as far as the rowan-tree, with
which he was inseparably associated.


A great surprise was in store for her,
however, for he came back to Mr.. Gray's
as herdsman krstie had not heard the
name OF the young man who was coming.
indeed had heard nothing about him eX-
ccpt that he was coming from the High
lands. She was in the kitchen alone when
he came in; it was but the tirelight that
was shining full upon her as she stood
making the porridge, in the cooks absence
and after minutes quiet survey he was
certain that this tall girl with the grand
figure snd plain face was no other than
his old friend kirstie.


"Di' ye ever herd the COOS for onybody
nowadays, kirstie?' he said at length,
very quietly.


preserve us all" exclaimed Kirstie,
nearly upsetting the porrige in her agita-
tion ;then, as the fire blazed up, and dis.
closed the fair curly head and merry blue
eyes she remembered so well, she said
with fearful eyes and trembling voice
Can this be you, Archie Brydone? Glad
am to see you back again. But what
start you gied me, for mony's the time
I've wondered if We were alive"


"Alive and hearty" replied Archie
with rather forced laugh, to hide the
emotion he really felt when he saw how
agitated she was. "But the truth is.