Year: 1876

no1 very goou one, puI ho'e'enotss
one that gave her pleasure; and she
wished to try some OF the tunes he bad
played to the dancers. El!en's sistt RS
were very much afraid she had cOmpro-
missed the family dignity by dancing
with this stroller, and they grumbled
about her asking him to their home so
late in the evening. He went, however (;
and after Ellen and himself had dis
coursed music for considerable length
of time, to the delight Of the old folks,
who were rather proud of Ellen's musical
taste, he rose to leave.


They offered him bed in the barn,
but he said he had to be miles away be-
fore daylight; so Ellen gave him piece
of money and stuffed his pockets with
bread and beeiand large piece of cheese,
at the same time begging of him If he
ever came that way again to give them
the pleasure of listening to his min
strelsy.


Sir Evan returned to his own castle,
but he could not Danish the image Of the
gentle Ellen from his face. When he
slept or woke he always saw her as she
stood fixing the broken primrOses in her
belt-loOking so sweet and pretty in her
white dress and blue ribbons, and her
rippling brown hair tossed both by the
evening breeze and by the dancing; and
at length when his mother renewed her
attacks upon him about getting married,
he told her of the maiden he had learned
to love 80 we'll.


The lady was dunfounded. Was her
darling son, the pride Of her heart, to
wed nameless, humble bride But as
she pondered the matter over she became
reconciled TO it. If he loved this maiden
his happiness was concerned, and what
was his true happiness was hers. So after
short silence that almost seemed years,
she raised her head and asked Sir Evan
if he had cause to think the maiden re-
turned his love?


81 dare not say she does, MOTHER" he
replied; "yet, l think she thought ten
derly of the strolling musician. l think
there was sigh of regret for his not be-
ing the son of neighboring farmer. l
could read that in her dark gray eyes,
even when she was not the least con.
scious of it herself"


"God bless you, my dear son." replied
the good lady, with tremor in her voice,
"God bless you, indeed; so amiable a
maiden must prove sweet companion !;
and she must be in q measure accom-
plished, according to your statement !;
and if it is for your happiness, am rec
onciled."


The young man kissed his mothers
hand with tenderness and gratitude {; and
he went at once to order out his carriage
for the interesting journey. He dressed
with great care, and finer looking man
could seldom be seen.


His well-knit limbs were 1.-THE and
hardy looking, and showed the nimble
huntsman or the brave soldier, as occa-
sion might demand. His dark hazel eye
was beautiful, and his curling hair the
very sunniest shade OF brown, His
bushy whiskers were auburn, and the
habit of command gave dignity to his
presence that heightened the charm of the
whole.


Ellen's father saw the carriage ap-
proach his house in great surprise, for he
knew the great yellow carriage, though
he had not seen it for many years. He
went, bonnet in hand, to meet the laird,
while his good wife hastily got on her
best cap, and looked to her whisky bottle
and her bread and cheese, i'm case he
might alight to rest his horse and
get some refreshments, as she had seen
his excellent father do.


Sir Evan leaped from the carriage, and
gayly entered the old house as if he had
been an acquaintance for years, to the
great delight of the good farmer and his
wife. He partook of a glass ofrich cream
and a piece of delicious oatcake, and then
asked to see their family. They came
one by one, tall, blushing girls, and stout,
healthy looking, awkward lads-all but
Ellen; and Sir Evan asked if these were
all.


"We have one other daughter, our
second eldest, but she is busy with some
household duties, and unfit to come into
your presence so we hope you will ex-
cuse her, Sir Evan," said the mother
gravely.


"Show me where to find her then, and
/ will 60 to her." said Sir Evan, with a
strange culver of lip and voice.


The mother was about to call the
daughter, when one of the boys, hastily
opening the door, pointed to the room
where Ellen was busily taking off the
butter from the churn. She was arrayed
in plain gray linen dress, clean and
neat, and the curls that had hung so
pnttily about her neck and face at the
wedding, were fastened back with a piece
OF bright blue ribbon but the dropping,
tall, lily-like figure and the modest gray
eyes were the same. and the expression
he thought so angelic when she gathered
the broken primroses was still the same
also; indeed, as he gazed upon her, he
| +bnrxbt har mora hoont;f,I than ayar
She looked bewildered at the fair face of
the young man, and be took her hand,


az have accepted your invitation,
Ellen. You see have returned, though
in good sooth your eyes would speak a
warmer welcome if / had come with my
tattered coat and fiddle"


Ellen stood speechlessin astonishment !;
for she saw, indeed, he was no other than
the strolling musican--for that hazel eye
had left tender regret in Ellen's heart
for which she had often child herself; and
as it flashed across her mind who he was,
and how she had stuffed his pockets with
bread and beef, she fell on her knees,
crying:


"FOrgive me, sir; oh, forgive me.
knew not, indeed, you were any other
than what you seemed"


Forgive you, Ellen Yes, my fair
girl; you have more need of forgiveness
than you think, for you have stolen my
peace Of mind away. Will you restore
1t to me? Will you be my partner now
again-for all my life long?' He raised
her from the floor as he spoke aud drew
her tenderly toward him and she laid
her face upon his bosom and wept tears
of the purest joy and gladness as, amidst
his caresses, she promised to be his
through life. Ere he led her back to get
a blessing from her parents, he took from
his bosom bouquet of the latest prim-
roses of the year and fixed them on her
breast, whispering:


"These flowers must always be sacred
to us; for 1t was when you were gather
ing those Of mine, so rudely broken and
scattered by an ungentle hand, that my
| soul went ont To Won i'm the fullness of its