Year: 1876

J
beauties?" replied Ellen, caressing the
bouquet with a tender touch; and as for
dancing with the young man, am sure l
am quite ready TO do so again, were it
| only for his delightful music"


Margaret drew herself away in digni-
fled silence. She was quite Mortified at
the conduct of Ellen and the young man,
who was lowering near, and watching the
maidens, again offered his hand to Ellen;
and, anxious to heal the wound her COM
panion had given, she danced with him
gladly. He saw she was enraptured with
his music, and he was delighted when, al
the close of the festival, she asked him TO
proceed to her fathers house, where she
wished to hear again his sweet strains.
She had an old piano-not a very good
one, but nevertheless one that gave her
pleasure; and she wished to try some of
the tunes he had played to the dancers.
Ellen's sisters were very much afraid she
had compromised the family dignity by
dancing with this stroller, and they
grumbled about her asking him to their
/
however and after Ellen and himself had
dscoursed music for IA 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 Il bed in the barn, but
he said he had to be miles away before
daylight; SO Ellen gave him piece of
money and stuffed his pockets with bread
and beef and a large piece of cheese, at
the same time begging of him it he ever
came that way again to give them the
pleasure OF listening to his minstrelsy.


Sir Evan returned to his own castle, but
he could not Danish the image Of the gen
tie Ellen from his heart. When he slept
or woke he always saw her rs she stood
fixing the broken primrOscs in her belt
looking so sweet and pretty in her white
dress and blue ribbons, and her ripping
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 so we'll


The lady was dumbloundcd Was her
darling son, the pride of her heart, to wed
a namelcss, humble bride? But as she
pondercd the matter over she became
more 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
returned his love?


81 dare not say she does, mother" he
rcplied "yct, | think she thought ten
dcrly Of the strolling musician. | think
there was sigh Of regret for his not be-
ing son Of ncighboring farmer. |
could read that in her dark gray eyes, even
when she was not the least conscious of it
herself"


"God bless you, my dear son." replied
the good lady, with tremor in her voice,
Good bless you, indeed; 50 amiablc a
maiden must prove a sweet companion
and she must be in u measure accom-
plishcd, according to your statement; and
if it is for your happiness, | am recon
ciled."


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 a tiner-looking man
could seldom be seen.


His well-knit limbs were 1.-the and
hardy looking, and showed the nimblc
huntsman or the brave soldier, as oCca-
sion might demand His dark, hazel eye
was beautiful, and his curling hair the
very sunnicst sEade 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 approach
his house in great surprise, tor he knew
the great yellow carriage, though he had
not seen it for 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, in case he might alight to rest
his horse and get some refreshments, as
she had seen his excellent father do.


Sir Evan leapcd from the carriage, and
gaily 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 Of rich
cream and piece Of delicious oat-cake,
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 sec,
ond 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
I will go to her." said Sir Evan, with a
strange quiver 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 but
ter from the churn. She was arrayed in
a plain gray linen dress, clean and neat
and the curls, that had hung so prettily
about her neck and face at the wedding
were fastened back with piece of bright
blue colored ribbon; but the dropping,
tall, lily-like figure and the modest gray
ewes 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
thought her more beautiful than ever
She looked bewildered at the fair face Of
the young man, and he took her hand
saying: 81 have accepted your invita-
ton, Ellen. You see l have returned
though in good sooth your eyes would
speak warmer welcome if l had come
with my tattered coat and my fiddle"


Ellen stood speechless in astonishment
for she saw, indeed, he was no other thar
the strouing musician-for that hazel eye
had left a tender regret in Ellen heart fol
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 fail
girl; you have mere need OF forgiveness