Year: 1870

tation, that his mother, without having Pre-


viously complained Of being worss than he


ordinary, had been struck with what appear
ed to be palsy in the course Of the night


that she was now wholly deprived cf speech


and nearly deprived Of motion in one side


and that be had hasteued thither a soon q


she could be left, to beg either bsr or hs


mother to come over and watch hsr I'LL b
could procure further assistance He woult


have said something move--he woald hav'


limited the probability Of the fatal termina
ton of his mothers disease, and the furthe


probability that this termination might oc
eur in q few hours, both Of which wsr'
painfully impressed upon bis hsart |; but b
shrank from the idea OF speaking on such /,
subject, as though be spprshended sout
mysterious conuestiou betwsen his owr
words and the fate Of his mother. and thu
what he was about TO say might hurry or
the crisis which be wished to avert He
was therefore silent while Jenny. between
the effects Of her dream, and the alarming
intelligence which she had just heard, knew
not what to answer, OF what h should do
In general, ebe possessed activity. aad sll
that was necessary 30 enable her to render
assistance in auy case With she was nc.
qnainted but she was susceptible Of strong
impressions who are so seldom act
with ease in an untried situation and she
was now placed in one which was perfectly
new to her. In her agitation, she would
have stood where she was, like statue, or
she would have accompanied him without
taking time to put on what remained OF her
clothes, had be repeated bis request but her
mother, who had been awakened by the
opening of the door, on oyerhearing the
conversation which followed, bad dressed
herself with characteristic despatch, now
came to her daughters relief.


"Dinna forget to milk the COW, lassie, J"
said she, " nor to max yer fathers parritch
about eight o'clock, aud I'll rim Owre mysel,
and see what's the matter wi puir Margaret
Crawford Bat, If Tm no back afore din
ner time, mind ye to come and see how she
is" With these brief orders. Nelly wrapped
herself up in her cloak, and hastened to
carry her services where they were most
wanted.


On reaching Gairyburn, they found
Margaret, as she had been represented, very
ILL The shock, however, did not, as there
was at first reason to fear, prove immediate
ly mortal and about noosJ when 5enny
arrived, her mother proposed that she her
self should 60 home. leaving her in con-
slant attendance, and promising. at the
same time, to return rs often as possible,
and give them all the assistance in her
power. This arrangement appeared salts
factory to all parties but. at the end of
three weeks, second shock brought rest
to the sufferer. and mourning to the house
of Gairyburn.


This mourrfIl event, as is common in
such cases, brought together the whole Of
the friends and relations of the deceased
and among the rest came Betsy Braikens
and her brother. Betsy had been for some
time past residing with that brother in Perth;
but, as soon as it was known that she had
arrived, those who pretended to take an in
terest in the affairs of her cousin hasteBed
to represent to her in the strongest terms
the necessity of her coming ito keep his
house :" and, yielding to their representa-
tions, she did offer her services. These
were declined, however, from the considera-
ton that. it would be incOnvenient for her
brother to want her assistance. But, as
soon as it was understood that she had made
such an offer, the very individuals who had
advised her to make it began to search for
other motives than their c~n advice, and
they soon discovered what they considered a
sufficient reason for her doing 80, in the en-
barrassed circumstances Of ber brother. 1t
was generally believed that bis trade had
never been very Aourishing. and some sur
mises had lately reached them Of the failure
Of a merchant in Glasgow, with whom he
was understood to be connected, which
would involve him in very considerable
difficulties. Putting these things together,
they deemed them sufficient warrant for
supposing that Betsy bad her cousins hand
as well as his house in view, and that, If
she did not succeed in securing one Of
them at least, she might soon have no house
TO keep


This suppOsitiOn was not altogether with.
out foundation for all his endeavors had
been SO unsuccessful Of late, that her brother
had now come to the determination of drop
ping business, as soon as he could sell off
his stock, and wind up his affairs but, as
it would be several months before this could
be done with any prospect Of advantage, be
still continued to keep bis intentions per
feet secret. And this being the case, it was
agreed on the evening of the funeral that be
and his sister should set off, early next
morning. for Perth.


The weather, however, did not appear
to favor their intentions. For the last eight
days it had been fair, and uncommonly mild,
with slight frosts during the night, so that,
in the estimation Of the country people,
the earth was prepared for a storm" But,
on the day alluded to, the atmosphere had
become loaded with stagnant vapors a con-
tin Jus mass Of lark, leaden-cOlored cloud,
which seemed to rest upon the nearest bills,
arched the concave; not a single speck Of
blue sky had been visible since morning !;
and in the evening. one of those dense and
wildering falls Of snow, which have fire.
quently misled the traveller, came on.


The night was one which, in most re-
spects, seemed to accord with the sorrowfal
feelings Of the little party at Gairyburn. 1t
was gloomy and silent; while the snow
continued to accumulate around the house,
as if % exclude everything which might
have tendency to disturb their recOllec-
tons Of the solemn scene in which they had
been 50 lately engaged. At times, sort Of
conversation, carried on in subdued tones,
prevailed for season and then it was fol-
lowed by considerable intervals Of silence,
broken only by an occasional sigh, casual
observation on the stiffness Of the night, or
| an iniurckior ~ stir the fire Anon the