HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Clinton News Record, 1931-12-17, Page 5Ba1dist�lle! Christmas
Advellture
be The Last Witch of Cragraven
E. D. •McGee in The Blue Bell
'The eemnmrts of the Baldistetre
family left Scotland shortly after -
the Jacobite Rebellion. of 179.5: 'Prae-
. ticealy all of the menfolk were slain
at Culloden, fighting in the hopeless
and, perhaps, unholy cause of the pie-
turesque and gallant young man who
is knewn in -history as The Young
Pretender, but who is celebrated in
Scottish song and story as The
Bonnie Prince 'Charlie.
Before the Baldistnnes withdrew
from Scotland, so it is said, a cer-
tain Tan Baidistone, a very old mart
and the sole adult male representa-
tive of the family, made a solemn
vow that all of his name would re-
main in permanent exile, unless the
Stuarts were restored. It further
said that, for the benefit of any pos-
sible ,violator of the vow, old Iaie
framed the series of frightful impre-
cations contained in the following
rhyme:
May the storm burst •forth on. the
Baidistone,
May he die in the drift!n' snaw;
May the hungry eorbies peck at his
banes,
An' his guts may the eagles gnaw:
May he never see the licht o' Heaven,
Bub in auld c'ootie's cavern craw.
If he dishonour the vow that was
made
When Bonnie Charlie geed awe'
There is another verse --I forget its
exact words, at the moment—which
says, in effect, that the vow was
made known, at the time it was
sworn, to The Witch of engrave',
and that she was charged to co-op-
erate in the fulfilment of the curse,
in the event of violation. The witch.
it appears, readily agreed, not only
on behalf of herself ;but !likewise on
behalf of all her female descendants;
who presumably would also be wit -
elms.
In due course, the Baldistones set,
Med on the American continent. Of
their early history in the New World
little is known, excepting that they
were honest, hard-working and law-
abiding. For over a century the
'family vow was religiously observed,
partly because the Baldistones re-
mained loyal to the unfortunate
House of Stuart and partly because
they were afraid of the malediction
of their ancestor. The last few gen-
erations, however, have not taken the
matter so seriously. It became a
family joke, rather than anything
else.
It is curious though, that right
down to the very recent date the
Baldistones stayed in Canada. Just
last fall, Malcolm Baldistone, son
of Kenneth Baldistone, crossed over
to Glasgow on a business trip. It is
about 'what befell young Malcolm,
while in Scotland, that I wish to tell
you!
"And see you don't come to grief
over there," said old Mr. Baldistone
iti his jocular way, as he took leave
of his son at the dock, "You• are the
fust of ours to go back, you know,
since the time of Bonnie Charlie!"
"Oh, that's alright, dad," laughed
the young man. "I am not a bit scar-
ed. If I have time, I'll run -up to
the Highlands and see our ancestral
borne. What's the name fa the cas-
tle; again?"
"Auohenvohr. But it wilt be in ruin
now or perhaps deme' ished' alitogeth-
er. I've marked the location on your
map, though."
"Well, goodbye, dad!"
"Goodbye, Malcolm,, and • goad
luck!"
Malcohne Bald&stoneereached Gies -
Cow in October. .Straightway he be-
came engrossed in his affairs and had
little or no time to himself 'until
Christmas was at 'hand. ' There was
a lull in business then, and the young
man 'thought it veli to take advan-
tege of that and make his trip to the
mirth. Accordingly, about noon on
December 24, he 'set ont'from iG1as-
gow in an automobile—alone. It was
of frost in the air.
• Auchnrvohr castle, according to the
map, was 'situated beyond the Gram-
pian monetetins, and close lo a town
called Cragraven. Mamba reckon-
ed that lie would reach Cragraven in
ei'gh't or nine hours. Be planned to
put tep there for the night and then
spend 'Christmas bay in the haunts
of alis forefathers.
The first shades of night found
the young man on the other side of
the Grampian's and well into the
stern Scottish Highlands. An hear
ago he had noticed a golden eagle
hurtling heavily by, headed for ben
Nevis. Since then he had seen -no
living thing. There was a flurry of
snow in the air and it had become
intensely cold. He noticed, too, a
heavy. blackness in the sky to the
north-east. Presently the snow' began
to fall heavily; an ominous wind a-
rose.
TAO() hours later a highland/ storm
is raging in all the fullness of its
fury. The wind is howling hike some
maddened thing; the snow is churn-
ing in Wild confusion, And it is
night, dark and pitchy! A little
car is struggling gamely on, strug,
gling blindly,for its headlights can -
eat penetrate the 'snow -ladened
blackness Suddenly the ear swerves
—crack! And it is only a clever
manoeuvre on the part of the driver
that prevents it front turning tittle!
"Rear end gone!" muttered MaI-
eolm Baidistone, in disgust.
He got out, now stiff with .cold,
and investigated as best he rauld.
Sure enough, the rear end was brok-
en. And what a night. Mnlcdm had
to hold on to the car to keep his feet!
against the fury of the wind. The
snow was. blinding. The headlights
of the car had gone out too. Every-
thing was blackness. The fabric of the
car was ripping and tearing.
May the storm burg forth en the
Baldistone,
May he die in the driftin' gum --
Unconsciously,. young Baldistone
found himself repeating the doggerel
rhyme at which he had laughed so
often.
"What's put that into my bead?"
he muttered, irritably. "That's rub..
bish!"
The storm continued with/ ever in-
creasing frenzy. Now the wind
would be in crescendo;; a moment
later it would sink to a dismal whine.
—an errie whine!
"I'll hike onwards!" decided Mat-
co/'.m, at length. "I cannot . be far
from Cragraven."
For more that an hour Malcolm
Baidistone battled. bravely . on
through the enraged elements. .lie
staggered and stumbled;; often he fell
but on, on he went. Gradually he
was becoming weaker—weak and
weary and sleepyl How he regret-
ted now that he had not remained in
the car until the storm abated. He
had been a fool not to do that—he
had shelter in the ear and --
Suddenly he lurched to the left
and felt heavily into a deep ditch.
Down he went. Down, down, down.
The sow piled over him. The wind
bellowed, as if in triumph.
The young man. (aught desperately
and at length regained his foothold
upon the road. He was completely
exhausted now,. and he had lost all
sense of direction. He was bewild-
ered—unnerved—afraid!
May the store burst forth on the
Baldistone,
May he die in the driftin' snaw;
May the hungry corbies peck at his
ba,
An' neshis guts may the eagles gnaw'
The very wind seemed to. 'have
caught the measure of that old
rhyme now—sometimes it is shriek-
ing it; 'sometimes it is sighing it.
Malcolm turned aimlessly, hope-
lessly, and 'es 'he did so •he saw two
ghostly discs. approaching. To his
now thoroughly confused brain the
a fine wintry day, with just etang discs appeared to ' he eyes -gigantic
eyes—the eyes of some unearthly
monster -7-- -
The next instant a snow-covered.
Sedan pulled up beside 'the hapless
wayfarer.
ITu?ilo!" cried a cheery voice,
"Been caught in the storm, eh?
Was' that your car I.'passed' down
there?" And an elderly, kindly, be-
spectacled face peered through the
partially open door of the car;..
"Yes," replied Malcolm, answering
both_ questions at once. - "Was—was
on my way to Cragraven. Rear end
gone*"
"Cragraven? Oh, that's four miles
from 'here. My place is close by.
You'd better take shelter there' for
the night vend continue your journey
in the -morning.- :June in! Why,
man; you look frozen --let me herr
you," •
"It's very kind of you," said. Mal-
colm, as he sat in the cozy car /be•+
side his new acquaintance. "You are
a friend in need, I Mare you a
regular- C}ood S,,antarltanl"
"Well; that's seasonable enough eu
a Christmas Eye, surely," laughed
the stranger. "Al, here we ate, and
the gate is open—Sandy has seen us
coming."
The sedan ploughed along a drive,
way and pulled up close to some riias-
sive steps that led to the door of
the house. A servingman approach-
ed as the pair alighted, ]41',alcohn
noticed with surpiise that :the storm
had now ceased,.as if by magic. The
wind had dropped altogether and
there was ohly a slight flicker of
snow in tie air.
'"Ask Jenny to prepare a hot tneal,-
Sandy," said Malcolnt's companion.
"My friend was caught In. the stotln
—he is cold and hungry."
"I'll tell her, doctor," was the re-
ply. "Aiblin's she has a bite ready.
'Cortes, an' it's beeriest awfu nicht--
in swill' nicht foe ony pair sinner
tae be abroad in *By the by, doc-
tor, there wis a 'telephone messeage
frae the hospital a_ wee While sin"', tae
say that the witch crater is deid."
"Ah, poor sour! Poor soar"
An hour later, Malcolm Baldistone,
none the worse for his experience in
the storm, sant in comfort 'before a
crackling open fire—a "cheery ingle,"
as they say in Scotland. 'lie -had just
eaten a hearty meal of wholesome.
homely fare. "Good mine b'ost," who
had already introoduced himself as
Angus Cameron, M.D., sat close by,
chatting away in friendly fashion.
The conversation drifted from one
thing to another as casual conversa-
tions do.
"Quaint old house this I'm living
in, Mr. Baidistone," said the doctor.
presently. "1 must show, you round
in the morning. It was the ruin of
an old castle. As far as I can
make out, it fell into decay after
the forty-five rebellion. I had it
renovated, of course; in fact, rebuilt,
but retained as much of its antique
appearance as possible. I retained
the old name too--+Auchenvohr!"
Doctor Cameron busied himself for
a moment piling genre .coal on the
fire.
"Rather a pretty name, isn't it?"
he said, when he had completed his
Chore.
"Y yes," answered -Malcolm, "it
—{it is a pretty name.'
"Sorry my wife isn't here," resum-
ed the doctor, after a little while.
"She left for Edinburgh this after.'
noon. I was all ready to go with
her, when I had an urgent call from
the hospital. A ereature, known
hereabout as The Watch of Cragrav-
en, bad been admitted, suffering
from an unusual malady. Rather an
interesting case, from a medical
standpoint, but it was hopeless. She
died, it appears, shortly after I left
the hospital—must have been about
the time I met you on the roadl—
you, are you cold, Mr. Baldistone?'l
"No. no, doctor," replied Malcolm,
hurriedly.
"As I say," continued the doctor,
"this creature was reputed to be a
witch. Her mother was a witch and
5o was her grandmother. As a mat-
ter of fast, the witches iaf. Cragraven;
if we are 'to believe what we are
told, go back to the middle of the
eighteenth century. The line ends
now, however, for this old lady had no
progeny—she was s the last Witch of
Cragraven!
Just then the clock in . the hall
struck twelve. It was Christmas
ltfornieg and the two men conform-
ed to a grand old custorn, a custom
that has been in vogue now for over
nineteen hundred years—they wished
each other a Merry` Christmas.
"You look tired, Mr. Baldistone,"
said the daetoi•, presently. "Come,
I'll show you to your room."
'Maleoli' rose, smiling a little wan-
ly.
"I am a little tired," re replied,,
"By the way, doctor, may I use your
telephone?" he added.
'SCertain]y, certainly! It's in the
hall here:"
"'Thames, Malcolm, thanks!" said
old Idr, . Baldistone in Toronto. "A
Christras Greeting from Auehenvohr•
is something worth entering _in the.
diary. Very thoughtful of you to get
on the line, for we miss you a lot,
you know, at this season. About
that other matter: the 'storm" and
the witch—that's nothing; ' •nty boy.'
You'll laugh at it in the morning. •. 11
was a coincidence, a mere coincidence.
-Well, 'bye-bye, my boy!—'—.But .: a
darned strange coincidence"l 'added"
old Mtr. Baldistone when he hadhung
THE CLINTON NEWS -RECORD•
immzolsol=ott===ok
p HOW MY WORLD
WAGS'. :0sr
0
By That Ancient Mariner
0
Dean D. Hurnndy. 0
Railway engineers in Vancouver' op-
pose cut in wages. No cut and run
for them.
Civil servante in the Parliament
Buildings, Toronto, 'aren't to have
their salaries cut, but must contribute
a portion during the economic dry
spell.. Cut and dried arrangement.
"A:ppropria,tions for bridge discus-,
sed at the Canipbellton, N!B., Board
of Trade." Be calm, friends! Thin
does. not refer to contract bridge, but
merely to the building of a traffic
}ridge. ,
- - 1
That Yankee House of Cards
There's a lot of money put up on
that Culbertson -Lenz contract bridge
contest. fl'or the losers it may be a
Bridge of Sighs,
It is rumored that tfrs. Culbertson,
whose first name is given as Jose-
phine, was really Christened Bridget,
and that her husband calls her Biddy
for short. -
We asked our detitistifhe was fol-
lowing the bridge battle by newspa-
per reverts.
"No," he burbled, "I've got too
much bridge work already."
Epitaph
'Twas only once that Haney Toot,
Was what you'd call a brave gent,
For Mrs. Back -seat -driver. Toot
geld Toot in strict enslavement.
But now they're both pedestrians;
They walk the Angel Pavement.
'Twas all because Toot turned his
head,
And to his 'feelings gave vent.
'On the Spot
The Russian Professor Tehijevsky
declared at the Biological Conference
in Toronto that wars and periods of
tinanici'al depression coincide with the
appearance of sun -spots. This seems
like a ease of putting the world "on
the spot," or, shall' we say "in the
espotligilit?"
'
That must be the reason why, at
such times, there is a little difficulty'
alboui, the matter of spot cash.
j Won't somebody please hire a spot
•ter to nose around and see what cat)
be bone about it?
Decorous Language
"Darn it" and "hang it" and "cuss it"
Are known as unladylike talk;
But, if Eve had a silk stocking run,;
ne,•,
At "darn it" I don't think she'd
balls.
And if she was •hanging a picture, Doon.
And hammered her pink: pretty
thumb,
Would Eve, the first lady of Eden,
Say "hang it" of just remain:
dumb? -
That jellies don't jell I'm aware, but
Do custards not cuss now and
t ?
If so,hen Mother Eve might say "cuss
. it"
And be quite forgiven of 'nen,
fine arts. , Show its relation to the
Workineri's Compensation Act. '
4. Cffectt of gum-chtwig -on the
ductless .glands of stenographers;
with X-ray photograPhs.
Christmas Recitation
The boy stood on the burning deck,
With Santa Claus beside him there,
And Christmas boxes by the peck,
But not a place to hide 'em there,
"Beware the Wockerjab so sly,"
Said Santa, speaking through his chin
"You are a better man than I,"
The boy routes to ^Ganga Din.
liMaxewelton's ' braes are Bonnie
Eddyeashtn
I'yfe, of • Queen's University,
has been discussing the large an-
nual crop of Bachelors of Arta; in
Canada and has had some objections
to voice about it. But the trouble• is
that the business bosses•seern to ex-
pect their employees to have a col-
lege training for' even the most trife
ling jabs. You must have higher
education to possess hire education,
The universities in the States are
meeting this situation frankly.. A,
meg the thesis topics for degrees in
Chicago and .Columbia we find:
"Cycles of styles for ladies lingerie,"
and "A comparison of the time and
energy required by the four methods
used for washing dishes in the mod-
ern restaurant," these to be worked
out by known mathematical formul-
ae.
With becoming diffidence we sue -
nut a few additional topic's for sim-
ilar use in Canadian unversities:
1. Should time -and -a -half for over-
time be allowed while playing peek,
a -boo with baby? Furnish full stat-
istics.
2. Have piano movers got sous,
and are they moved by piano music?
Supply Bertiliion measurements and
photographs.
3. Historical development of radio -
crooning, and its place among the
Let's plinky plunk the Anvil Chorus,
For curfew shall not ring at noon,"
Wept Santa telaus, with feet sonor-
ous,
"Call- spirits from the vasty deep,"
The boy psychologized in vain,
"Call spirits, pile them in a heap,
Methinks it debutantes like rain.
"
And while they played with Cupid's
darts
'Twas this year, next year, some.
time, never—
The Queen of Nowhere ate the tarts'
And sang the Maple ,Leaf Forever.-
-Dea DH d'
..SOME MENU FOR ALL C.N.IL....
SHIPS
Soup From Luckless Tropical Turtles
is Feature of Nautical Meal
For Christmas Passengers.
One menu has been prepared for
all passengers who will spend Christ-
mas Day aboard various Canadian
National ships this year, These din-
ers will include travellers aboard the
"Lady" liners, the . "Prince" ships
and the Canadian Pathfinder and
Canadian Skirmisher, two freighter -
cruisers of the Company's fleet.
The menu comprises 26 items, in-
cluding Green Turtle soup and Mad -
ere; Mushrooms Saute Doria; Roast
Turkey; Virginia Ham au Vin de
Champagrfe;' Christmas Pudding;
Minee Pie; Cheese,Ramequins.
Particularly interesting is the tur-
tle soup. It will be made from the
famous Bahamas turtles. These tur-
tles are unceremoniously turned on
their backs as they nap in the trop-
ical sun on beaches near Nassau.
They are then powerless to right
themselves and are collected later at
the turtle -hunter's convenience.
PAGES
Doings in the Scout
World
kipl ng's:"Jungle Books" provide
the, psychology • and much of the
programme of the Wolf Cubs, the
Junior ' Boy Scouts.
The French Government /has de-
corated M. Andre Lefevre of the.
Scouts of France with the insignia
of Chevalier of the Legion of Tion-'
British Boy Scouts are assisting
in the "Buy British Goods" cam-
paign, one of England's efforts to
restore the balance of exports and
imports.
Hungarian Park for World .Scout
Gathering
The next woeld gathering of Boy
Scouts, in Hungary, in 1983, will be
held at Godollo, the former estate
of Emperor Francis Joseph L The pails
was placed at the serviee of the
Scouts by Admiral Horthy, the Re-
gent of Hungary. .
Scouts Become Doctors
Records at Ottawa headquarters
show that 50,880 Boy Scouts have
taken first aid training, and that
15,681 have qualified for -the advan-
ced first aid "Ambulance Man?
badge. For a number of boys the
training has proven the first stets.
to medicine.
Stout Statues on Governmeir
Building
Two Boy 'Scout statues appear ov-
er a corner window of -,the new Con-
federation Block, Ottawa. They corn,
memorate public servree rendered by
Scouts, including location and deem. -
aeon of the graves of the Fathers
of Confederation, for the Diamond
Jubilee of 1927.
Boy Scout Cowboy Makes Good
When unable to capture a horse
that had been on range all summer to
farmer applied to Boy Scout district
headquarters, Ottawa, for a Scout
roping expert. The boy was taken
out to the farm, and promptly las-
soed the horse. The farmer had seen
an exhibition of Scout lariat work at
the Ottawa fair.
Ilero's a Little
Story for
ILERS
RET
A young tailor complained bitterly about his
poor business. "I make just as good, clothes as
's do," he said, "and 1 sell them for
less, yet 's get most of the business
of this district."
This young tailor -felt that Wren ought to find
all about him—that they should search him out. Ne
didn't see that it was his job to make known to all
men the fact that he made good clothes and sold
them at attractive prices. 's, on the
other hand, advertised their business, and, of course
men went to thein for their clothes.
It's the same all the world over—buyers go
'where they are invited to go. They buy, in larg-
est numbers, from those who give then informa-
tion about their business, service, goods, prices
This is exactly as it should be.
Why shouldn't the most aggressive seller get
most business?
The world likes to buy from keen sellers —
retai}ers who pay thein the cornplimeut of telling
them about what they have to sell and about their
desire for their custom.
Dumb retailers may be fine men, may give
good values, may be first-class store keepers, but
the buying public prefers to go where advertise-
ments in their newspapers direct thein to go.
The wise retailer runs his business in line with what buyers want,
because it is profitable to do so.
It costs a retailer far more not to advertise than to advertise.