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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1938-02-24, Page 6RAGE SIX. THE SEAFORTH NEWS But there was one among these many pieces that she •had pondered ever which she returned to again and again, and with a kind of pride; and that not 'because it sounded her praises, but because it assured her hopes. As 'for Ronald's material suc- cess in life, she was troubled with ilit- tle •doubt about that. It might he a long time before he could, come to claim his wife; but she was content to wait; in that direction she 'had no fears whatever. But there was some- thing .beyond that. She looked for- ward to the day when even the Stu- arts of Gleogask and IC/Tasty should know what manner of man this was whem she had chosen for her hus- band. Her mother had called him an uneducated peasant; but she paid. no heed to the taunt; rather she was thinking of the time when Ronald— other things being settled—might per- haps go to Edinburgh, and get to know some one holding the position there ahat •Jeffrey used to hold (her reading was a little old-fashioned), who would introduce him to the world Of letters and apen the way to fame. She knew nothing of Carry Hodson's luckless attempt in this direction; she knew, on the contrary, that Ronald was strongly averse from having any of these scraps printed; but she said to herself that the fitting time 1 111114d COMC, .Aid if 111CSV unpolished verses are found to belie her con•fident and proud prommstications as 'to the fu- ture, let it be rementhered that she was hardly nineteen, that she was exceedingly warm-hearted, that she was a young wife, and day and night with little to think about hut the per- fections of her lover, and his kindness to her, and his praise oi her, and the honor h in which he eld her. However, this piece was not about Meenie at all —be had called it "BY ISLAY'S .SHORIES" `"By Islay's shores she sat and sang; '0 winds, eome blowing o'er the sea, And bring me back my love again That went to fight in Germanic!' "And all the live -long day she sang, And nursed the bairn upon her knee: 'Belo% balon, my 'bonnie 'bairn, Thy father's far in Germanie, *"But ere the summer days are gene, And 'winter 'blackens 'bush and tree, Thy father will we welcome bailie Free the red wars in Germ:ode.' `10 dark the night fell, dark and mirk; A wraith stood 'by her icily; '.Dear !wife, I'll never more win liame, For I ant slain in !Germania "0 in Minclen's lield Pm lying stack, And heaven is nom my fair omit- trie; Farewell, dear wife, farewell. fare- well; I'll ne'er win hante frac 'Germanic. 'And all 'the year she came and vont. And w-andered' witd frac sea to sea; '0 neighbors, is he neer come back. My love that went to tGermanie?' "Fut when the darkened wipter le's cold for'baith my bairn and me; ' Let me lie down and rest a while: 3,ily love's away frae Germanie. "0 far away and away he dwells; „High 'heaven is now his fair mull- trie; And there •be stands—with arms out- stretched— To welcome dame my bairn and ;me!' " And if. Meenie's eyes were filled . with tears when she had re -read the .,7amiliar lines, her heart was proud enough; and all her kinsmen of Gen- gask and °nosey had np terrors for her, and her 'mother's taunts no sting. Of course. all this that she hoped for was far away in the future; but even as re,garded the immediate y•ears 'be- fore her she refused to be harnessed by any doubt. IPerhaps she would not have asserted in set terms that a knack of stringing 'verses together proved that the writer hath also the capacity and knowledge and judg- ment necessary to drain and fence and ;plant and stook a Highland es:- tate; abstract questions of the -kind had little interest for • her; what -She did know, what formed t•lie first ar- tide of her creed, and 'the lest, told the intervening thirty-seven, was that Ronald cciuld do anything he put his mind to.And this was a highly useful ,and comfortable belief, considering all her circumstances. !And so she 'sped away clown tile mountain -side again, gled to have dis- covered: Iftoirald's retreat; and so light and swift was her step that when she at length reached the inn she found 'herself just ahead of the mail coming in from the South. Of course she waited for letters; and when Mrs. Murray had ,opened the bags, it was found there were three for the doctor's cottage, The •first VMS front 'Ronald ; that Altenie 'whipped into her pocket. The second !‘sas for Airs. Douglas, and clearly in 'Agatha's handwriting. The third, addressed to Altenie. had an American stamp on it; and this was the one that she op- ened and read as she quietly walked homeward. It was a long letter, and it was Iran Miss Carry Hodson, mho first of all described the accident that had befallen her, and her su'bsequent ill- ness, and plainly intimated that no such thiog would have happened had her Highland friends been in charge of the boat. 'nice she went on to say that her father had just sailed for Eu- rope, that he had I) 11S ill VSS to transact in Scotland, that he wished 1,1 •,e‘• Ronald, and •would Aliss Douglas be so very kind as to ask the inn -keeper in- the postmaster at Lairg, or any one who knew Ronald's address ie Glasgow, to drop a post -card to her father, addressed to the Langliam Hotel, Lontlen, \shit the iMormation. Moreover, her father had intimated his inteniion of taking the Loch Xe - ti' salmon-tishing for the next seesmi, it it was n as yet let, and ii '1111 case the writer would be overioYed to find herself once more among her inver-Aludal friends. .Finally, and as :t kind of reminder and keepsake, she had sent by her father a carriage -rug made mostly of chipmook skins, and she would ask Aliss Douglas's accept- ance of it, and hoped that it would keep her knees snug and warm and onefortable mhee the ninth; Is ere ',droving too sharply alchni Strath - Terry. rei comse all this was wonderful news to come -to such a quiet and re- mote corner of the eorld; but there was other news as well. and that by an odd coincidence. Some little thee after Mrs. Dottglas had re letter from Agatceived the ha she came to Al eenie. "Williamina," said slos ".1gatlia writes to me a 13011 / 11 r. Frank Lauder." "-Yes?" said .Aleenie, rather coldly. -fie intends renting the salmon- fishind on the loch for the next sea- son, and he will 'be alone at the inn. Agatha 'hopes that we shall he ',era - elderly . civil to hint, and I hope -1 say, I hope—that every one in this house will be. It is of the greatest im- portance, considering how he stands eith regard to Air. 1Genimill. I hope he will 'he received in this house •witli every attention and ,kindness," And then the pompous little dame left, it was almost a challettge ,the had thrown down, and Meenie was at first a little 'bewildered, What thee? -- would this young man, •for the six weeks or two months of •their • stay, „be their constant visitor? He would sit in the •fittle parlor evening after evening; and bow •could she k.eep him from talking to her, and how could she keep hini from looking at her? And Ronald—Iter husband--wmeld be far away, and .alone peihaps and :tot allowed a word with her; whereas she yebuld have to •be civil and petite to this voting man; and even if She held her eyes downcast, how could she help his regarding her face? And then she •secidenly bethought her of Miss Hodson's letter Whatl— was' Mr. Hodson after the fishing, too? And ought not the last tenant to have the refusal?. 'And .Should not d the irke's agent know? And why should she not 'Write 'him a note— just in case no inquiry 'had been made? She !had riot much time to think abdut the Matter; but she guess- ed quidkl•y enough that, if an Ameri- can millionaire and the son Of a !Giese goni merchant are ,afteas the •same thing, and that thing purchasable, the American is likely to get it. And 'why should ,Ronalet's wife lbe stared at and talked to lbS, this young man—how- ever haraffass and arniehle his inten- tions? So she went swiftly to her owe room and wrote as follows: "Dear Mr, Crawford,—I have lust heard from ff,fiss Hodson, whose la- ther was here east spr.ing, that he is. on his way to Europe, amd that 'he hopes to have the .fishing again this year. I think ought •to let y•ou know, just in •case you should have any oth- er application for the loch. I am sure Miss Hodson will be much disap- pointed if he does not get it. Yours sincerely, Afeettie S. Douglas. •"There," said she, and there was a little smile cif triumph about her mouth, "if that .cloesn't put a spoke in the wheel •of Mr. Frank Lau.der, Poor fellow, IT •don't know what will." "'S'piteful little cat," hM er ater Ag- atha ,would have 'called 'Iter had she known; !but women's !judgments of women are not as men's. CHAPTER V•LVI, 'On a singularly clear and 'brilliant • morning in February a large and heavy 'screw steamer slowly 'crept out • of the lancluloc•ked harbor of Portree, and steadily made away for the north, 'For her the squally Ben Inivaig at the month of the cbaimel harl no terrors; indeed, what could any vessel fear on such a •morning as this? When they not well out into ‘Raasay Sound, it seemed as if the whole workl had been changed into a pantomime scene, The Sky was calm and cloudless, the sea was as glass and of the most •dazzling !blue, and those masses of white that appeared on that perfect •mirror were the reflec- tions of the snow -powdered islands— Raasay and Ritchie. and South lRona —1 ha t gleamed and shotte and spark- led there the sun. 'Not often are the wide waters of the Minch SO fair and •calin in mid•winter; the more 'us_ I thing is northerly gales, with black seas thundering by into Loch Seaftin and •Killetileag •Ilay. or break- ing. into sheets sp eets and routs of foani aleng the headlands of Abel l'oint and let: Hellish, This e as as it holi- day trip but for the sharp cold. The islauds were w 11 11 as a soland's save along the S 1101." 111 V Sea was 0' sapphire blue; a nd when they got by Rona light behold, the distant snow - erne ned -hills of Ross a nd Cremarty rose faint and spectral and wonderful into the pale and summer-like sky. The men sung -Thir Bhata" as they scoured the 'brass and scrubbed the decks; the passengers marehed tip and down, clapping their hands to lit.ep 1 it e Warm; and eV as 1 he heavy steamer forged on it, e ay, the world of hse im tt and sky and smiw white hills opened out before them, until some declared at last that inthe far north they could make ont the Shiant isles. Nne, under 'bit er ••1 the compan- ion-wo ay leading down into the salon three men were standing, and two of them were engaged in an animated conversation; the third. who was Ale Hodson, merely looked on and listen- ed, a little amused apparently. One of the others, a famou F. estate ag- Ale Carmichael. a •famous estate ag- ent in London, who had run two or three commissions together as an ex- cuse for this midwinter trip, The third member of the group was Ron- ald, who was hammerhig away in his usual dogmatic fashion. "Pedigree! :The pride of halving an- cestors!" he WM saying. 'Why, there's not a man ah live- whose ances- try does not stretch as far bade as any other 105110 a's ancestry, Take it any •osy ye gee; if Adam was our grand- father, then w.e're all his grandchild- ren; or if we are descended from a jelly -fish or a monkey, the line is of the same •length for all of es—for deice's and kings and herdstacklies. The only difference is this, that some know the names of their forefathers, and smee don't; ,the Oreeumetion is that the man whose people have left no story !behind. them is ,come- of a ,lytolesmO0.-epteefirl, sober, bard -work- ing race, titan the !Ilan hase fat-- beat:1 'Were If a inotis cbithroats elle 1411 41'Ages. t's plain • John Smith had his ancestors at Cressy end !Agincourt as well as the rest— ay, and they hail the hulk of the fighting to do, T'll be hound; hut T think 11011e the worse of him because lie cannot tell you thn eir ames or pes- ter his walls -with coats of arms. HOwever, it's idle talking about a matter of sentiment,' and that's the Fact; and so, if yoe'll excuse me, Ill just go • clown Into the •calliin and write a couple 'o' letters." THURSDAY, FEBRI.TARY 24, 19 So after he had disaps I Hodson, Who &raked nt'ail.N'si1.t.'-.'Mr. minute:b':0r colei, to tell the truth, though he was wrapped from head ta heel el ,000nmemes furs, motioned 'his, Companion to Come a •few yards aside .i so that they •could talk without fear ot being overheard. .said he, in 'his Slow and rliss tinet way, "now we are alone, I want you to tell me what you think of that young man." "I don't ;like Ids politics," was the prompt and 'blunt answer. ,eeek, mare do 1," said Mr. Hodson, coolly. '113,ut for another reason. You call hint a 'Radic!al, I call him a Tory. But no matter—I doe't mean about ,politics--amless be can make money out of them? NO, I mean something mare practical than that Her have you and Ite lb.een together these Bisec .days, talking about the one subject nearly all the time—l• mean the mans agemetit :of these 'Highlan'd estates, and .the nature of the 'ground, and what .should 'be done, and ail that., Well -now, you are it man of great experience, and I want you to tell me what you think of this young fellow. I want you to tell Inc honestly, and it will be in strict con•fidente, I assure you. Now, has he got a good solid grip of tbe thing? (Does he know? Does he •catch ort? Is he safe? Ts Ile to !be trusted—" ",r nie0e-11,g, ptohderen,attuhreer.,e,there!" said the big estate agent, interruptint g hrough That's quite an - Other thing—quite another- thing. I've not a •word to say against Idol ;there —no, quite the other way—a ehrewd- headed, capable rellaw lie is, with a groulldwork of practical ,knovoledge that no man ever yet got 'nut • ot books. As sharp-eyed et fellow as I have come across for many a day: didn't you see how he 'guessed at the weak points of the Mull place 'before lie set foot ashore? Quick at •figures, too--oll yes, yes, a capable :fellow 1 call hint; he lias 'been posting him- self 'up, I can see; :but it's lettere In practical knowledge comes in that he's of value. -When it's a !question of vineries, or something like that, then lie goes by the book—that's useless." .11r. Hodson listened in silence, and his manner showed nothing, "1 have 'been thinleing he would be a valuable 111,1111 for me," the agent said, presently,. "In your office?" said Mr. 'Hodson, raising his eyes. "Yes. And eor this reason. You see, if he wottld only keep away from those d—d politics of Iris, he i$ a very good-natured fellow, and he ba,s •got all offhand way with dnitv that makes shepherds and 'keepers, and people .cif that kink. friendly; the result is, that he gets all be information that he Wa 11 5—a nd that isn't al ways an easy thing to get, Now, if T had a man like that in my office, whom T could send with a cheer thinking of purch- asing an estate—to advise hint—to get at -the truth—and to be an intelligent all4 agreeable 1111 veiling companion 5! the Sa 111C time -that eould he a use- ful thing." 'Say, now," continued Mr. •Hods son, who was attending mostly to his ewn meditations, "\lo you think, front what you've seen of this y•oting nem that he has the knowledge and •Itusis MSS capacity to he overseer—factor, you call it, don't yon?—of an estate— not a large estate, het perhaps about the size of the •me nt SAW yesterday or this one we are .going to now? \Vold(' he go the right was' about it? Would he qinderstand what hatl to be done -1 mean, in improving the land, and getting the most out of its--" "1 l's not a fair question;" said he. 'Tour friend Strang mid I are too much !,1 One op•inion-say, on every point ive're agreed --for many's the long talk we've had over the matter." "I know --4 know," 11 r. Hodson said; "though I •was only half -listen- ing; for' whenyou got to feti-cluties, and public burdens, and things of that kind I lost my' reckoning. But you say that you and Strang are agreed as to elle proper way of managing a Highland' estate; 'very well; assuming your theories 10 'be correct, iS he cap- able of carryiog them out?" 'I 111 i1Vk /10-1 should say uncroubt- edly—ll don't think 1 Would myself hesitate about treisting him with such a place—that „is. when I had made sufficient inottiries about his eliztrac- ter, and ,got some money gietrantee aboet his 51 ewa'chsti hp, But then, yen' see, Ahr. ITIodson, I'm afraid, if you were to let Strang go hie own way in working up atoestate, so. as to get the most marketable value into .11., yoe and he •wou id have different opinions at the outset. T mean with such an es- tate as you would• find over there," he added, indicating with his ,finger the long stretch of wild and Mountaimies country they were rtp,Proaching. "On rough aocl .land like that, itt Mlle cases out of ten, you may depend on' it, it's foresting- that pays," "Peet that's settled," Air, Hodson retorted, rather sharply. have al- ready told, you, and .Strang too,' that if I 'buy a place 'up here a 'will n0! hata stag oe a hind -front •end to .end °ffPf "it11, ••lneerre 'things -easy to, get rid of," the other said, igoodsnatored- ly. 'They% not elbow you into the hedge if you meet them on the road." "No; I have heard too notch. Why, you yourself said' that fhe very name of !Almerican stan•k in the nostrils of the !Highlanders." "Can , you wonder?" said the other man ,qttietly; they had been talk- ing the night 'before of certain notori- ous doings on the part of an !Ameri- can lessee, which were provoking much newspaper comment at 'the time. "WeB, what a say this—if I buy a place in the Highlandsa•nd no one can 'compel me to bity it—it is merely a fancy I' have had for two or three years 'bac'k,'bac'k, and I can, .give it op if l chooseltut what I say is if I .do buy 4 1514,Ce in the ,Highlands, I will hold it on -such conditions that 11 eleall be able to leave it to my lboy wIthou shame. 1 will not associate mysel with a •systern that has wrought such ,oruelty and- tyranny. No; 1 will not allow a single acre 'to be forested." "There's such a !quantity cif the land good for nothing but deer," the agent said, almost .plainti vely If you Only .saw itl—you're going now by what .the newspaper writers says -People WiTO :never were near a deer -forest in their lives." "Good for !tattling 'hut d•eerl But what about the •bilack 'cattle that Ron- ald-- that -Strang--is always talking reboot?" was the etstort—and ,Abr. Hodson showed a .very 'unusual ce•be- leirneelln,:1., don't eawtre. least 41.iensipgaotiteni7,0c thing. to ,d•o :with me. •13ut it has got to do, •witli my factor, o.r overseer, or whatever, Ilse is, :And, ;between him and Inc this is lto-w it will lie: you can't work my estate, 'big or small as it „may be, with•out 'Putting tile main part of it ender 'deer, and beginning to •fil•ch grazings 'here and there, and driving the crofters down to 'the sea- shore, and preventing a harmless traveller from halving' a Sunday walk over the hills, then out !Yee go. You may be 'fit for some 'other place, not for -mine.'" 'Then he went on in a milder strain, And Strang 'knows that very well. No doubt, if 1 were to put him in a position' of trust like that, be might be ambitious to give a good account of his stewardship; 'I think very likely he wirtild hi!, for 110's a young man; but if 1 'bey a Place in 1110 Highlands, it .will have to 'be man- aged as I wish it. to 'be managed. When 1 said that 1 wanted the most made of the land, 1 did not mean the most money. No. I should be glad to have four per cant. for my invest- ment; if 1 Cait'l have that, I should be content with three; but it 'is not as a commercial speculation that 1 hall go into the alTair, if 1 go into it at all. Ado wants are simple enough. 'As ieli yota, I admire the 'beautiful,tI ii conntry; 1 like the people—what lit de I have seen of them; and if a cal get 4 pictureettee bit pi territin somewhere along this western coast 1 should I•ilee to give my family eind of foothold itt 'Europe, and 1 etre say soh y hoy migt be glad lo pend his autumns here, and have a turn at the igrouse. But for the most tart- o•f the time the place would be nder eontrol of the factor; and 1 V1111t a factor who Nvork the es.. ate under certain specified oindi- Mos.. 11,irat, no Westing. Then I votild have the crofts re-val•ttecl--as Mid): as might be; 00 crofter to be ethic to removal wh!!• -Paid bis relit. 'he sheep -farms would go by their larleetsvalue, -though 7 would not villingly disterb any tenant; howee- r, in that case, 'I should 'be inclined o try Strang's plan of having. those lack cattle on my own account. 1 would bevy the cotters tat:ell a:may froth the ,Cr6fts.,i1a11.16wiiii for. the rent paid to the crofter, for that would be ut fair, when the value of elle crofts as settled) and 1 would Millet for lent a model village, which you light look mion as a philanthropic ad of ley OW11, 10 be paid tor seear- tely. No ,gratuitons grazing any- -here to 'crofter or cotter; that is bin le parent of subsequent simabbles. hen T would have all the draining id planting and improving of the es- te dont by the local hands, so far as racticalile. And then 'I 811011,1cl want ur per cent. retool on the purchase - one', anct 1 should not be notch sappointed with 'three; /111d perhaps - hough 1 W041d not admit this 10 iyhody) if .1 San' the 'little C0111111,1111-1 y thriving and satisfied—Mid reck'- ring •the honor and glory of my eing king on my own domain—I ight •eves be content with two per nt. Now, my friend, is this. prac- cable? 'and is this young fellow e man to undertakeit? •I' Wont(' ake it worth h•is while. I should not ce to say anythittg abbot pay/Merit ' results Or' Percentage on profits; at might, tempt •Iiiin to screw it out the Poorer' people •vehen be was feft aster's -though he does not talk dike at kind of a ;fellow. 1 wrote to !Lord line abciut him, and got the hest of ara:cters, 1 went and Saw th•e old an- 'Who is coaching him •for that restry examination; be is •quite col -t- ent 'about the ,eesult-ncit Ithat 're- much about 'that myself. What 'PROFESSIONAL CARDS • Medical DR. E. (A.. McMAISTIER-Gradhate of the Fa,cnIty of Medicine, Univers- ity of Toronto, and of the New Yorlc Post 'G'raduate School and Hospital. Member of the College of Physiciaas aad ,Surgeons of Ontario. Office on High street. Phone Z. Office fully equipped for x-ray ,diagnosis and for ultra Short Wave electric treatment, Ara violet sun lamp treatment and infra red electric treatment. Nurse in attendance. DR. GILBERT C. JARROTT — Graduate of 'Faculty a Medicine, Un- ivernty of Westenn Ontario, Member of College of Physicians andSurgeons di Ontario. Office 43 Goderich street west. Phone 317. Hours 2-4.30 pm., 7.30-9 pm. Other hours by appoint- ment. Successor 'to Dr. Chats. 'Mackay, DR. H. HUGH ROSS, Physician and Surgeon Late of Lbndon Hos- pital, London, 'England. .Special at- tention to diseases of the eye, ear, nose ard. throat. Office and residence behind Dominion Bank, Office Phone No. '5; Residence Phone 104. DR. F. J. BURROWS, ,Seaforth. Office and residence, ,Goderich street, east of the :United Church. Coroner for the Cotinty of Huron. TelePhone No. 46. DR. F. J. R. FORSTER— Eye Ear, Nose and Throat. Gradeate in Medicine, University of Toronto 7897. Late Assistant New York Ophthal- mic and Aural Institute, Moorefield's Eye, and Golden Square throat hospi- ta.ls, London. At Commercial Hotel, Seafortb, third Wednesctay in each month from 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. DR. W. C. SPROAT Physician - Surgeon Phone 90-W, Office John St, Seafortf' Auctioneer. GEORGE ELLIOTT, Licensed Auctioneer for the County' of Huron. Arrangements can be made for Sale Date at The Seaforth News. Charges ' moderate and satisfaction guaranteed. F. W. AHRENS, Licensed Auction- eer for Perth and Huron Counties, Sales Solicited. Terms on Application. Farrn Stock, chattels and real estate property. R. R. No, 4, Mitchell, Phone 634 r 6. Apply at this office. HARVEY MoLLWAIN, Licensed Auctioneer for County of Huron, Sea - forth, R.R. 5, Phone 226 .1. 213. WATSON & REID REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCY • (Successors to James Watson) MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. All kinds of Insurance risks effect- ed at lowest rates in •First -Class Companies. THE IlicKILLOP Mutual Fire Insorance Co HEAD OFFICE—SEAFORTH, Ont. OFFICERS Peesident, Thomas, Moylan, Sea-, forth; 'Vice •Presiclent, William Knox, Londeshoro; Secretary Treasurer, AL. A. Reid, 'Seaforth. AGENTS F. AlclKercher, R.R11, Dublin; John E. Pepper, R.112.1, Brucefield; .E. R. G. Jennotith, Brod•hagen; James Watt, Blyth; C. F. Hewitt, Kincardine; Win. Yeo, Holmesville. DIBIECTORS .Alex. Broadfoot, Seafegth ' No. 3; James Sholdice, Walton; Wm. Knox, Londesboro; George Leonhardt, , Bornholm No, 1; Frank McGregor, Clinton No, 5; James Conn•ally, God- erich; Alex AlcEwing, Dlyth No. 1; Cliornas Moylan, Seaforth No. 5; Wm. R. Archibald, Sealorth No. 4. Parties desirous to effect insurance or traitsact other 'business, will be promptly attended to by applications to any of the above named officers addressed to their, respective post- .officcs, 11 do you able to - say now? ' You ought to be jodge." (To be •continued) II•orace: If you loved' 'me, why slid you refuse me at 'firs't? 'Aifeeidine: Jost to see What you would do. , !Horace: Bat I might have rushed off without waiting dor an explana- tion. •Airand•itie. Hardly. I had the dor)! locked. 'Afistress: We like 'a joicy, tender s•tealk, medium done, with a lump of 'butter o•n tool" !Coale: "'That would he very nice, mum., And now, What will you aotti- lly' have?" ' , •