Loading...
The Seaforth News, 1939-06-22, Page 6PAGE SIX THE SEAFORTH .NEWS 'THURSDAY, Y, JUNE 22, 1939 "It pleased the honorable 'Marquis;" said Dalgetty, modestly, "to grace me with .a seat in his own ga'l'lery." The d'i'vine bowed low at this intimation, lenowing than such an honor was only vouchsafed to persons of very high dank.. "It has been my fate, sir," said the ,Captain, "in the sort of wander- ing life which I have led, to have diff- erent preachers of different religions as, for exam'p'le, Lutheran, Evangel- ical, Reformed, Calvunistieal, and so forth, but newer have I listened to such a homily as yours." "`Call it a lecture, worthy sir," said the divine, "such is the phrase of our 'church." "Lecture or homily," said Dalgetty, ".it was, es the High Germans say, 'ganz fortre filch; and I could not leave this place without testifying unto you what inward emotions I. have -undergone during your edifying iprer'ection; and 'how I am touched to the quick that I should yesterday, during the refection, have seemed to infringe on the respect due to such a person as yourself." 'Alas! my worthy sir," said the clergyman, "we meet in this world as in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, not 'knowing against whom we may chance to encounter. In truth, it is no matter of marvel, if we sometimes jostle those, to whom, if known, we would yield all respect. Surely, sir, I would rather have taken you for a. profane malignant than for such a devout person as you prove, who rev- erences the great Master even in the meanest of his servants." "It is always my custom to do so, learned sir," answered Dalgetty; ".for in the service of the immontal Gus- tavus=but I detain you from your meditations,"—his desire to speak of the king of Sweden being far once overpowered by the necessity of his circumstances. 'Sy no means, my worthy sir," said the clergyman. "What was, I pray you, the order of that great prince, whose memory is s•o dear to every 'bosom?" "Sir, the •drums beat to .prayers morning and evening, as regularly as for _parade; and if a soldier passed without saluting the chaplain, he had an hour's ride on the wooden mare for his pains. Sir, I wish you a very good evening --I am Obliged to depart the castle under M'Callum More's pa'ss'port." "Stay one instant, sir," said the preacher; "is there nothing I can do to testify my respect for the pupil of the great Gustavus, and so admirable a judge of preaching?" 'Nothing, sir," said the Captain, 'but to show me the nearest way to the gate and if you would have the kindness;' he added, with great ef- frontery, "to let a servant bring my horse with him, the dark gray geld- ing' call him Gustavus, and he will prick .up his ears for I know not where the (castle stables are situated, and my guide," he added, looking at Ranald, "speaks no English." "I hasten to accommodate you," said the clergyman; "your way lies through that cloistered passage." '1Now, Heaven's 'blessing upon your vanity!" said the Captain to himself. "I was afraid I would have had to march off without Gustavus." In faot, so effectually did the chap- lain exert himself in 'behalf of so ex- cellent a judge of composition, that while Dalgetty was parleying with the sentinels at the drawlbmdge, show- ing his passport, and giving the watdhvword, a servant brought him his horse, ready saddled for the journey. In another place, the Captains sud- den appearance at large after 'ha'ving been publicly sent to prison, might have excited suspicion and inquiry; 'but the officers and domestics of ,the 'Marquis were acou'stomed to the mysterious policy of their master, and never supposed aught else than that he, had 'been liberated and entrusted • with some private commission by their master. In this belief, and . hav- ing received the parole, they gave hire free passage. Dalgetty rode slowly through the town 'of Inverary, the outlaw attend- ing upon him like a foot -page at his horse's shoulder. As they passed the gibbet, the old man looked on the bodies and wrung his hands. The Took and gesture were momentary, but .expressive of indescribable an- guish. Instantly recovering himself, Ranald, in .passing, whispered some- what to one of the females, who, like Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, seeined engaged in watching and mourning the victims of feudal injustice and cruetly. The woman started at his voice. but immediately collected her- self, and returned for answer a slight inclination of the 'head, Dalgetty 'continued his way out of town, ,uncertain whether he should try to seize or' hire a boat and cross the lake, or plunge into the woods, and there conceal himself from pursuit. In the former event he was liable to Ibe instantly pursued' by the galleys of the Marquis, which lay ready for sail- ing, their long yardarms pointing to the wind, ,and 'what hope could he have in an ordinary Highland fishing - boat to escape from them? If 'he made the latter choice, his 'chance either of supporting or concealing himself in those waste and .unknown wildernesses, was in the highest de- gree precarious. The town lay now behind him, yet .what 'hand to turn to for safety' he was unable to 'determine, and began to be sensible, that in es- caping from the dungeon at Inverary, desperate as the matter seemed, 'he had only .accomplished the easiest part of a difficult task. If retaken, his fate was now certain; for the 'personal injury he had offered to a man, so powerful and so vindictive, could be atoned for only 'by instant death. While 'he .pondered these distressing reflections, and looked around with a countenance which plainly expressed indecision, Ranald MacEagh suddenly asked hint, "which way he intended to journey?" "And that, honest comrade," an- swered Dalgetty, "is precisely 'the question which I cannot answer you. Truly •I 'begin to hold the opinion, Ranald, that we .had 'better have stuck by the brown loaf and water pitcher until Sir Duncan arrived, who, for his own honor, must have made some fight for me." "Saxon," answered MacEagh, "do not 'regret having exchanged the foul breath of yonder dungeon for the free air of heaven. Above all, repent not that you have served a Son of the Mist. Put yourself under my guid- ance, and I will warrant your safety with my head." "Can you guide me safe through these mountains, and back to the army of 'Montrose?" said Daigetty. 'I can," answered MacEagh; "there lives not a anan to whom the moun- tain passes, the 'caverns, the glens, the thickets, and the curries are known, as they are to the Children of the Mist. While others crawl on the level ground, by the sides of lakes and streams, ours are the steep 'hol- lows of the inaccessible mountains, the birthplace of the desert springs. Not all t'he ,bloodhounds of Argyle can: trace the fastnesses through which I can guide you." ""Say'st thou so, honest Ranald?" replied Dalgetty; "then have on with thee; for of a surety I shall never save the ship by my own pilotage." The outlaw -accordingly ,led the way into the wood, by which the castle is surrounded for several miles, walking with so much despatch as 'kept Gus- tavus at a round trot, and taking such a ,nutn'ber of cross outs and 'turns that Captain Dalgetty speedily lost all idea where he might be, and all points of the compass. At length, the path, which had 'gradually become more difficult, altogether ended among thiokots and Underwood. The roaring of a torrent was 'heard in the neig'h'borhood, the 'ground 'became in some .places broken, in others ''boggy, and everywhere unfit far riding. '!What the foul fiend" said Dal- getty,:"is to isa clone here, I ,must part with Gustavus, I:;fear." "Take no care for your horse," said the outlaw; 'the shall soon be restored to you." - As he spoke he whistled in a 'low tone, and a lad, half-dressed in tartan, half -naked, having only his own shag- gy hair, tied with a thong of 'leather, -Co 'protect his head and face front sun and 'weather, lean, and half-starved in aspect, his will gray eyes appearing to fill up ten times the proportion usually allotted to them in the human farce, crept out, as a wild beast might'' 'have done,' ,from a thicket of •bram- hies and 'briars. "Give your horse to the girlie," said Ranald 'MacEagh;. "your life' depends upon it." "'Oehl och!" exclaimed the 'd'espair- • ing veteran; "Metal as we used to say at Meeresolve] College,, insist I leave Gustavus .in such grooming?" "Are you frantic, to lose time thus?" said his guide; 'do we stand on friend's ground, that you,' should part with your 'horse -es if he were your brother? I tell you, you .shall have him again; ,but if'yoti' never saw" the animal, is not life better than the best ever mare foaled?" 'And that is true, too, mine honest •friend," sighed Dalgetty; "yet if you knew 'but the value of Gustavus, and the thingswe two have done and suf- fered together=See, 'he turns 'back to look at met --Be kind to hint, my good brcechless friend, and I will re- quite you well. So saying, and withal sniffling a little to swallow his grief, he turned from the heartrending spec- tacle in •order to follow his guide. To follow his guide was no easy matter, and Poon required more :agi.l- ity than Captain Dalgetty could mat- ter. The 'very first plunge after he Thad parted 'from 'his charger, carried him, with 'little assistance front a few overhanging boughs, or projecting roots of trees, eight feet sheer down into 'the course of a torrent, up which the Son of the Mist ted the way. Huge stones, over .which they scram- bled, --thickets of thorn and' brambles through which they had to drag themselves,—rocks which were to be climbed on the one side with much labor and pain, for the purpose of an equally precarious descent upon the other; all these and many saich inter- ruptions, were surmounted by the light-footed and 'half -naked mountain- eer with an ease and 'velocity which excited the •surprise and envy of Cap- tain Dalgetty, hvh.o encumlbered 'by his head -piece, corselet, .and other armor, not to mention his 'ponderous jack- boots, found 'himself at length• so mach exhausted Iby fatigue, and the difficulties of the road, that the sate down upon a stone in order to recover his breath, while he explained to Ranald MacEagh the difference be- twixt travelling ,expedites and impedi- tus, as .these two military .phrases were understood at _Maresdhal Coll- ege, Aberdeen. The sole answer of the mountaineer •was to lay his hand on the soldier's arm, and point back- ward in the 'direction of the wind. Dalgetty could spy nothing, for even- ing was 'Closing fast, ,and they were at the bottom of a dark ravine. But at length he could 'distinctly 'hear at a distance the sullen toll of a large bell. "That," said he, "must be the alarm—the storm -clock, as the 'Ger- mans 'call it." "It strikes the hour of your death," answered Ranald, 'unless you can accompany me a little further. For every toll of that bell a brave man has yielded. up his soul." "Truly, Ranald, my trusty friend," said Dalgetty,"I will not 'deny that the case may be soon my own; for I am so .forfou•chten '(ibeing, as I ex- plained ,to you, impeditns dor had I been expeditus, I mind not pedestrian exercise the 'flourish of a fife), that I think I had better ensconce myself in one of these bushes, and even lie quiet there to abide what fortune God shall 'send me. I entreat you, mine honest friend Ranald, to shift for yourself, and leave ane to my fortune, as the Lion of the North, the immortal (Gustavus Adolphus, any never-to-be,forgotten master '(whom you must surely have heard of, Ran- ald, though you may have heard of no one else), said to Francis Albert, Duke of Saxe-Lauenbumgh, when he was mortally wounded on t'he 'plains of Lutzen. Neither despair altogether pf my safety, 'Ranald, seeing I 'have been in es great pinches as this in Germany—more especially, I remem- ber me, that at the fatal ';'battle sof Nelingen — after which I changed to the troops of all 'nations. And now, resume ‘thine office, ;friend Ranald, in respect 1 ani well -breathed; or, to be More plain, I aproe, sequar, as we used to say at Maresc'hal College." Comprehending his meaning rather from his motions than his language, the Son of the Mist again led the way, with an unerring ;precision that looked like isis'tinot, 'througlh a 'variety of ground'the most difficult and bro- ken thatcould well Ibe imagined. Dragging along his • pond'erous boots, encumbered with thigh -pieces, gaunt-' lets, oonselet, and !back -piece, not to mention the 'Miff -jerkin. which he wore under ,all these arms, talking :of his former exploits 'the whole way,' though Ranald paid not t'he slightest attention to him, Captain Dalgetty •contrived to follow his guide a con- siderable space further, when 'the deep -mouthed baying of a hound was 'heard coating 'down the wind, as if opening on the scent of its prey. 'Bieck hound," said ,Ranald, "whose throat never boded good to a Child of the 'Mist, ill fortune to her who lit- tered theei least thou already found our 'trace? But thou art too late, swarf hound of ,darkness, and the deer has gained the herd," So saying, .he whistled very 'softly, and was answered in a tone equally low from the tap of a spas, nap which they had for some time been ascend- ing, Mending their .pace, they reached the top, 'where the moon, which had now risen bright and clear,' showed to Dalgetty a party of ten ,or. twelve Highlanders, and a'b'out as many wo- men and children, 'by whom Ranald MacEagh was received with such transports of joy, as made his'com- panion easily sensible that those Iby Whom he . was surrounded must of course 'be Children of the .Mist. The place which they occupied well suited their name and habits. It was a bet - ling •crag, round whi:dh winded a very narrow and !broken. footpath, comenanded in various places by the position which they 'held. Ranald spoke anxiously and hastily to the children of his tribe, and the men came one 'by one to s'ha'ke hands with Dalgetty, while the'women, cla- morous in their gratitude, pressed round to kiss .even the hem of his garment. "They plight their faith to you," said Ranald MacEagh, "for requital of the good deed you have done to the tribe this day." "Enough said , Ranald," answered the soldier, "enough said—tell them I love not this shaking of .hands—i't confuses ranks and degrees in mili- tary service; and as to 'kissing of gauntlets, puldrons, and the like, I remember that the immortal 'Gus- Cavus, as he rode through the streets of Nuremb•urg, 'being 'thus worshiped by the populace I(being doubtless far more worthy of it than a poor though honorable cavalier like myself), idid say unto them, in the way of rebuke, 'Lf you idolize ire finis like a god, who shall assure you that the venge- ance of Heaven will not soon prove ane to he a mortal?'—And so here, I suppose, you intend to make a stand against your followers, Ranald?— voto a !Dios, as the Spaniard says—a very pretty position—as .pretty a position for a small peloton of men as I have seen in my service—no enemy can come toward it by 'the road with- out being at the mercy of cannon and musket, --But then, Ranald, my trusty comrade, you have no •cannon, I dare to aver, and I do not see that any of these fellows have muskets either.— So with what artillery you propose making good the pass, 'before you come to hand 'blows, truly, Ranald, it passeth my apprehension." "With the weapons and with the courage of our fathers," said Mac- Eagh; and made the Captain observe that the men of his party were armed with bows and arrows, "'Bows and arrows!" exclaimed Dalgetty; "hal Mal hal have we 'Robin Hood and Little .!John back again? Bows and arrows! why, the sight has not been seen in civilized war for a hundred years. Bows and arrows! and why not weavers' -beams, as in the days ,of Goliah? Ah! that Dugald Dalgetty, of Drumthwa•Cket, should live to see men .fight with bows and an•rowsll-The immortal Gustavus would never have believed it -nor Wallenstein-nor Butler—nor oldTilly: Well, Ranald, a eat can have !but its claws—since 'bows and arrows are the word, e'eneflet us make the (best of it, Only, as I' do not understand the scope and range of such old-fashioned artillery, you must make the 'best disposition you ,can out of your own head; for my taking the command, whilk I would have 'gladly done 'had you been ;to fight with any .Christian weapons, is out of the question, when you are to combat like quivered IN'umidians. I will, how- ever, play my part with my pistols in. the approaching ,mellay, in respect my carbine unhappily remains at Gustavus's saddle. --My service and'. thanks to'yotl," he continued, address- ing a mountaineer who offered 'hint a how; "Dugaid Dalgetty may say .of himself, as be learned at Mareschal Collage,— service"— "If you would nave your father's son's Ibreabh to help his child out of troutbie, instead of w.astin'g it upon the tale's of Seannachies," said Ran old, wiho now •grew impatient of the 'Captain's loquacity, "or if your feet could travel as fast as your tongue, you might yet lay your (head on an untb'loodY •pillow to -night" military "Something there is like rn y skill in that," replied the Captain, "although wantonly and irreverently spoken to an officer of rank. But 1 hold it good to pardon •such freedoms on a march, in respect of the Satlrru- allsnn license indulged in strop cases 'Non eget 'Mauri jaculis, negate 'arou, 'Nee venenatis gravida sagibtis, Fusee, pihairctra; wi ilk is to say"— Ranald MacEagh a .second time imposed silence on the talkative .com- mander as before, by ipulling his sleeve, and > pointing ,clown the' pass. The bay of the bloodhound 'was' now aplpraoohing nearer and nearer, and they could hear este voices of several persons who accompanied the animal, and hall•oed to each other' as they dispersed oocasiona'l1y, either in the 'hurry of their advance, or in order' to search more accurately the 'thickets asthey carne along. They were obvi- ously drawing nearer and nearer every moment. lvfac'Eagh, in the meantime, proposed to 'Captain Dal- getty to disencumber himself of his armor, and„giawe him to understand that the. 'women should transport it to a' place of safety. "'I' crave your '_pardon, sir,” said Dalgetty, "such is not the rule of our foreign service; in respect, I •remenn- her the regiment of Finll.and cuiras- siers repc'imanded, and their kettle- drums taken from them 'by the' im- Mortal 'Gustavus, because they ` 'had assumed the permission to march without their 'corselets, .and to . 'leave them .with the !baggage. Neither did they strike kettledrums again at the head of that famous regiment until they !behaved 'themselves so notably at .the field of Leipsic; .a lesson whil'k is not to be 'forgotten, any more than the exclamation of the innmo'rtal Gus- tavus, 'Now shall I 'know if my offic- ers love me, by their putting on their armor; since, 1# any officers are slain, who shall lead my soldiers into vic- tory?' Nevertheless, friend 'Ranald, this is without prejpdice to me being rid of 'these somewhat heavy boots, providing I can Obtain any other 'suc- cedaneum; ,for I 'presume not to say that my bare soles are fortified so as to endure the ants and thorns, as seems to Ibe the case with your 'fol- lowers. To rid the Captain of his cumbrous weaves, and case his feet in a pair of brogues made out of deer -skin, which a Highlander stripped off for his ac- commodation, was the work of a min- ute, and Dalgetty .found himself much lighteped by the exchange, 'He was in the act of recommending to Rangel 'MacEagh, to send two or three of his followers a little lower !to reconnoitre th•e pass, :and, at the same time, •somewhat to extend his front, placing two detached archers at each flan'k'by way of posts of o'bserva'tion, When the near cry of the hound ap- prised them that the !pursuers were at the (bottom of the pass. 'All was then dead silence; for, loquacious as he was on other occasions, Captain Dalgetty knew well the necessity of an ambush keeping itself under covert. The moon gleamed on the broken pathway, and on the projecting cliffs of rock round whie'h it winded, its light .intercepted here and there by the (branches of !bushes and dwarf - trees, which, finding nourishment in the crevices of the rocks, in some places overshadowed the 'brow and ledge of the .precipice. Below, a thick copsewood ray in deep, and dark shadow, s omewhat resembling the billows . of a half -seen ocean. From the bosom of that darkness, :and close to the bottom of ,the precipice, the hound was heard' at intervals, baying fearfully, sounds which were re- doubled by the echoes of the woods and rocks around. At intervals, these sunk into deep silence, interrupted only by the plashing noise of a small runnel of water, which partly fell from the rock, partly .found a' more silent passage to the 'bottom, along its projecting surface. Voices of men were also heard in stifled converse 'below; it seemed as if the pursuers had not discovered the narrow pates which led to the 'top of 'the rook, or that, 'having 'discovered it, the peril of the ascent, joined to the imperfect light, and The uncertainty whether it might not be.defended, make them 'hesitate to attempt it. 'At length a shadowy figure was seen, which raised itself up from the abyss of dar'knes•s below, and, emeng- ing into the pale moonlight, began .cautiously and slowly to ascend the rooky 'path. The outline was '50 Idis-'I tinctly marked, that 'Captain Dalgetty', could discover not only the person' of a Highlander, but the long gun which he carried in his 'hand, and 'the pluane of :feathers which decorated This ;bonnet, "Taaisend tieflenl :that I Should say so, and so like to be near my latter 'end!" ejaculated the Cap- tain, but under 'his 'breath, "what will 'become of ds, mow they have `brought mus'ke'try to iencounter •our archers?" (Continued) PROFESSIONAL CARDS Medical SEAFORTH CLINIC Dr. E. A. McMaster, M.B.,: Gradu- ate of University of Toronto. .3. D. Colquhoun, M.D., C.M., Grad- - nate of 'Dalhousie University, Halifax.. The Clinic is fully equipped with complete and modern x-ray and other up -'to -date diagnostic and thereuptic equipment. Dr. Margaret K. Campbell, M.D.,. L.A.B.P., Specialist in Diseases fn Lnfants and Children, will be at the Clinic last Thursday in every month from 3 to 6,p.m. Dr, F. J. R, Forster, Specialist in Diseases of the Ear, Eye, Nose and Throat, will be at the Clinic the forst Tuesday in every month from 4 to 6 ip.m. Free well -baby clinic will he held, on the second and last Thursday in every month ,from 1 to 2 p.m. "Does your husband still. complain of thirst? asked the doctor. 'He did at first," replied •Mrs, Jen kins, ",but I gave him a glass of, water every. tithe and he soon stopped.' claren't 'tell my life Lies. S'hels a mcd'i•um, you know.", H'an'k--1"Neither dare I. Mine's a biink!n' heavyweight."' JOHN A. GORWILL, B.A.,M.D. Physician and Surgeon In Dr. H. H. Ross' office. Phone 5 J W. C. SPROAT, M.D., F.A.C.S. Surgery Phone 90-W. Office John St., Seaforth DR. H. HUG'H ROSS, Physician and Surgeon Late of London Hos- pital, London, England. Special at- tention to diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. Office and residence behind Dominion Bank. Office Phone No. 5; Residence Phone 11114. DR. F. J. BURROWS, Office Main St.,d Seaforth, over Dominion Bank Hours 2-15 and 7 to +8 p.m. and by ap- pointment. Residence, ,Goderieh St., two doors west of United Church, Phone 46. DR. F. J. R. F'ORSTER — Eye Ear, Nose and Throat. Graduate in Medicine, University of Toronto 11897. Late Assistant New York Ophthal- mic and Aural Institute, Moore'fie d's Eye, and Golden Square throat hospi- tals, London. At Commercial 'Hotel, Seaforth, third Wednesday in each month from 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. MARGARET K. CAMPBELL, M.D. London, Ontario Graduate Toronto University Licentiate of American Board of Pedi- atrics, Diseases of Children At Seaforth Clinic, last Thursday af- ternoon, each month Auctioneer. GEORGE ELLIOTT, Licensed Auctioneer for the County of Huron. Arrangements San be made for Sale Date at The Seaforth News. Charges moderate and satisfaction guaranteed F. W. AHRENS, Licensed Aa•dtdoL eer for Perth and Huron bounties. Sales Solicited. Terms on Application. Farm Stock, chattels and real estate property. R. R. No. 4, Mitchell. Phone 634 r 6. Apply at this office. 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 McKII1LOP Mutual Fire Insurance Ca HEAD OFFICE-SEAFORTH, Ont OFFICERS President, Thomas Moylan, Sea - forth; Vice President, William Knox, Londesboso; Secretary Treasurer, M. A. Reid, Seaforth. AGENTS F. MaKeraher, R;R.11, Dublin; John E. Pepper, R.R.1, Brumfield; E. R. G. Yarmouth, Brodhagen; James Watt, Blyth; C. F. Hewitt, Kincardine,, Wm. Yeo, Holtnesville. DLRECTORS Alex. Broadfoot, Seaforth No. 3; James Slholdice, Walton; Wm. Knox, Londes6.oro; George Leonhardt, Bornholm No. 1; Frank McGregor, Clinton No. 5; James Connolly, •God- erich; Alex McEwing, Blyth No. 1; Thomas Moylan, Seaforth No. 5; Wm. }j. Archibald, Seaforth No. 4. Parties desirous to effect insurance or transact other 'business, will 'be promptly attended to by applications. to any of the above named, officers addressed to their respective post - offices.