Up in Ardmuirland

e whole of l

of death

Issues of Lif

nd Bell. They possessed a cow and a few hens, and Robina, who was a sturdy woman of forty, did the work of their small croft with occasional help from one of the males of the community. For in Ardmuirland, be it known, one neighbor

ing women, and managed to maintain themselves in a simple, frugal way. Oatmeal and potatoes were grown on the croft; bread could be obtained from the passing baker's cart in exchange for e

h her helpless condition would have justified it, for she never moved from her corner by the fire, to which she was carried from her bed in the morning to b

e will visit the old woman to inquire after her health, and take with her in a neighborly way some little delicacy in the shape of soup or pudding. At one time she tried to furnish her with some orders for stockings, but it turned out that the Lamonts considered it next door to heresy to t

rning. He had been reading his letters, just delivered, and I was g

w. He is about thirty, and has been in this state since he was eighteen, when he had a bad fever. He is perfectly tractable, quite inoffensive, and thoroughly good-tempere

whether the arrangement would be satisfactory as regarded the old widow. She was so helpless that unless the man was actually as harmless as was supposed it might he risky to pla

ong dead-had been in much the same state, though he was inclined to be unruly at times; consequently neither the widow nor her daughter f

nd Bildy. The variety is useful in cases, which are of frequent occurrence, where the same name belongs to grandfather, father, and son; William, Wildy, and Bill are perfe

dently been fitted out for his new home by the liberality of the Inspector. Beyond a shy, vacant expression, Bildy gave no evidence of mental incapacity in his appearance. He kept close to Robina when they emerged from church, and seemed to rely upon h

howed it in his aspect still; his character had never developed beyond that innocent adolescence, while his mind had retrograded to a state resembling early childhood. If one spoke to him on the road he

o the old widow. He liked nothing better than to sit opposite her by the fireside, watching the tireless swiftness of her knitting needles as th

g in her garden I stopped for a chat. After asking after her mother and thi

ter for us frae the spring, an' takes oot the coo, an' fetches her

ellow had formed a most reverential opinion of the priest on his first visit to our church for Mass. On his return home he sat by the fire smiling deligh

"Isna' he dressed fine? Wha's

plained Robina. "Fathe

d Bildy over and over again, as though to

nna' he? He's the boy to tell us what t

at any rate during the sermon," said Val when he

d was inclined to gaze about more than Robina approved of. She therefore took it upon herself to instruct

the hoose o' God ye're goin' tee. Ye musna' glower aboot! Juist

ned the fact quietly to Robina, who promised to investigate the matter. It turned out that poor Bildy had so thoroughly assimilated her instructions as to the requisite behavior in church t

ldy. "Yon's nae the place to sleep in! I

so successfully "sore frighted" the delinquent t

but his hand flew up to his cap in salutation, and remained there until Val had seen him and had retur

fruit-anything sweet, for he had a child's taste. But although Bildy was supremely delighted, he seldom said more than "thank you, Ma'am!" I once sugges

ther Fleming on

he boy! Father Fl

liar conversations with her, on his part, but it appeared that the cow made him her confidant in return. If he began to murmur something to himself

ye that rubb

he gravel

e the window, noticed that they did not pass out in the customary way, and notified the fact to Robina. The latter accordingly ran

coo!" she exclaimed. "Gae i

king his head. "She says it's ower

e had a priest staying with us (an old friend of Val's), the latter invited him to preach. This did not suit Bildy at all. After Mass he walked home alone, not waiting for Robina, who was chatting with her neig

t kind o' preachi

ple pleasure in drawing from him usually. Bildy b

nna' preach! Wha's the reason Father Fleming canna' preach t

mplied depreciation; that was why he stig

fe and had gone out to Canada, and Widow Lamont had insisted upon having the little chap with her; for his father and step-mother were both Protestants, and Doddy stood litt

in the spellbound Bildy. The man seemed to worship the little fellow. Whenever Bildy was free from his ordinary occupations he was pla

metimes other children, attracted by Doddy, would come to join in the games, and often drove poor Bildy away.

child had to return, until he caught sight of the tiny figure in the distance; then he would run to meet Doddy

accosted him kindly, and no one in the district would have dreamed of causing him unhappiness. Doddy had grown into a sharp little lad of seven, and was no longer so dependent upon Bi

sport about to their hearts' content. But children are changeful. When the frost had lasted more than two whole weeks, the little pond was not exciting enough. There was a mountain lake about a mile farther on, a much larger piece of water. Thither the more adventurous spirits determined to go one holiday afternoon. Doddy, who w

me he reached them they had been some half-hour at the lake, and had most of them ventured cautiously to try the bearing power of the ice. The long frost had made this quite safe in most parts; but, unluckily, the lads were not aware that there were other portions wher

ooked on, Doddy disappeared, and a shout of terror arose from the other boys, who were too full of fear to do much toward helping the unfortunate c

e there was only very thin ice around the edge of an open sheet of water. Luckily, it was shallow for a man, though it covered the child. Bildy managed to seize the boy and rose up gasping from the pool, holding Doddy aloft. He

r Bildy could have lifted the child onto thicker ice, after wading some paces in the water. Both were shiver

th a good-will by his "auntie." With poor Bildy it was different. He had been in the ice-cold water far longer than the boy, and a serious attack of pneumonia was

e to do what I can for him, as the doctor gives no hope of recovery. I can baptize

accompany him, and we

ts' c

me more than his emaciated appearance was the wonderful expression of emotion which shone from those large eyes as we appeared at the bedside; they looked

Father," said Robina. "He's oft

yes were proof th

leave. For the few days that he lingered after that, the visit of the priest-twice eve

joined in the prayers for the dying; a calm smile was on his face, and some vision o

little of happiness for him. Indeed, one can hardly call it life in th

has begun for him at l

oubt of that," r