Warlock o' Glenwarlock: A Homely Romance

e health and strength nevertheless. She sat at her spinning wheel, with her door wide open. Suddenly, and, to her dulled sense, noiselessly,

ting the end twist madly up amongst the revolving iron teeth, emerging from the mist of their own

her years, and approaching, looked do

rush intil my quaiet hoose that gait, fling a ma

r-GRANNIE, she called her, as did the whole of the village-turned at once thitherward. She could not see well, and the box-bed was dark, so

's! what's come to

ockit him doon,

! rin for t

bed. "I dinna want ony no

it, my bairn?" as

st lie still a wee, and syne I'll be able to gang hame.

na!" cried Grannie, in a tone m

was perfectly able, she said, and in truth seemed nothing the worse for her fierce exertion. But Cosmo said, "Bide a wee, Aggie, an' we'll gang hame thegither. I'll be better in twa or thre

t's naething but a gey knap o' the heid; an' I'm sure the maister didna inten' duin me

t, and Cosmo

tter. She hurried to Glenwarlock,

e o' day? What for are ye no at the school? Ye'll hae

laird!" said Agg

asked the laird, in the

ays himsel'. But his

? He was weel eneuch wha

er knockit

ace seemed to swell up from ancient fountains amongst the unnumbered roots of his being, and rush to his throbbing brain. He clenched his withered fist, drew himself up st

urmured. "I was near takin' the af

led silence. But she did not quite comprehend, and was troubled at seeing him stand t

I'm thinkin', afore ye win till 'im.

house, walked away to go to the village. He had reached the

e," he said; "ye may

the advantage o' bein' a wuman, as my mither tells me:"-She called her grandmother, MOTHER.-"ye see we can daur mair nor ony m

turned sharply roun

he that fo

nswered the girl, with the utmost

younger. But it was not pride that inspired him, nor indignat

man I stan' or fa'; but it's hoo my maister luiks upo' my puir endeevour to gang by the thing he says. Min' this, lassie-lat fowk say as they like, but du ye as HE likes

never muved an inch, but stud there like a rock, an' liftit no a ha

eached the village, the mid-day recess had come, and everybody knew what had happened. Loud were most in praise of the boy's behaviour, and many were the eyes that from window and door watched the laird, as he hurried down the street to "Grannie'

of the inner door, bowed his tall head, and entered the room where lay his darling. With a bow to Grannie, he went straight up to the bed, speedily discovered that Cosmo slept, and stood regarding him with a full heart. Who can te

indows were occupied with different plants favoured of Grannie, so that little light could get in, and that little was half-swallowed by the general brownness. A tall eight-day clock stood in one corner, up to which, whoever would learn from it the time, had to advance confidentially, and consult its face on tip-toe, with peering eyes. Beside it was a beautiful

g down upon him. He stretched out his arms, and drew the

tly releasing himself. "I know all about it; you need no

d with the jaw-bone of an ass he slew ever so many of the Philistines; and when the master said that bad word about you, it seemed as if the spirit of the Lord came upon me; for I was not in a rage, but f

he deserved 'at daured put sic a word to the best man in a' the country. By the han' o' a babe, as he did Goliah

gate judgment on youthful indiscretion,-"excep' it was to the Kirkmalloch bull,

the aptness of words in it. Glenwarlock stooped and kissed the face of his son, and went to fetch the doctor. Before he returned, Cosmo was asleep again. The doctor would not have him waked. From his pulse and the character of his sleep he judged he was doing well. He had heard all about the affair

urned the laird: "it would be tro

troth, what wi' the rheumatics, an'-an'-the din o' the rottans, we s' ca' 't, mony's the nicht I gang to nae bed ava'; an' to hae the yoong laird sleepin' i' my bed, an' me keepin' watch ower 'im,'ill be jist like haein'

returned the laird, "the'

An' hoo's yersel' to win in, sir-for ye maun be some auld yersel' by

in, auld frien'?" suggested the laird

naething to that e

I wad du for him, as gien he hadna a hert o' his ain to tell 'im a score o'things-a

heir ain fancies!-That ye maun alloo, l

they carena to walk by the same. But them 'at orders their wy's by what lich

I'm no doon yet; an' I hae a guid houp 'at maybe, puir dissiple as I am, the Mais

he boy was better. He told him what the doctor had decreed. Cosmo said he was qu

u walking back all that way

auin to lat the laird gang hame himlane, an' me here

nd given his decided opinion that all Cosmo needed was a little rest, and that he would be quite well