The Fair Maid of Perth

th, be he knight,

mith that forg

STE

the leathern doublet under which it was shrouded. He arose, turned away his head, and extended his hand toward

o come at least. Tarry but a moment, man, and I will explain all this; and surely a few drops of blood from a scratch, and a few silly words from a foolish wench's lips, are not to par

airs, Dorothy appeared bearing three large rummer cups of green glass, which were then esteemed a great and preci

on with it was less than yours who work in steel and iron. And my father had pleased old Crabbe, some other day I will tell you how, and also how long these bottles were concealed under ground, to save them from the reiving Southron. So I will empty a cup to the so

glass, or rather her goblet, with good courage, retired to

iends were

ttering with thy sword and dagger, when the girl is so silly that she cannot bear the sight of these? Dost thou not remember that thou hadst a sort of quarrel with her even before thy last departure from Perth, because thou wouldst not go like

you entered the church, methought I saw two or three dangerous looking men holding counsel together, and gazing at you and at her, and in especial Sir John Ramorny, whom I knew well enough, for all his disguise, and the velvet patch over his eye, and his cloak so like a serving man's; so methought, father Simon, that, as you were old, and yonder slip of a Highlander something too young to do battle, I would even walk quietly after you, not doubting, with the tools I had about me, to bring any one to reason that might distur

f Scotland every man deems it his privilege and duty to avenge his own wrong. But, Harry, my boy, thou art to blame for tak

she were made of better clay than we that approach her. I can hold my head high enough with the rest of the lasses round the maypole; but somehow, when I appro

wish to purchase. Catharine is a good girl, and my daughter; but if you make her a conceited a

said the smith; "for I feel how l

rful to be named - ay, and he showed his displeasure openly, because I would not permit him to gallant my daughter in the church itself, when the priest was saying mass. There are others scarce less reasonable. I sometimes wish that Catharine were some degree

mmer upon anvil again! Ay, an it were come but that length, my fair Catharine should see that there is no harm in a man having the trick of defence.

oubled for these two or three years, although you may see he has the natural spirit of his people, obeys the least sign which Catharine makes

at I was fool enough to train to the offices of a dog, and every one thought him reclaimed, till, in an ill hour, I went to walk on the hill of Moncrieff, when he broke loose on the laird's flock, and made a havoc that I might well have rued, had the laird not

poor young fellow who, to tell you the truth, resides here b

ngs of the burghers of his time, "an it were not for fear of offence, I would sa

skins, and so forth somewhere, my good Ha

ied Henry, drily, "for they

ertain considerations why I am willing to oblige the father of this young man, by keeping him here. And he is but half a Highlander nei

killed his man," replied the

all other respects aside, and send the landlo

hoegate with slogan crying and pipes playing: I would find fifty blades and bucklers would send them back faster than they came. But, to speak truth, though it is a fool's speech too, I care not to see the fellow s

all his gloves out for the right hand, an

and welked by the use of the fore hammer, no hair rusted in the smoke, and singed in the furnace, like the hide of a badger, rather than what is fit to be covered with a Christian bonnet. Now, let Catharine

eir ear must be pleased too, man: they must know that he whom they favour is bold and buxom, and might have the love of twenty, though he is suing for theirs. Believe an old man, woman walk more by what others think than by what they think themselves, and when she asks for the boldest man in Perth whom can she hear named but Harry Burn-the-wind? The best armourer that ever fashioned weapon on anvil? Why, Harry Smith again. The tightest dancer at the maypole? Why, the lusty smith. The gayest troller of ballads? Why, who but Harry Gow?

the Highland race. "I will wager on Old Nick, of whom I should know something, he being indeed a worker in the

est little of: Father Clement has taken the young reiver in hand,

Johnston. Pray, who, for a devil's drubber, may he be? One of your hermits that is trained for the

ent eats, drinks, and lives much like other folks - all

ood life, tipples a can on Fastern's Eve, to enable him to face Lent, has a

ter and I could nose out either a fasting hypocrite or a fu

he then, in H

hnston put together, or so much worse than the worst of them, that

ell whether he be the one o

world, with a comfort for every man's grief, a counsel for every man's difficulty, the rich man's surest guide, and the poor man's best friend. But if you listen to what the Dominica

stry of one who - the saints preserve us!- may be in league with the foul fiend himself! Why, was it not a priest who raised the devil in the Meal Vennel, when Hodge Jackson's house was blown down

. But women will sometimes be wilful, and sure enough she consults with Father Clement more than I could wish; and yet when I have spoken with him myself, I have thought him so good and holy a man that I could have trusted my own salvation with

standing up to him; and that's the only creed a man can live upon in Scotland, let your daughter think what she pleases. Marry, a man must know his fence, or h

d make me aware thou art come by whistling the smith's call gently. I will contrive that Catharine shall look out at the window, and thus thou wilt have all the privileges of being a gallant Valentine throu

lessing on your roof tree, and those whom it covers. You shall hear the sm

through the deserted streets like one upon his guard, to his own dwell