became hungry, peevish, and gloomy, and each felt a certain impatient feeling half choking him in his throat, which, in two or three instances, tittered into a low, short, sorrowful laugh, while an uneasy groan murmured at the roots of their tongues, and an excellent dinner continued spoiling before them. Mrs. Elliott, whose good nature was the most prominent feature in her character, strove by every possible effort to beguile the unpleasant impressions she perceived gathering upon their countenances. "Peter is just as bad as him," she remarked, to have gone to seek him when he kenned the denner wadna keep. And I am sure Thomas kenned it wad be ready at one o'clock to a minute. It is sae unthinking, and unfriendly-like to keep folk waiting." And endeavouring to smile upon a beautiful black-haired girl of seventeen, who sat by her elbow, she continued in an anxious whisper-"Did ye see naething o' him, Elizabeth, hinny?" The maiden blushed deeply-the question evidently gave freedom to a tear which had for some time been an unwilling prisoner in the brightest eyes in the room; and the monosyllable—"No," that trembled from her lips, was audible only to the ear of the enquirer. In vain Mrs. Elliott dispatched one of her children after another in quest of their father and brother; they came and went, but brought no tidings more cheering than the moaning of the hollow wind. Minutes rolled into hours, yet neither came-she perceived the prouder of her guests preparing to withdraw, where upon she observed that "Thomas's absence was so singular and unaccountable, and so unlike either him or his faither, she didna ken what apology to make to her friends for sic treatment, but it was needless waiting, and begged they would use no ceremony, but just begin." No second invitation was necessary; good humour appeared to be restored, and sirloins, pies, pastries and moorfowl began to dis appear like the lost son. For a moment Mrs. Elliott apparently par took in the restoration of cheerfulness, but a low sigh at her elbow again drove the colour from her rosy cheeks. Her eye wandered to the farther end of the table, and rested on the unoccupied seat of her husband, and the vacant chair of her first-born; her heart fell heavily within her, all the mother gushed into her bosom, and rising from the table" What in the warld can be the meaning o' this?" said she, as she hurried with a troubled countenance towards the door. Her husband met her on the threshhold. "Where hae ye been, Peter?" said she eagerly; "hae ye seen naething o' him?" "Naething! naething!" replied he "is he no cast up yet?" And with a melancholy glance, his eyes sought an answer in the deserted chair; his lips quivered, his tongue faultered "Gude forgie me!" said he, "and such a day for even an enemy to be out in! I've been up and down every way that I can think on, but not a living creature has seen or heard tell o' him. Ye'll excuse me, neighbours," he added, leaving the house-"I maun away again, for I canna rest." "I ken by myself, friends," said Adam Bell, a decent looking Northumbrian," that a faither's heart is as sensitive as the apple o' his e'e, and I think we would show a want o' natural sympathy and respect to our worthy neighbour if we didna every one get his foot into the stirrup without loss o' time, and assist him in his search-for in my rough country way o' thinking, it must be something particularly out o' the common, that could tempt Thomas to be amissing at such a time. Indeed, I needna say tempt, for there could be no inclination in the way-and our hills"-he concluded in a lower tone-" are not owre chancy in other respects besides the breaking up o' the storm." "Oh!" said Mrs. Elliott, wringing her hands-"I have had the coming o' this about me for days an' days. My head was growing dizzy wi' happiness, but thoughts came stealing upon me like ghosts, and I felt a lonely saughing about my heart, without being able to assign a cause; but the cause is come at last; and my dear Thomas, the very pride and staff o' my life, is lost! lost to me for ever!" "I ken, Mrs. Elliott," replied the Northumbrian-"it is an easy matter to say compose yourself for them that dinna ken what it is to feel, but at the same time, in our plain country way o' thinking, we are always ready to believe the worst. I've often heard my faither say, and I have as often remarked it myself, that before ony thing happens to a body, there is a something comes owre them, like a cloud before the face o' the sun, a sort o' dumb whispering about the breast from the other world. And though I trust there is naething o' the kind in your case, yet as ye observe, when I find myself growing dizzy as it were with happiness, it makes good a saying o' my mother's, poor body-- Bairns, bairns,' she used to say-'there is owre muckle singing in your heads to-night-we will have a shower before bedtime' and I never in my born days saw it fail.” At any other period Mr. Bell's dissertation on pre-sentiments would have been found a fitting text on which to hang all the dreams, wraiths, warnings, and marvellous circumstances, that had been handed down to the company from the days of their grandfathers, but in the present instance they were too much occupied in consultation regarding the different routes to be taken in their search. Twelve horsemen and some half-dozen pedestrians were seen hurrying in diverse directions from Marchlaw, as the last grim shadows of a melancholy day were crouching in the vallies from the heavy darkness, which appeared pressing in solid masses down the sides of the mountain, like noiseless chariots of the king of terrors. The wives and daughters of the party were alone left with the disconsolate mother, who alternately pressed her weeping children to her heart, and told them to weep not, for their brother would soon return, while the tears stole down her own cheeks, and the child in her arms wept because its mother wept. Her friends strove with each other in inspiring hope, and poured upon her ear their mingled and loquacious consolation. But one remainded silent;-the daughter of Adam Bell, who sat by Mrs. Elliott's elbow at table, had shrunk into an obscure corner of the room-before her face she held a handkerchief wet with tears her bosom throbbed convulsively, and, as occasionally her broken sighs burst from their prison-house, a significant whisper passed among the younger part of the company. Mrs. Elliott approached her, and taking her hand tenderly within both of hers, "Oh! hinny! hinny!" said she, "your sighs go through my heart like a knife, and what can I do to comfort ye? Come, Elizabeth, my bonny love, let us hope for the best-ye see before you a sorrowing mother--a mother that fondly hoped to have seen you and -I canna say it-and am ill fitted to gie comfort when my own heart is like a furnace, but oh, let us try and remember the blessed portion-whom the LORD loveth he chasteneth,' and inwardly pray for strength to say-His WILL BE DONE." To be concluded in our next. SONG. BY THE REV. H. S. RIDDELL, AUTHOR OF "SCOTTISH MELODIES," &c. Written for a forthcoming volume of Melodies by P. McLeod, Esq. WHEN my flocks upon the heathy hill are lying a' at rest, And the gloamin' spreads its mantle grey o'er the world's dewy breast, My fauldin plaid shall shield her frae the gloamin's chilly gale, LITERARY GOSSIP AND VARIETIES. "A History of Berwick," we understand, on a larger scale than any hitherto published, is rapidly progressing in the hands of Mr. Weddell, Solicitor. It will give evidence of deep research and extensive antiquarian knowledge. Mr. Melrose is preparing for publication "Select Essays," on various topics, religious and moral, by Dr. Belfrage. The confirmed reputation of the Author entitles us to expect an able and interesting volume. The whole of the first impression of "Campell's Poem on Poland," has been sold off. A second edition in small 8vo. handsomely done up in green and gold, is now in circulation. The story of the new novel, termed "The Affianced One," exhibits the jealous artifices of a modern Cleopatra against a rival, whose generosity and gentleness form a contrasting picture of true feminine excellence. Mrs. Jameson has in the Press an interesting new work, entitled, "The Lives of Celebrated Female Sovereigns." We are informed it abounds with original and curfous particulars of Joanna of Sicily, Joanna I. of Naples, Isabella of Castile, Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth, Queen Anne, the Empress Maria Theresa, &c. &c. From what we know of Mrs. J's genius, we can augur confidently of its suc cess. A new edition of " Frankenstein," in small 8vo. is to form the Ninth Volume of the Standard Novels. It is to contain an entirely new Introduction explanatory of the origin of the Story, by the Author, with original anecdotes of Lord Byron, &c. Among the thousand-and-one novelties that diversify this season of gems, not the least valuable is the Geographical Annual which contains upwards of One Hundred Engravings on steel. The "Catechism of Health" by an eminent physician could not be advertised at a more befitting time, when the whole country is tremulous with fear, and the excited imagination converts coughs and colds into cholera. "The Novelist's Library," edited by Thomas Roscoe, Esq. and illustrated by George Cruikshank, will embrace a series of works, which time has carried beyond the reach of hireling critics. "Their authors, it is acknowledged, wrote for all time, and their happy illustrations of character and manners prove them to have been familiarly acquainted with human nature in all its varieties, and capable of representing life as they found it; thus furnishing an intellectual banquet replete at once with instruction and amusement." Cochrane and Co. we perceive, have in the Press an historical novel, intituled "The Young Muscovite," or, "The Poles in Russia,” and a "History of the Coldstream Guards," from the formation of the Regiment under General Monk, to the Battle of Waterloo. Colonel Mackinnon is the author of the latter work. It is somewhat remarkable, that the scene of Miss Macaulay's preachments has become the scene of her stage-playing, and that the change of the place was co-eval with the change of the lady's profession. The Tragedy of "The Renegade," by the late Rev. C. Maturin, author of Bertram, Melmoth, Pour et Contre, &c. the merits of which were certainly overlooked by the London managers, is in the course of a successful run at the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh. The cockneys will, doubtless, be surprised to learn, that Mr. Murray's treasurybooks contain, as the result of sound judgment and pure taste, many pleasing items. Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths. BIRTHS. At Hawick, on the 9th ult., the wife of the Rev. Peter Brown, of a son. REGISTER OF BIRTHS, MARRIAGES & DEATHS. 47 At Weens, Roxburghshire, on the 16th ult., the Lady of George Cleghorn, Esq. of a son. On the 28th ult., Mrs. Captain Smith, Quay Walls, of a daughter. At Kelso, on the 28th ult., Mrs. Waldie, of a daughter. On the 31st ult., Mrs. Macdonald, of the Post-Office, Belford, of a son. At Loretto, Musselburgh, on the 31st ult., Mrs. Langhorne, of a daughter. At Ayton, on Tuesday the 2d inst., Mrs. Hood, of a daughter. MARRIAGES. At Curriestanes, Dumfries, on the 11th ult., by the Rev. Mr. Bennet of Closeburn, the Rev. William Menzies, minister of the East Parish of Greenock, to Margaret, daughter of William Pagan, Esq. of Curriestanes. At Langton House, on the 19th ult., Sir John Pringle, of Stitchel, Bart., to Lady Elizabeth Maitland Campbell, eldest daughter of the Marquis of Breadalbane. Lately, at Heighington, near Durham, M. Fallon, Esq. of the Irish Bar, to Miss F. H. Kelly, the celebrated actress. At St. James's Church, London, John Shield, Esq. of Cavendish Square, to Miss Elizabeth Thorn, of Chelsea. One of their friends has celebrated the occasion in the following epigram: Says Tom to Jack, upon his bridal morn, How could you plant within your breast a THORN!' On the 20th ult., at All Souls, Mary-la-bonne, London, Adam Askew, of Redheugh, in the county palatine of Durham, Esq. to Elizabeth, sixth daughter of the late Sir R. Rycroft, Bart., of Everlands, in the county of Kent. On the 25th ult., by special licence, in the chapel of Torquay, Devon, by the Rev. Lord Henry Kerr, the Hon. Charles Rodolph Trefusis, brother of Lord Clinton, to Lady Elizabeth Georgiana Kerr, daughter of the late Marquis of Lothian. At Stamfordham, on the 3d inst., Mr. Thomas Gilhespy, of Smallburn, to Miss Mary Hedley, of Fenwick, Northumberland. DEATHS. On the 10th ult., at Alnwick, Mr. James Burn, father of John Burn, Esq. Solicitor, Gray's Inn, London, aged 94. On the 11th ult., at Coldstream, John, son of Mr. Halliburton, Bookseller, aged 6 months. At Clarence Street, Stockbridge, Edinburgh, on the 15th ult., Mrs. Janet Scott, wife of the Rev. Robert Renwick. At Alticane, Ayrshire, on the 17th ult., Mrs. Alderson, late of Tweedmouth, aged 70. At North Berwick, on the 20th inst. Elizabeth Magdalene Dalrymple, eldest daughter of Sir Robert Dalrymple Horn Elphinstone, of Horn and Logie Elphinstone. On the 21st ult., at North Shields, Jane, wife of the Rev. William Leitch, aged 49, much respected. |
