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BESIDE THE BONNIE BRIER BUSH

By IAN MACLAREN

TO MY WIFE

'There grows a bonnie brier bush in our kail-yard,
And white are the blossoms on't in our kail-yard.'

I. DOMSIE.

1. A LAD O' PAIRTS,

2. HOW WE CARRIED THE NEWS TO WHINNIE KNOWE

3. IN MARGET'S GARDEN

4. A SCHOLAR'S FUNERAL

II. A HIGHLAND MYSTIC.

1. WHAT EYE HATH NOT SEEN,

2. AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS,

III. HIS MOTHER'S SERMON,

IV. THE TRANSFORMATION OF LACHLAN CAMPBELL.

1. A GRAND INQUISITOR,

2. HIS BITTER SHAME,

3. LIKE AS A FATHER,

4. AS A LITTLE CHILD,

V. THE CUNNING SPEECH OF DRUMTOCHTY

VI. A WISE WOMAN.

1. OUR SERMON TASTER

2. THE COLLAPSE OF MRS. MACFADYEN

VII. A DOCTOR OF THE OLD SCHOOL

1. A GENERAL PRACTITIONER

2. THROUGH THE FLOOD

3. A FIGHT WITH DEATH

4. THE DOCTOR'S LAST JOURNEY

5. THE MOURNING OF THE GLEN

DOMSIE

I

A LAD O' PAIRTS

The Revolution reached our parish years ago, and Drumtochty has aSchool Board, with a chairman and a clerk, besides a treasurer andan officer. Young Hillocks, who had two years in a lawyer's office,is clerk, and summons meetings by post, although he sees everymember at the market or the kirk. Minutes are read with muchsolemnity, and motions to expend ten shillings upon a coal-cellardoor passed, on the motion of Hillocks, seconded by Drumsheugh, whoare both severely prompted for the occasion, and move uneasilybefore speaking.

Drumsheugh was at first greatly exalted by his poll, and referredfreely on market days to his "plumpers," but as time went on theirony of the situation laid hold upon him.

"Think o' you and me, Hillocks, veesitin' the schule and sittin' wi'bukes in oor hands watchin' the Inspector. Keep's a', it's eneuch tomak' the auld Dominie turn in his grave. Twa meenisters cam' in histime, and Domsie put Geordie Hoo or some ither gleg laddie, that wasmakin' for college, thro' his facin's, and maybe some bit lassiebrocht her copybuke. Syne they had their dinner, and Domsie tae, wi'the Doctor. Man, a've often thocht it was the prospeck o' the SchuleBoard and its weary bit rules that feenished Domsie. He wasna maybesae shairp at the elements as this pirjinct body we hae noo, buta'body kent he was a terrible scholar and a credit tae the parish.Drumtochty was a name in thae days wi' the lads he sent tae college.It was maybe juist as weel he slippit awa' when he did, for he wudhae taen ill with thae new fikes, and nae college lad to warm hishert."

The present school-house stands in an open place beside the mainroad to Muirtown, treeless and comfortless, built of red, staringstone, with a playground for

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