Return this book on or before the Latest Date stamped below. University of Illinois Library W -8 L161—H41 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 20Q9 with funding from 'ersity of Illinois Urbana-Champa THE MINISTER'S WIFE. MBS. OLIPHAXT. A II HO P. nF CHRONICLES OF CARLINGFORD,' 'SALEM CHAPEL,' ETC. ETC. IX THREE VOLUMES. VOL. III. LONDON: HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS, 13 GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 1869. Tht right of Trando.tUh it rtterved. LONDON: Strangeways and Walden, Printers, 28 Castle St. Leicester Sq. THE MINISTER'S WIFE, CHAPTER I. Nothing had occurred on Loch Diarmid for ages which had made so intense a sensation in the dis- trict as the death of the minister. The whole country bubbled up and seethed about that one house on the slope, —the Manse, peaceablest of habi- tations, a few days ago so full of quiet happiness, but now shrouded in a veil of horror and woe. Was it accident, or was it murder ? At first the opinion of the country-side inclined strongly in favour of the former supposition. The beast was c spirity ' — too spirity for a man of Mr. Lothian's age ; and the night was stormy and dark ; and he had not nor could have any enemy—and he was not robbed. It soon, however, became known that there was an actual witness of the tragedy, whose deposition would set all doubts at rest. ( I hope she didna do it hersel/ said the smith, VOL. III. B — 2 THE MINISTER S WIFE. when the tale was discussed. ' I canna understand Jean Campbell being the one to see it.' e She had nae cause to be ill at the minister,' said Sandy Diarmid; 'he was aye kind to her; and because an awfu' deed's been done, that's no reason for taking away an honest woman's character.' ( Lord bless me ! am I taking away her char- acter?' cried Macwhirter. e Man, can you no tell a joke from earnest? If I said she had dung down Ben Lomond, or the Cobbler, it would be about as likely. But a man maun mind his p's and his q's ' when he speaks to the like of you ? ' I like nae such jokes,' said Sandy, shaking his head, 6 especially in the moment of sic an awfu' visitation. Nothing like it has ever happened on the Loch in my day. I hope it be na true a' thae prophets said, We 've neglected our day o' grace, and noo we 're delivered over to Satan. It looks real like it. She says there can be nae doubt that clour in his forehead was the man's doing, and with ' a' his might ! 6 Naebody that saw it could doubt that,' said ( Macwhirter, more gravely, but I doubt it was nae mair than manslaughter at the worse. The man was doiin and stunned with the fa', and the tramp if it was a tramp—saw a glitter of gold about him, and was struck wi' a sudden temptation. I canna think it was anything waur.' THE MINISTER S WIFE. 3 ' And, what is awfu' strange is, that nae tramp has been seen about these parts that answers Jean's description,' said a chance comer. ( Our Margaret saw a man gaun ower the braes the last moonlight night — but he was humphie-backit, and no so big as herself; and Robbie has a story of a muckle black man like Mr. John ' c If ye listen to a' the wives have seen, and a' the w-eans' stories, you'll have plenty to do,' said the smith. 'But here's Andrew7 White, and maybe he has some information. He'll gie us a sermon, at least,' he added in an undertone. Mr. Lothian had been, as it is common to say, much beloved in his parish; but his people, as has been seen, recovered their spirits at an early date, and found such consolation in a discussion of the circumstances of his death, as made that dreadful event almost a pleasure, and certainly a public benefit. Andrew^ White had been at a funeral, and was in the solemn costume worn in Scotland on such occasions. The scarf round his hat was tied in a large bow, and fell down with long ends behind him. He wore an evening suit of black with ( weepers ' on the sleeves of his coat. He was a portentous figure in the daylight, but not to eyes accustomed to the dress, which it is the pride of every Scotch peasant to possess to go to funerals in. Andrew's aspect, however, suited ' ;;; 4 THE MINISTER'S WIFE. Ills costume. He looked like the conventional type (often very far from the reality), which the public accepts as that of a Dissenting pastor. It was not Chadband, benign and oily, but a more melancholy and meagre specimen ; his very air, as he stepped into the smithy, was of itself a rebuke. ' Have ye naething better to do than to claver f here,' he said, John Macwhirter ? and the pairish come through such a fiery furnace. I would have thought it might have had an effeck upon you a', and on a' worldly-minded men.' 8 ? Is there ony mair news ' said old Sandy f that's just what I Ve been saying. Such a hale, ! strong, weel-likit man ( Ay, he was a weel-likit man,' said Andrew 8 and I hope he wasna taken unprepared, — too weel- likit, Sandy. " Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake," is what is written. There was none of that in Mr. Lothian's case — and yet I hope he wasna taken unprepared.' 8 He was a real good man/ said the smith, ( and we 're a' of one mind in these days. There's nae persecution that I ken of. I hope we dinna hate the Name itself—' 8 Ay, and with a bitter hatred,' said the elder 8 every carnal soul among ye. Na, it's no the fashion to. .persecute,— Satan's mair cunning; you can do better than that. Ye can sneer, and ye can gibe, and ye can call names. 88 Be glad when men THE MINISTER S WIFE. D speak evil of you." But the poor minister, he was pleased that men should speak well; and now he 's snatched away in a moment without time to leave anv assurance to his friends of the state of his soul. T hope he was prepared/ 6 The Lord be thankit, Fm no ane of you wise folk,' said John Macwhirter; ' I 're a respect for my Maker as I'm aye saying. I wadna turn off no a brute beast that had served me weel, because it wasna just ready the last time I wanted it. Nor will He,—or Fm sair mistaken in Him. But the question was—Is there any news ?' f There's nae news from where he is gone,' said Andrew, l which is the real question. I think little of aught else. As for the law, it's busy swearing the folk and hearing the witnesses. Jean Campbell she's very positive ; but, whether it was the acci- dent did it, or whether it was the man, or who tae man was, or what was his motive, is past our telling. The one thing I can tell ye is, that this is from the Lord. It was prophesied to us that if we let the day of our visitation pass, fearful things would be sent among us from the Lord, and so far as I can see they 're now begun.' ( But he wasna ane of the scorners, honest man,' said the smith, slightly subdued, < I canna see how the wyte should fall on him/ ( I wouldna say a word now he's dead and gane,' said the elder; 'but only in warning to your souls. 6 THE MINISTER'S WIFE. If there 's a careless shepherd whose ain the sheep are not, that lets his flock stray where they will, and pays no heed to the day of visitation, weel I wot it's little more than justice if the first blow falls on him.' Here there was a general outcry of indignation. ;' ( A better man never steppit ' As good to the poor folk as if he had been their brother ;' ' And worth six of your newfangled preachers ;' ( Elder though you be, you're no blate to say a ill word o' the minister;' 'And him scarce in his grave yet,' cried old Sandy, as the climax of the storm. 6 I'm no minding what you say/ said the elder, as he withdrew ; 'it's my place, and no yours, to speak. The Lord is no to be cheated as we are. And though he may have been a good man—(and the Lord grant he was prepared !) —that's not to say he mightna be a careless shepherd. He wouldna see the day of visitation—nor would you —and behold your house is left unto you desolate. Take tent to yourselves as long as there is time/ The parish in general, however, did not take up the matter in Andrew's way. The day of visita- tion by this time had but little effect upon any- body's mind, and Mr. Lothian's virtues were fully acknowledged. And the mind of the district was moved with the profoundest longing for news, however small the scrap might be, that was afforded THE MINISTER'S WIFE. t .