The Rescue.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2331, 26 June 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Rescue.

_ —. j Tiirkk were I'enr and melancholy in tin; glens .and. valley.-..: bat. -luyittg. arqiind o? - I '* (fiiu" sweet'eoftrtge y, stood nnt(U)anl)'d and •)' tli'i-'liolllbW ; fiolne had JejL.il)e Jitje .■■ hWhtln litid' lL l 6i'ii' , !p|i' the greeii shi.-lin" pf ( the shepherd. In the wifli! mill' deivy ii^sh'VjV'tlv^>^niQii[jtj.yqmned as if liimiiin life .wa-j ■jjavenia nn|l "'iiieiSi;jn bcniiollo.l, ' were now tlißJthelfel; bf : 'ori&'ii' So'iils; : HiiiJ.wiien n lonely s lsgUli4"i:rf|'»t'' 1;- ! ing from one hiding place lo another!

on a visit of lov« frotifrflio lmntud to some other bunted ijfother'iji faith, t|ii| crows would hover ov«r lum. and . tlifj Iniwit shriek at human steps', now rui'i] in the desert, • • i When the babe was born, there' might be none near to baptize it ; or| the. minis'ur, driven from his kirk.i .perhaps pott|' : mij watii] ■ftp;,m. it'i; face froin, ( sonie pool • iif tlie! sjlfilii»;hM tKteki! 1 gifti'dWl'• the 'perse-! wited Wiily tiWfiti th r 1 lippressior,' lkids\s | Wsiv,'" -iibw • : ! aui(' in,, tin-1 flollMlVli 'rtf'hWe ' niai|y l: ..died j bet'ii'eVileir time, of sujikwi and of broken h'eartii'.w'Whit/i'liair'was on tlieyj[>v(ii"(i,'okl, 'it'ml ■ numnhvvw-oWirli'uefiilly' •soiki, i», !'lie,".dlwij-aoil "jsWrnUj" the'.nartvred bloml. '''" But tbi:. is th" diirk side.of the pictures; for e v{iii iii iheircaves these people, >vere happj.' ' Their children 1 were with ihetii; v'/i iiiiik*.' 'wiltl .MlbweW'' that bloisouied all aiiiiui the entrances pf thiiu'dtoi'.. 'And'' ( voice ,:of Jtli'e' J siit4icH-6f'tft«'V6)i{nVj' f of the looks; % s-'iuvoi. Got), .i'uid t|iev:knew chftt tli'tiir priiyeis.imukpraises 'urM heard iiijusiyeii. Jf n' child' were horn, it belonged unto the faithful ;■ ! if aliViltl Qairdiedi'il, :\rasfihh()'Wligipu of bis. iorefatiip;s. The their souls' '.i'ere-bi'ongilt forth liito tliu %bt, and they i lf ue>v; .the strength that wasitijiu-ii! lor these days of trial. The thoughtless became sedate, the wild were.rallied,• tin* unfeeling made compassionate, hard hearts were sottnmi, nii.j r||,t wielcet tin; error of th"ir wavs.

All di'epp.'is.,ionpurilSes and strengtht'lni the soul; and so whs it now. Now

was shown and put. 1.0 woof i.lie stern,

impenetrable strength of men that would neither Im'iiJ nor break ; the calm, serene determination of matrons, who with meek eyes and unblandird eheeks, met tht! scowl o f ' the murderer; the silent beauty of maidens, who with smiles received their death ; and the mystorhiis emir age of children, who, in the inspiration of iunoocnt. iin i sputh'.ss nature, kneeled down among' the Uvwdrops on the greensward, and died femlessiv by their parents' sides. Arrested were tliey at their work, or in their play; anil with no other bandage over their eyes but imply some clustering ringlet, of their sunny hair, did many a sweet creature ol twelve summers ask just to be allowed to say her prayers, and then go unappiiileil from her cottage door to the breast of bar Bide-mer.

In those dm oi-l Samuel Grieve and his spouse suffered sorely lor their faith; but- they left not their own house being willing to die t'liHi - i;,oi' Id be slaughtered, whenever God sho;:kiso appoint. They wv I*l r now childless, but a little granii'luuglittT ai'rjui. ten years old lived with them, and she was an orphan. The* thought of i|cnih was so familial' to her, that, although it .sometimes gave a slight quaking throh to her heart in its "lee, vet it scarcely impaired the iiatnn.il joyfuliies of her girlhood ; and oiten, iiuwiu-ioosly, after the jjiuvcst tbi-oddest talk with her old parents, would she glide off, with a lightsome ■step, a blithe face, and a voice hummint; sweetly some cheerful tune. The old people looked often upon her in her happiness, iill her dim eyes filled with tears, while the grandmother said,— '* li tiii:' nest were to be destroyed « Inst, and our heads in the mould, ■'/ ho would Iced this young bird in the wild, and where would she find shelter in which to fold her bonnie win«a ?" Lilias f-Jrieve \ its the shepherdess i of a small flock, among, the green pasturage at the head of St Mary's Loch, and .tip the hill-side, and over into some ot the little neighbouring glens, Sometimes she sat in that! beautiful churchyard, with her sheep j lying scattered around her upon the I quiet graves, where in still sunny days j she could see their shadows in tim | loch, and her-delt' sitting close to the j low wails of the house of God, She i had no on<- to speak to, but. her Bible I to nv.u ; aiitl. 11 :-tj alter day, tilt l rising j 3ttu beli.dd hf:i' in growing beauty and innocence that could not fade, happy ami silent a.:fairy upon the knoll, with tiie blue heavens over her head, ami the blue lake smiling at her feet. " 31y Fairy," was the name she bore, bv the cottage fire, where the old people were gladdened by her glee, and turned away from all melancholy thoughts; and it was a name thai, suited sweet Lilias well, for she was clothed in a garb of green, nod nflpn ihlkm* joy tho green, graceful) plants thai among the hills were wreathed around j her hair. Ho was she dressed one! Snbhath day, wa lolling .her flock at a considerable distance from houm, and singing to herself a psalm.in the solitary ! moor; when, in a moment, n party fif soldiers were upon a mount, on the opposite side of a narrow dell.

lAliiis was invisible .as a green linnet! upon tlie jjriijjß,; but lior..liwt'ett'ifiicfe lirintyi'd luvr'i and liicn ono * 'of "'tlie ryes, hii'l, as she spuing frightened to l.n'i' feet, lie culled oi.it- — j ■ " A roe !ut roe.! See how she bounds along the bent I l 'aiifHlie ruffian tool; aim ut the child with his niiiskot, li#|f in sport,l iiiMf'iiv fcvosliiy!''| Lilian kept appearing and disappearing, while she Hew, as on wings, Hui'oak it piece of black heathy moss, full, ot - ] vva { -to|tiWß niuskfil'at his aini.. ' His comrades called to hiti] to hold 'hifhii'iid/'ilnif iicit 1 ' siibot a jifip'r jitjle innocent child.; imt he at .length tired, find the hivljet \yaji heard .tO;i whiff .past Ih'V fern crowned head, iimi to strike a bank which she whs about to ascend.! 'Hi/' liihiW -paused'for >a' Inoineht',' andlooked back, and then bounded awav : .over tlie-smooth tVi rf, ti IJ;' li Ic6' t' mhe dropped into the birchhi glen' and; disappeared, Nfli'li'lionm! of her feeti was heard; she seemed to have sunk; into the ground: and the soldier stood, j without any effort, to {(jj|my„.|«r,; gazing through the smoke tlie I sfjtot wh'ei'j? sne had. vaiii.sl^ftc),.., sn|!t l iivst(tion Mtissa.iled' Itlte hpartpr th.etpariiyiius' they •'slir'dotoi toother npoßuii ledge l bf ston'e.' "" ,:i ' " Saw you her face riddle as my ball wint whizzing past her ear 1 ! If she be not one of those hill.fairies, she hail b('e\v'tlead As'a lieVniig • bul'l believe . tlie : ''' tj (a^ic.ei(j' (jif jip. jyelioW hair','as«g«irj^t-.tpjl1Idc 1 er.' 1 ,,! ; . It., was,jjie.aet.of ,a,,gullo\va roguei to fire';j\|)pu the creature laity,lot l titiry ;!.aiid ; y,ouUlesein , e,Hliir , weight i; 'bt ! this liand—lhe'liaiid you brute, .: l Aiid'up'rose the speaker.'tpput.Kis jthreiit into pxmitio.n, when, tlie other retreated' some,distance,; and began to his n|iisk.»U i but the Englishman |vas upoti liiin, and, with a Cumberland grip and trip, laid him upon the hard ground with a force that drove the breath out of his body, and left him stunned, and almost, insensible. The fallen ruffian now rose somewhat humbled, and sullenly sat down among the rest. " Why," quoth Allen Sleigh, " I wager a week's pay yin don't venture tifiy yards without your musket down

yonder' shingle where the fairy disappeared and, the wager being accepted, the hall-drunken fellow rushed on towards the head of the glen, and was heard crashing away through the shrubs.

In it few minutes ho returned, declaring with an oath that he had seen her at the mouth of a cave, where no i human font eon Id reach, standing with her hair all on tire, and an angrv countenance; and that lie had tumbled backward into tie burn, and been nearly drowned. " Drowned!"cried Allan Sleigh. "Ay. divwred; why not? A hundred yards down that glen the pools are as black as. pitch, and the water roars like thunder, Drowned! why not, von English son of a deerslayer !" why not ! because who was evtr drowned that was born to be hangedl" And that jest, created universal laughter, as it is always sure to do, often as it may be repented in the company of ruffians; such is felt to lie its perfect truth and unanswerable simplicity.

After an hour's quarrelling and gibing, and mutiny, this disorderly band proceeded on their way down into the head of the Zurrow, and there saw, in the. solitude, the house of Samuel Grieve Thither they proceeded to get some refreshment, and ripe for any outrage, that occasion might suggest. The old roan and his wife, hearing the tumult of many voices a id

many feet, came out, and were immediately saluted with many approbnoiis epithets. The hut was soon rifled of any small articles of wearing apparrel, and Samuel, without emotion, set before them whatever provisions hi) had—butter, cheese, bread, and milk —and hoped that they would not be too hard upon old people, who were desirous of dying as they had lived, in pence.

Thankful were they both in their parental hearts, that their little Lilias was among the hills; and the old man trusted that if she returned before the soldiers were gone, she would see from some distance, the muskets on the green before tho door, and hide herself Ninons; the brake. The soldiers devoured their repast with many oaths and much hideous and obscene language, which it was sore against the old man's soul to hear in his .own hut; Imt he s»id nothing, for that U'ould have been wilfully to sacrifice his lite.

A t last one of the party ordered him to return thanks in words impious and full of blasphemy, which Samuel calmly refused to do, beseeching them at the same tiniH, for the sake of their own souls, not to offend their great and bountiful Preserver.

■' Confound the old canting Covenanter M will prick him with my bayonet if he won,t say graceand the blood trickled down the old mail's cheek fromaslight wound in his forehead.

The sight of it seemed to awaken the dormant blooit-thir»,tiness in' the heart ol the soldier, who now swore that if the old man did not instantly repeat the words after him, lie would shoot him dead,

And, us if cruelty were coulagious, almost the whole party agreed that the

demand was hut tfiHHonalilf, «ml that, thti ojd liyijscvjtil'il! l<navis|n|ltfj(t|r|ijoh or 'pferish. v ' < ••'•■"•Hero Ir;njiv»riiisty Bible; 1 ' cried'one .of tliem, " If" he won't speak I will gaghimwitlra vengeance. Here old Mr Pcden, the. jjinphei, Str ;Lilke down: y.QUir,!filitV.".iSt. LukeMis'U' phyaicifin, I believe. Well. hlftW'V dose of liirn, Open your jaws." :

And with theso words he tore a handful of loaves flie /Bifye, In'd atlvancefltoward/ whose face the terrified wife was . now wiping off the blood. .

Gtieyp ;\vAs/i ft>li raijo W ana ii.nfis' younger day's ho had bee n a a man ofgreafc strength, When therefore, the soldier grasped ;bim/-by, Deck, thosenseof receiyitigM ijawaiuif" from such a slave nindo and, as if his youth had been renewed, the gray-headed man, with one blow, felled tlie rffi|an' That was a fierce tumult and yiilling of wrathful voices, and Samuel Grieve Was,led out to did. H,e l/at|'«jiies|etF sueh butchery of otbefa.'and the hour of his martyrdom was come, . " f l, lt.ho\l;<jidsf 1 t . ho \ l ; < ji ds f in whtln iie smote tlie Lgh priest's servant, and s iidst ;The.,cii|> which my Father hath givea ! me shnli I not drink it? ho now, 0 my Redeemer do thou pardon, me, thy frail and erring follower, and enable me to drink this | cup I" ; With these words the.old man. knelt ! down unbidden, and, after one solemn •l°ok to heaven, closed his eyes, and jfolded bis hands across his breast,

: His wife now came forward, anc knelt down beside the old man. "Let us die together, Sanutel; lu.it oh I what will become of our deai Lilias ]"

"God tempers the,wind to-the shorn lamb, said the husband, opening not his eyes, but taking her hand into his: " Sarah, be not afraid." . . ■ ; V

''Oh, Samuel 11 remember at tlii moment these words of Jesus, whid you this morning read:' Forgive them Father; they know not what the' do.'" ■

We lire all sinners together," said Samuel, with a loud voice j ■ ,l we two old gray-headed peoplo, on our knees, and aboat to die, iorgtve you nil, as wo hope ourselves to be forgiven. We are ready—he merciful, and do not mangle us, Sural],4ie not afraid." ° It seemed that an angel was sent down from liO'iven to save the lives of these two old gray-headed folks. With hair floating in tlm sunny light, and seemingly wreathed with flowers of heavenly azure; with eyes beamingluatre yot streaming tears; with white, tirm.f extended in 'their b'eSu'tiy, and piotion gentle and elidinij as the sunshine wheu a cloud is rolled away, came on, over the meadow before the hut, the same greenrobed creature that had-startled the soldiers with her singing in the moor; and crying loudly, but still sweetly, " God sent nto hither to save their lives," she fell down heside them as they knelt togetherj and then, lifting up her hishead from: the tiirf. j fixed her beautiful' face; instinct with fear, love, hope, and the spirit of prayer i upon the eyes of the men about to shed I that innocent blood.

They alt stood heart-stricken, and the executioners fluiigiiown their muskets upon the graiinsward. " God bless you, kind, good soldiars, for this I" exclaimed the child, now Weeping and sobbing, with joy; " Ay, ay, you will be happy to night when you lie down to sleep. Ifyou have any little daughters or sisters like me, God will bless them foryour mercy to us, and nothing till you return home will hurt the hair oi their heads. Oh ! I see now that soldiers are not so .cruel as- we say,".

"Lilias, your grandfuthei speaks unto you; his last words are, 1 Lsave us,.leave us; for they are going to put us to death,' Soldiers, kill not this little child, or the waters of the loch will rise up and drown the sons of. peidition, Lilias, give us each a kiss, and then go into the house,'" Ihe soldiers conversed together for'a' few minutes, and seemed now like men themselves condemned to die, Pbarue and remorse for their coward cruelty smote them to the heart, and they bade theni that were still kneeling to rise up and go their ways; then, forming themselves into regular order,-ono gave the word of command, and, marching off, j they soon disappeared. The old man, his wife, and little Lilias, continued for some time on their knees in prayer',and then all three went into the hut-* the child between them, and a withered hand of each laid upon its beautiful and fearless: head, "