Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 17
General
Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 17
Scottish Borders (Scotland) -- Fiction
Marion, without waiting for an answer, fell upon the neck of her father;
and then, in the same manner, she embraced her mother; but it was a long
time before the fears of Wat and Kitty were removed. At last, they were
persuaded to accompany them on a visit to Ballochgray Castle; and, when
they rode off in the chariot, they left behind them the belief that they
too were carried off by the "Old One." We cannot pretend to describe the
feelings of Wat and his wife when they were introduced into the old castle;
but they soon came to see that the Baron of Ballochgray was just "as guid a
chiel in his ain castle as ever he was when he acted the Deevil in Christ's
Kirk on the Green."
GLEANINGS OF THE COVENANT.
X.--SERGEANT WILSON.
It was early on Monday morning, in the cold month of March, Anno Domini
1683, that the farm-house of Barjarg, in the parish of Keir and county of
Dumfries, was surrounded by dragoons. They were in quest of a sergeant of
the name of Wilson--a Sergeant Wilson--who had all unexpectedly (for he was
a steady man and a good soldier) deserted his colours, and was nowhere to
be found. The reason why they had come to Barjarg, was the report which one
of Sergeant Wilson's companions in arms had made, that he knew the deserter
was in love with Catherine Chalmers, the farmer's fair and only child.
Catherine Chalmers was indeed forthcoming in all her innocence and
bloom--but William was nowhere to be found, though they searched most
minutely into every hole and corner. Being compelled, at last, to retire
without their object--though not without threatening Catherine with the
thumbikins, if she persevered in refusing to discover her lover's
retreat--the family of Barjarg was once more left to enjoy its wonted
quietude and peace. Adjoining to the farm-house of Barjarg, and occupying
the ground where the mansion-house now stands, there stood an old tower,
containing one habitable apartment; but only occupied as a sleeping room by
one of the ploughmen, and the herd boy. There were one or two
lumber-garrets besides; but these were seldom entered, as they were
understood to contain nothing of any value, besides being dark, and
swarming with vermin. Reports of odd noises and fearful apparitions had
begun to prevail about the place, and both ploughman and herd were
unwilling to continue any longer in a lodgment into which it was their firm
persuasion that something "no canny" had entered. Holding this exceedingly
cheap, Adam Chalmers, the veteran guidman of Barjarg, agreed to take a
night of the old tower, and to set the devil and all his imps at defiance;
but it was observed, that he came home next morning thoughtful and out of
spirits, agreeing, at once, that nobody should, in future, be compelled to
sleep in the old tower. He said little of what he had seen or heard, but he
shook his head, and seemed to intimate that he knew more than he was at
liberty to divulge. Things went on in this manner for some time--reports of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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