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Updated: June 1, 2025
A similar thought passed through Elspie's mind, while she sat with little Olive at the window, where, a few years ago, she had stood rocking the new-born babe in her arms, and pondering drearily on its future. That future seemed still as dark in all outward circumstances but there was one ray of hope, which centred in the little one herself.
She lay until broad daylight, counting hour by hour, and thinking thoughts deep and strange in a child of her years thoughts of death and eternity. She did not believe Elspie's words; but if they should be true if her nurse should die if this should be the last time she would ever creep to her living bosom! And then there came across the child's mind awful thoughts of death and of the grave.
That night the child was taken ill, and never recovered until some weeks after, when the grass was already springing on poor Elspie's grave. It is nature's blessed ordinance, that in the mind of childhood the remembrance of fear or sorrow fades so fast.
I will ask Okematan or Fergus McKay to ride with me. Why did you not speak to Fergus instead of to me?" "Because he has not been spoken to by any one," answered Dechamp; "and I would not be the first to put suspicion into his head about his own brother. Besides, your head is clearer; and your interest in Duncan, for Elspie's sake, is greater than his, no doubt." "Well, you may be right, Antoine.
And whenever Elspie's rough honesty urged her to do so, she fell into such agonies of grief and anger, that the nurse was obliged to desist. Sometimes, when letter after letter came from the father, full of inquiries about his precious first-born, Sybilla, whose fault was more in weakness than deceit, resolved that she would nerve herself for the terrible task.
He did not know it; but from the moment his eyes first fell on Elspie's face they had followed it as iron follows the magnet. Were there ever such sweet gray eyes in the world? and such a pink and white skin? and hair yellow as gold? And what, oh, what did she wear tucked in at the belt of her white apron but a sprig of heather!
Auntie Elspie's loving eyes were watching Gavin, and her sinking heart told her she must soon do something to put an end to his misery. He went to his bed early that night, before they could ask him to sing, but he could not sleep. He heard Auntie Janet and Auntie Flora come up the creaking old stairs together, talking in whispers lest they disturb him.
She had lived twelve years without knowing sorrow, and it was time that the first lesson, bitter, yet afterwards sweet, should be learned by the child. The shaft came to her through Elspie's faithful bosom, where she had rested all her life, and did rest now, with the unconscious security of youth, which believes all it loves to be immortal.
"Your nurse was right, my dear." Then pausing for a moment, as though arming himself for a duty repugnant, indeed, but necessary he took his daughter on his knee, and kissed her cheek once, and no more. But she, remembering Elspie's instructions, and prompted by her loving nature, clung about him, and requited the kiss with many another. They melted him visibly.
"She's just a wee bit shy about it yet," said Auntie Janet. "But when she gets over it, you'll see them together in church." "It's Piper Lauchie McDonald!" cried Auntie Flora, coming up to the surface again; "he's been comin' here pretendin' he wanted to teach Gavie the pipes, but we can see it's Elspie he's got in his eye." Auntie Elspie's eyes were dancing.
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