Captain Elliott, mean time, had arrived at the Manse. He was a fine
good-looking young man, excessively attached to his sister and her family;
and having been absent so long from his native country, had so much to
hear and see, that he completely occupied every moment of their time.
Helen was only a baby in arms when he left the country, but William was
between three and four years old. After talking to them all some time, he
turned to Mrs. Martin and said, "but where is young Pickle, that I do not
see him? My mother wrote me something about his being a violent-tempered
boy; but I suppose it is nothing else but that, having a little more
spirit than his father, you think him a dragon. There never was in the
world, I believe, so even-tempered a man as my good brother-in-law, and
Helen looks as if she were his own child." While he was speaking, Mrs.
Martin became quite grave, and her brother fancied she changed colour. Her
husband, however, looked pleased at this remembrance of William; and
taking her hand, said, "Come, come, my dear, you must not, by looking so
serious, make your brother fancy William worse than he really is. The
truth is, he has given us a great deal of uneasiness by the violence of
his temper; but Mr. Lamont, with whom he is, at Kelso, writes me word that
he has good hopes of getting the better of the boy's little failings in
time. He is a most excellent scholar, always at the head of his class,
which is a large one; and, in short, I trust he will do very well by and
bye." "God grant you may not be deceived in your hopes, my dear husband,"
said Mrs. Martin, solemnly; "but I have my fears. His little faults, as
you call them, were great ones in a boy of his age; at least they appeared
in that light to me. I hope I may be mistaken." The truth was, William,
when a child, had been the idol of his parents' hearts; quick, lively, and
entertaining, full of trick and fun, they had no idea of contradicting him
in any of his whims, they were so amused with what they called his little
oddities. But, in a short time, his mother, who was of a very superior
understanding, thought she perceived symptoms of a spirit beginning to
appear in him of a most alarming tendency. His father, who was indeed the
mildest of human beings, would not believe that there were the slightest
grounds for her fears; and for several years he retained that most
dangerous of all errors which parents are apt to fall into, namely,
delaying to correct faults, under the notion of a child's being too young
to understand its duties. At last, one morning, his sister, who was three
years his junior, happened to take up one of his playthings, and was
amusing herself with it in one corner of the room, when William, who had a
book of prints to look at from his father, suddenly perceived her, and
called out in a very peremptory tone to order her to lay it down. Poor
Helen, who was not more than three years old, did not immediately obey
him. He suddenly started up; and with eyes and face flaming with rage, he
caught hold of her and dashed her poor little head, with all the strength
he possessed, against the wainscot. His father, who was writing, had
scarcely observed what was going on, till Helen's screams drew his
attention. What a sight met his eyes, when he looked towards where his
children stood! Helen lying on the carpet, her head streaming with blood,
and William standing beside her, silent, and frightened at what he had
done! This was, I may say, the most painful moment that Mr. Martin had
ever endured. It completely opened his eyes to the violence of William's
temper; and from that day, for the next four years of his life, he
laboured indefatigably in endeavouring to control a spirit that was likely
to have so pernicious an effect on his son's future happiness.
It unfortunately happened, that, about this time, Mr. Martin had a very
serious illness, which rendered it impossible for him to continue his
instructions and watchful vigilance. On this account Mrs. Martin's mother,
who doted on her grandson, persuaded them to send the child to her; and
added, as an inducement, that he might attend the school at Melrose. Mrs.
Martin very strongly opposed the plan. She knew her son, and she feared
the effects of the good old lady's indulgence; but at last, as her husband
seemed to fret, and continually regret that his boy would forget all he
had learned, she was persuaded to send him to his grandmother, an event
which, in all probability, finally fixed the destiny of William. He
remained at Melrose two years, attending the school regularly, and
sleeping and eating at Mrs. Elliott's. For the first year, though often
very obstreperous, he yet stood in some degree of awe both of his master
and grandmother; and on his promising good behaviour for the future, Mrs.
Elliott very unfortunately forbore mentioning to his parents, either by
letter or when they paid their annual visit in August, any part of his bad
conduct; and as he took care to appear to them, whilst they remained, a
very good boy, they went home quite delighted with the thoughts that he
was entirely cured of his bad habits. In the course of the next year he
became so perfectly unmanageable, that at last his grandmother, though
greatly unwilling to complain of him, as well knowing he would be removed
directly, thought it her duty to impart the real state of the case to his
parents. They hastened their visit on this account, and went to Melrose a
month sooner than they were expected; and before William had an
opportunity, by better behaviour, which he had planned in his own mind
(going home being the last thing he desired), to prevail on his indulgent
grandmother to entreat that he might be once more left with her.
On his return to the Manse, his father again began the arduous task of
subduing a temper, which was likely to be of such fatal consequence, both
to his own happiness, and likewise to all those connected with him. But
William was now twelve years old, and had indulged himself in such
uncontrolled liberty of spirit for the last twelve months, that, though
Mr. Martin tried every means he could think of, endeavouring sometimes to
convince his reason, laying before him the baneful consequences that must
ensue from such conduct, and at other times by more violent methods, yet
he made very little or no progress towards a cure; so that, at last, Mrs.
Martin became perfectly convinced that, if William remained at home much
longer, the father would be sacrificed for the son, as she saw that the
continued struggle and exertion he was obliged to live in began materially
to affect his health. In this state of affairs, she thought at last of
consulting Mr. Lamont, the schoolmaster at Kelso, under whom her brother
had been educated. He was a man of superior understanding, had long been
in the habits of teaching, and had, as he very well merited, acquired
great celebrity. Both Mr. and Mrs. Martin had a high opinion of his
judgment, and knew that, when the truth was full laid before him, he would
give them his candid advice on what was best to be done; and Mrs. Martin
hoped he would be able to convince her husband, that it became a duty in
him not to sacrifice his own health in an attempt which, it was quite
evident, could obtain no success.
Mr. Lamont's answer was, that without seeing the boy he could not so well
judge; and that, as his holidays were just commencing, he would come over
and spend some days with them at the Manse. Accordingly he came, and
remained a fortnight, during which time he was fully convinced that what
Mrs. Martin apprehended would infallibly be the case; that Mr. Martin's
health was already injured, and that, if a speedy remedy were not found,
in all probability it would end fatally. He therefore one morning, when
walking out with Mr. Martin, took the opportunity of some reference which
his father made to William's unhappy temper, to propose to undertake the
charge of him for the next twelve months.
"I am well used to all kind of tempers," said he; "and though William has
great and alarming faults to combat, yet I am not without hope that I
shall be able to succeed in managing him better than you are doing. He
knows the mildness and affection of your nature, and most ungenerously
takes advantage of it to torment you, in hopes of wearing you out, and
making you, in the end, cease from opposing him. It will be quite a
different thing with me; he will find one uniform system of restraint and
punishment, in my school, practised towards all those who dare to act
otherwise than they are all directed. No violence or opposition on his
part will ever be able to make me yield in a single instance. One
stipulation, however, I must insist on making, that no excuse is to be
strong enough for taking him away from me, till I can with safety assure
you that I can trust him from under my own eye." Mr. Martin said he would
consider over the subject with his wife, and give him an answer next day;
telling him, at the same time, that he fully appreciated the kindness of
the offer, for he knew too well, that this poor unhappy boy was not a
pupil from whom Mr. Lamont was likely to derive much credit.--"He is,
however," added he, "a good scholar, and, as far as his lessons go, you
will never have any fault to find. It is his temper alone that is in
fault, at least I hope so; I do not think there is any thing wrong in the
heart." "I hope you are right," answered Mr. Lamont, "my dear Sir; by we
must lose no time, for, unless this temper be corrected, it will soon lead
to corrupt both heart and principles."
Next morning, Mr. Martin informed Mr. Lamont that he found Mrs. Martin so
extremely anxious for removing William, that he would very thankfully
accept his offer. It was therefore settled that Mr. Lamont should remain a
few days longer at the Manse, and that Mrs. Martin would, during that
time, get her son ready to accompany him; which accordingly took place.
William had now been at Kelso nearly a year, and his conduct, upon the
whole, was rather better than Mr. Lamont had expected; the latter,
however, put a decided negative upon his pupil's visit, either to the
Manse, or, what he more ardently desired, to his grandmother, during the
ensuing holidays; a determination which excited the greatest possible
indignation on the part of William. A day or two after Captain Elliott's
arrival, while they were sitting at breakfast, Nelly came in and said,
"Miss Helen, a little boy wishes to see you. He has a basket in his hand;
but he won't tell me what is his business. He says, he must see you your
own self." Helen rose and went out to speak to him, wondering who it could
be. When she got to the door, she found it was Tom Little. "Ah! Miss
Helen," said the boy, "you see I have kept my word, I have brought the
chicken I promised you; and mammy thought, as you had company at the
Manse, you would like two; so, here they are; and nice plump things
indeed." "I am very glad, Tom," said Helen, "to see you here, and very
much obliged to you for your chickens; but I won't kill them. I shall keep
them to lay eggs; for I am very fond of eggs, though I should not like to
give so much money for them as you say they do at the hall. Come in, and
let mamma see your pretty present." Tom stept forward, and stood at the
study door till Mrs. Martin called to him to come in. He then displayed
his chickens, and told the company that their mother laid more eggs than
any fowl in the dale; and that he was very glad to hear Miss Helen say she
would not kill them, as he thought it would be a pity, they were so very
beautiful. Helen then said, "How lucky it is, mamma, that Tom has come
down here to day; for I was thinking I must find time to ride up to his
father's cottage, with my little present this morning; and I have so much
to do, I did not well know how to manage it. Now Tom will take it, when he
returns, and save me the trouble!" She then went up stairs, and returned,
bringing a couple of frocks, of coarse woollen stuff, which she had made
herself, and a little jacket and trowsers, made out of an old coat of her
brother's which she presented to Tom, telling him that it was for him to
wear when he went to church. The frocks were for his two little sisters;
and Mrs. Martin added an old gown of her own, for his mother.
Tom was in such an extacy of delight, that it was with great difficulty he
could be prevailed on to stay to eat some breakfast; though he owned he
had come away before his porridge was ready. Helen, however, insisted on
his going with her into the kitchen, and getting Nelly to supply his
wants. Whilst he was eating, Helen enquired after his father. "He is a
great deal better, Miss Helen, and begins now to walk about with the help
of a stick. Only think how kind Will Oliver has been, and John Telfer,
that was with you at the cottage. They came up the glen, last Monday
evening, and brought each of them a pair of nice warm worsted stockings,
for my father, of their own working. Was not that kind? And Will says
that, when I am big enough, he will take me to his herd, and teach me to
knit stockings, just as he had done John. I should like to be Will's herd
better than any other shepherd's in the dale; he is such a merry fellow,
and so good natured. He made me a whistle a little while ago, but I cannot
play on it so well as John does yet. Will says John is very clever, and
can do every thing well. I suppose that is with the Minister's teaching.
Don't you think it is?" Helen laughed; but she very much doubted whether
the Minister's teaching had much to do with John's playing on the whistle.
When she returned to the parlour, her mother said, "Now, my dear Helen,
you must go and pack up your little parcel, that we may be all ready for
our journey early to-morrow morning."
"Your uncle and I are going in the stage to Kelso, as he wishes to see
your brother, and I am glad of an opportunity, too, my dear, of seeing
William." "Oh," said Helen, "how much I wish that poor William could be
with us; for when he was here, he was always speaking of uncle Elliott,
and what he would do when he came home." On saying these words, Helen left
the room. She soon returned, holding a frock in her hand. "See mamma,"
said she, "I have trimmed up my frock with a piece of new ribbon. I think
it looks very neat. I am so glad that I did not buy a new dress, instead
of the frocks for the poor children. How happy they will be when Tom gets
home!" "My dear child," said her mother, "they will be happy, I have no
doubt, with your present; but I think you must feel much more so, from the
reflection that you have clothed them by your own self-denial. I have been
very much pleased with your whole conduct, for you have bought them what
is essential, and nothing more; and, at the same time, have tried to make
yourself neat, to please your good grandmother." "I am glad, mamma, I have
pleased you. I am sure I am a very happy girl;" and she kissed her mamma
as she said so. Two or three years before she would have cried, with the
same feelings she now had; but Helen was quite cured of shedding tears
upon every occasion, and she now only pressed her mamma closely round the
neck, and then ran off to pack up her parcel, and was heard singing all
the morning afterwards.
In the evening, Mrs. Martin and Captain Elliot proceeded to Langholm, to
wait for the stage; and early the next morning, Mr. Martin, accompanied by
Helen on her pony, and a little boy to carry the parcel, left the Manse;
and, directing their route across the hills which separate Eskdale from
Ewesdale, reached the small village of Ewes in time for breakfast. There
was no inn here, but merely a small public house. Our travellers, however,
did not require to go thither for the clergyman having heard that they
intended coming that way, was upon the look out for them all the morning.
After breakfast, Helen again mounted, and continued talking on many
different subjects all the way to Moss Paul. The road runs along the
course of the Ewes, between a double range of mountains, quite green, and
covered with sheep; but there is very little variety in the scenery; and,
altogether, from scarcely a cottage being to be seen, it has a very
desolate appearance. Moss Paul, where they were obliged to stop, is one of
the poorest small inns that are to be met with in Scotland. The contrast
was so great from the richly wooded cheerful dale which Helen had always
lived in, that she told her father the very looking at those hills made
her melancholy; and she was sure, if Melrose was not more lively than Moss
Paul, her grandmamma had much better come and live in Eskdale altogether.
For her own part, she almost wished herself back again already. After an
hour's rest they again moved on; and, in a little time, the country began
to wear a more favourable appearance. They now descended into the dale,
watered by the river Tiviot; and passed by several gentlemen's country
houses, which, being seen from the road, added much to the beauty of the
view. Mr. Martin pointed out to Helen _Carlinrigg_, the place where,
John's song said, Johnnie Armstrong was executed. Soon afterwards, Helen
beginning to feel fatigued, her father said he thought they had better
stop at the next small inn they should come to, and rest till the
afternoon. They were to sleep at the town of Hawick, and he thought they
had plenty of time. Helen at last, with some difficulty, made out her
day's journey; and was very happy to find herself in a comfortable bed, at
Hawick. In the morning, Mr. Martin thought it best that she should rest
that day, and not proceed to Melrose till the next, as she was more
fatigued than he had expected. Mr. and Mrs. Murray, the clergyman and his
wife, did all they could to make the day pass pleasantly. Mrs. Murray
walked out with our travellers towards Wilton, to admire the banks of the
Tiviot, which are very beautiful. The country is fertile and rich, and the
view more extensive than any that Helen had ever seen. She thought it
pretty; but still it did not seem to her to equal her native Eskdale. Next
morning she and her father left Mr. Murray's early, and reached Melrose to
dinner. Nothing could equal Helen's surprise when she came in sight of the
Abbey. It is deservedly the most admired remain of gothic architecture in
Scotland, and has, indeed, been since celebrated by one of the first
living poets, in one of the most beautiful of his descriptive passages,
which Helen, long afterwards, copied into her memorandum book, as
recalling to her recollection a scene endeared to her, not only by its own
beauty, but by the happy days which she had spent with her beloved
grandmother. The old lady's house was almost close to this venerable pile;
and the window of the little room appropriated to Helen, commanded a view
in which she could distinguish all the striking parts of the building, so
picturesquely described in the _Lay of the last Minstrel_.
The moon on the east oriel shone,
Through slender shafts of shapely stone,
By foliaged tracery combined;
Thou wouldst have thought, some fairy's hand,
'Twixt poplars straight, the ozier wand,
In many a freakish knot had twined;
Then framed a spell, when the work was done,
And changed the willow-wreaths to stone.