Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 7, 1899

136
fU'E CELTIC MONTrtLY
Loud yelled the witch, the thunder's roll
Crashed overhead, the lightening gleamed,
"Knowest not," she shrieked, "by soul for soul
By life for life, the bond's redeemed.
Learn, hateful one ! vain are my toils
For souls by Love Eternal stirred,
Thy Masters power, my Master foils.
Soon as thy first-born's cry is heard."
" Go ! get thee hence," the raven shrieked,
Foul shapes his homeward flight pursue.
But vain the beldame's wrath was wreaked.
For shrill and clear the white cock crew.
When in the east a glimmering spear
Of light proclaimed the day begun,
Fell on his eager, straining ear
The wailing of his first-born son.
Fair Margaret smiled, strange peace she felt.
When to her chamber dim he came,
And contrite by her pillow knelt,
And softly, fondly, called her name,
" Sweet wife of mine ! I sought thy troth
To buy and keep, with wicked hire,
Now, by the bond that holds us both,
I win indeed my heart's desire."
Janet A. M'Culloch.
JOHN M'KERCHAR, LONDON.
g5^/lpR. M'KERCHAR hardly requires an
^H^Sh introduction to a Highland audience,
JK>fdL. fgj. gg Treasurer of the Gaelic Society
of London, and as a prominent leader in matters
of Highland interest in the Metropolis, his name
is familiar to his countrymen at home and abroad.
That he is physically a typical representative of
the Gaelic race, is evident from the portrait
which we have pleasure in giving this month.
He was born at Croftraartaig, Kenmore, Perth-
shire, in 1850, and was educated at the F. 0.
School, Acharn. After acting for some time as
pupil teacher at Aberfeldy, he decided to adopt
a commercial career as being more congenial to
his tastes, and received an appointment with
Messrs. Peter Lawson & Son, Edinburgh, the
well-known Seed Merchants. From there, in
1873, he removed to Chester, where lie was
offered an important position in the employment
of Messrs F. & A. Dickson & Sons. It was
during the eight years which Mr. M'Kerchar
spent here that he acquired a taste for Natural
History, the study of which he prosecuted with
great energy and success, and the fruits of which
he embodied in various valuable botanical papers
which he read before the Chester Society of
Natural Science and Literature.
Chester was, however, only a stopping place
on the highway to the great Metropolis, and
there, in 1881, our friend found himself, having
accepted a position of responsibility and trust in
the firm of Mr. B. S. Williams, the great Orchid
Specialist and Horticulturist of Upper HoUoway.
In his profe.ssional capacity as a trained seeds-
man, Mr. M'Kerchar has travelled a great deal,
on the Continent as well as in the United King-
dom, and has earned the esteem of all with
whom he has come in contact, ever ready to
help those deserving of his generosity, and
ungrudging of his friendship and assistance.
He had not been long in London when he
ioined the Gaelic Society, the oldest of the
London Scottish Societies, and now acts as
Honorary Treasurer. (And let us remark in
passing that every true Highlander in the
Metropolis should be a member of this most
useful institution, which does so much for the
preservation of our mother tongue.) He is also
President of the North London Scottish Associa-
tion, and Vice-President of the Breadaibane
Society, and takes an active part in the further-
ance of all Scottish matters, being a member of
the committee, formed at the instance of the
Gaelic Society, to entertain Brigadier-General
H. A. Macdouald to a banquet and present him
with a Sword of Honour. He is a well-known
and welcome figure at the social gatherings of
Scotsmen and in connection with his profession,
his humorous and eloquent speeches being always
enjoyed by an appreciative audience. In 1897
when the Gaelic Society sent a deputation to
the Secretary for Scotland to advocate the
teaching of Gaelic in Highland schools, Mr.
M'Kerchar's address was one of marked ability,
creditable to himself, and most gratifying to the
members of the Society. Mr. M'Kerchar is still
in the prime of life and has, we hope, many
years of usefulness before him.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR.
THE M'HARDYS.
Their Origin and Traditions.
Helensburgh, 7th March, 1899.
Dear Sir — My attention has been drawn to a
paragraph in your Celtic MonthJy of February last
to the eft'ect that Mr. Macbain of Rainings School,
Inverness, has suggested that the name M' Hardy
may be derived from the Pictish " Gart Naigh,"
pronounced Gratney, changed to M'Cartney, and
ultimately before 1587 into M'Hardy. Mr. Mac-
bain is further represented as saying that the late
Donald M'Hardy of Daldownie, who died in 1870,
claimed to be head of the M'Hardys and that he
owned no other chief than The Mackintosh.
k. statement such as this is very misleading,
besides being unfair to the M'Hardy clan if allowed
to pass unchallenged, and as a humble member of
that sept, hailing from Braemar, I beg to state that
Mr. Macbain is in error.