Scotland/Scots > Wilson's tales of the Borders and of Scotland > Volume 3

2Si
TAI.ES Of THE BOKDERS.
tionate regard, amounting almost to veneration; and, in a
short time, a plain tombstone was erected at the head of
the turf under which his ashes lay, inscribed simply with
his name and age.
As the church was at more than two miles’ distance from
the cottage, the family usually spent the intervals between
the forenoon and afternoon services, in loitering about the
burial-ground. Around the grave of William, often were
the whole remaining family observed, seated in the sun¬
shine, upon the daisied turf, with their open Bibles in their
hands.
The health of Miss Allan gradually recovered its former
tone ; but the shock she had sustained threw a shadow of
change over her whole character. A degree of thought¬
fulness and pensive grace hung around her looks and
motions, softening down sorrow to resignation, and gaiety
to cheerfulness. She grew more passionately fond of the
beauties of external nature, and enjoyed a serene pleasure
in solitary walks. Sometimes, in the light of the setting
sun, when an azure shadow hung over the hills, when the
clouds were tipped with refulgent glory, and the note of
the blackbird, “ most musical, most melancholy,” burst on
the ear from the neighbouring coppice, the eye of the pas¬
senger has, unawares, intruded on the privacy of her grief,
as she stood silently gazing on the grave of him who had
gone up before her into heaven.
£M) OF VOL. V.
TUBBS AND BROOK, MANCHESTER.