Scotland/Scots > Reminiscences of a Highland parish

mary campbell’s marriage.
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tention as if it were a stern duty; her smile was
not joyous. Their suspicions were confirmed
when the cook, commonly called Kate Kitchen,
confided to them the secret of Mary’s love for the
shepherd—all, of course, in strict confidence; but
every fair and gentle attempt was made in vain to
get her to confess. She was either silent, or said
there was nothing between them, or that she
would do all that was right, and so on, or would
dry her eyes with her apron as she left the room.
These interviews were not satisfactory, and so
they were soon ended; a gloom gathered over the
wedding; there was a want of enthusiasm about
it; every one felt drifting slowly to it without any
reason strong enough for pulling in an opposite
direction. Why won’t Donald propose ? His
proud heart is breaking, but he thinks it too late,
and will give no sign. Why does not Mary refuse
Duncan—scorn him, if you will, and cling to the
shepherd ? Her little proud heart is also break¬
ing, for the shepherd has become cold to her.
She thinks he ought to have asked her before
now, or even yet proposed a runaway marriage,
carried her off, and she would have flown with