Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland novel. A total of 570 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland.Volume I.by Various.PREFACE.This seri
Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland.Volume I.by Various.PREFACE.This series of Tales, now so well known in this country and also in America, was begun by JOHN MACKAY WILSON, originally a printer, and who subsequently betook himself to liter
- 170 'For Wit's false mirror held up Nature's light-- Show'd erring Pride _whatever is, is right_.'"'And,' exclaimed Sandy, energetically, and waving his hand aloft, in the excitation of his feelings, as he spoke-- '
- 169 He was a decent, substantial-looking farmer--plain and unsophisticated in his manners, intelligent, and shrewd, with a spice of humour about him which he seemed to have some difficulty in controlling.Having mentioned to Mr Pentland the purpose of my visit
- 168 "But tell us something about yourself, and Mr Dalzell. I suppose you have been in action together?""Action!--Lord love ye, sir, we were hardly ever out of it! If I were to tell you all, I'd have nothing else to do for the next week. I
- 167 "'Why, who else should it be?' replied he; 'eh, old boy, who else should it be?'"To my great surprise, I now perceived that my poor s.h.i.+pmate was half-seas-over, as we call it."'Telford.' said I, 'do yo
- 166 "'Can you reef or steer, or heave the lead?'"'No.'"'Then what the devil _can_ you do?'"'I can read and write, and keep accounts.'"'Oh, ho!--a reg'lar long-sh.o.r.e gemman!--the mak
- 165 "Haste! haste!" added other voices."I cannot disobey Harden's commands," replied she, "though the face of this fair corpse seems to beckon me to the satisfaction of a mother's heart, at the price of a wife's rebelli
- 164 "She who cooks Rippon steel, Wat, needeth a fire," replied she."Charters will burn. I'll give ye the spurs, if ye'll give me the parchment. It will roast one of Gilmanscleugh's kye.""But I have no cause of quarrel,
- 163 "The lid was lifted up, and a deep and angry voice said, 'Mortal!wherefore hast thou summoned me before the time I commanded thee? Was not thy wish granted? Steel shall not wound thee--cords bind thee--hemp hang thee--nor water drown thee. Away!
- 162 Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland.by Various.Volume 8 THE DOOM OF SOULIS."They roll'd him up in a sheet of lead-- A sheet of lead for a funeral pall; They plunged him in the caldron red, And melted him--lead, and bones, and all.
- 161 "This was one of the golden opportunities every man has once in his power during his existence of bettering his circ.u.mstances for life. My evil destiny, or some other cause, made me reject it. I had, for several months back, as I had had several ti
- 160 Next day, my wish was gratified."After my arrival in Greenock from my voyage to America," he began--"that land of promise, where I had been carried as a Palantine--I had no wages to receive; for I had wrought my pa.s.sage home--that is, giv
- 159 "'No--no--no. I would not live if I could; I am weary, and need rest in my grave. Captain,' he continued, 'you have dealt with me kindly and considerately; would you make me your debtor still farther? I have one request to make, which,
- 158 "In this state of desperation, we hallooed, and made as much noise as possible, and were speedily answered by a human voice, inquiring why we made such a disturbance, and what we wanted. I answered, "'Shelter for the night, and food; for we
- 157 "Down with them!" exclaimed James Dawson, springing forward, and s.n.a.t.c.hing down a sword which was suspended over the mantelpiece. The students vigorously resisted the attempt to make them prisoners, and several of them, with their entertain
- 156 Now Heiton was no more than other gallant Border men long in coming to a point, whether it was among black cattle or obscure fancies. His life had been spent in a.s.serting rights which were constantly liable to invasion; and the prompt, fiery, and resolu
- 155 "Bertha!" exclaimed Musgrave, and stepped forward, as if unconscious of what he did."Robert!" she rejoined, clasping her hands together. She started--she fell back; her brother supported her in his arms."Bertha!--father!--friend!&
- 154 "'What would my poor Bertha think if she knew this!'"At length the list of names amongst which mine appeared was removed from the post-office and replaced by others; and when, after obtaining the means of paying for the letter, I made
- 153 Reader, if ever thou hast been in "Babylon the Great," or, in other words, in the overgrown metropolis of the southern portion of these kingdoms, peradventure you have observed melancholy-looking men, their countenances tinged with the "pal
- 152 "Sae, lang ere bonny Mary wist, Her peace was lost, her heart was won."It was the employment of Miss Walker, on warm, yet refres.h.i.+ng evenings, to sit in her open verandah or balcony, playing on the harp, and wooing all the sea-breezes with t
- 151 "A' ticht an' richt, laird. We're baith that," said Skimclean, staggering towards his guest. "For my pairt, I never was better in my life. Never mair correck. Jenny, ye're wrang--clean wrang, I'm perfectly _compous_
- 150 the c.o.c.ks themselves. Oh, it was gran' sport! The dominie brought twa witnesses frae Lunnon, to swear to the c.o.c.k having been brought frae Sumatra; an' I brought frae Dumbarton, where the best c.o.c.k mains in a'Scotland are fought, t
- 149 We wish we could describe the look of amazement with which the laird listened to this extraordinary outpouring of law and Latin--this flouris.h.i.+ng of his own weapons in his face. He was perfectly confounded with it. It was a thing so wholly unexpected
- 148 Immediately after the interchange of the commonplace civilities above-mentioned had pa.s.sed between the stranger and Mr Harrison and his daughter-- "Mr Harrison," he said, "may I have a private word with you?""Certainly, sir,&quo
- 147 "But _I_ do, though," replied the disguised knight; "and I'll gie ye yours back again for't.""The mair fule you," exclaimed Jeanie, rus.h.i.+ng away towards the house, and leaving the fiddler to make out the remaind
- 146 "Nae doot, nae doot, sae's seen on your playin," replied the latter."How do you fend wi' your fiddle? Do ye mak onything o' a guid leevin o't?""No that ill ava," said the stranger. "I play for the aul
- 145 of some score of ploughmen and dairymaids, not formed exactly after the Chinese fas.h.i.+on. At the further end of the barn stood a sort of platform, erected on a couple of empty herring-barrels; and on this again a chair was placed. This distinguished si
- 144 "But who or what is the water-wraith?" said my friend. "We heard just now of the kelpie, and it is the kelpie that Sir Walter quotes.""Ah," I replied, "but we must not confound the kelpie and the water-wraith, as has bec
- 143 I know no place where one may be brought acquainted with the more credulous beliefs of our forefathers at a less expense of inquiry and exertion, than in a country lykewake. The house of mourning is naturally a place of sombre thoughts and ghostly a.s.soc
- 142 "Now for your choice," said he. "Auld Mansie was giein ye counsel, maybe, to stay and stand your doom. What say ye--flight or flaught, an exile or an eizel?""I am unresolved," replied the youth."And by the faith o'
- 141 The youth looked inquiringly in the face of the bluegown; but the same expression was still there. He was sorely puzzled: the feelings of humanity were throbbing in his heart in audible pulses. The old beggar was in one of his humours, and held him by the
- 140 It was in January the body of a grey-haired woman, covered with a tattered red cloak, was found frozen and dead, below Norham Castle. It was the poor maniac Judith, the once beautiful gipsy. Some years afterwards, an old soldier, who had been in foreign w
- 139 Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland.by Various.JUDITH THE EGYPTIAN; OR, THE FATE OF THE HEIR OF RICCON."The black-eyed Judith, fair and tall, Attracted the heir of Riccon Hall.For years and years was Judith known, Queen of a wild world
- 138 The people beheld her from afar. Their shout of joy rang across the sea. It was echoed among the hills. A scream rose from the tower of Ida. From the highest turret Bethoc the queen had sprung. In pieces was her body scattered at the foot of the great cli
- 137 They saluted her as their queen. Her breast swelled with exultation.Pride flashed from her eyes, as the sun bursting from a cloud dazzleth the eye of the gazer. The king gazed upon her beauty as a dreamer upon a fair vision.Now, the beauty of Bethoc was s
- 136 "Chief of Macpherson!" said he, in a deep hollow voice, "man of the dark brow and ruthless hand! what seekest thou with Moran of the Wild?"But, ere Macpherson could reply, the sage cast the wolf hide back from his right shoulder--exten
- 135 It were an easy, and would be a pleasant task, to paint some of the scenes and characters which presented themselves to my observation even at that early period of life; but it would be foreign to the object I had in view, and would swell this humble narr
- 134 He preached his first sermon in the church of his native parish; and, according to the fas.h.i.+on of the times, at the close of the service, the parish minister publicly criticised the discourses of the day. The young preacher, in this instance, found fa
- 133 We were now careering over the blue waves of the vast Atlantic, as if we were far above the earth. Nothing was there for the weary eye to rest upon but a dreary expanse of ocean and sky. All was still as death, save the hissing at the bows of the vessel,
- 132 "I must escort you a little way back," he at length said; and, accordingly, the two strolled up the garden, hand in hand--she speaking of the lateness of the hour, and he of the loveliness of the moon and stars, until night, moon, and stars, wer
- 131 He was about to add something more; but his utterance became choked; and, again pressing her hand to his lips, while a tear fell on it, he turned abruptly away. Miss Manners said not a word--her heart was too full--but closed the gate behind her and disap
- 130 "No," he articulated, with a slightly faltering voice, but a steady eye, "I will not trouble you with a friends.h.i.+p which might bring odium on you. I need not say how delightful it would be to me; but"---- "My father," int
- 129 GUILTY, OR NOT GUILTY.On the 15th of September, 17--, an unusual stir was observable in our village. The people were gathered in little groups in the streets, with earnest and awe-stricken countenances; and even the little children had ceased their play,
- 128 "Low, mean, _sneaking_ conduct," said a fourth."Dirty subterfuge," exclaimed a fifth. And off the gentlemen went.But they had not yet done with me. One of the number was a person with whom I had some acquaintance, and the next day I re
- 127 I protested that it was not so--that I had found it as I had said. To this protest the fellow replied by striking me a violent blow on the side of the head, which stretched me on the road; where, after administering two or three parting kicks, to teach me
- 126 "Cadies are no cadies to coachmen," answered Geordie, dryly; "your brains maun be far spent, man, when they canna keep a house ower their head."The coachman jumped down for his hat, and Geordie, applying the whip to the horses, was off
- 125 "No," answered the housekeeper, with a kick of her head, which Geordie took as a sign that his bait had been swallowed; "I am not Lady Maitland--I am in de charge of her ladys.h.i.+p's house. Vat you vant vit her ladys.h.i.+p? Can Loui
- 124 "An' what got ye frae him?" said his mother; "for I hae naething i' the house for supper.""Twa or three placks," said Geordie, throwing down some coppers on the table."This is the 21st day o' April--your b
- 123 But, about ten years after he had gane awa, James Laidlaw came back to our neighbourhood; but he wasna the same lad he left--for he was now a dark-complexioned man, and he had wi' him a mulatto woman, and three bairns that called him _faither!_ He wa
- 122 "I was half mad with fever, and the effects of my late draught; and, under the persuasion that our lives were in danger, I fired. The bowman of the gig fell, and we rapidly left her. We came at last to a narrow lagune, close to the low sh.o.r.e of wh
- 121 "How was that, sir?""On my way down here, a few days since, the steamer touched at Greenock.I was standing on the quay when a poor fellow, a pa.s.senger in a vessel just arrived, fell from the gangway, and was taken up insensible. I immedia
- 120 "For a broken heart," said I, "there is no cure in this world."He looked at me, and wept."Dress yourself in this suit of my mournings," he said, "and accompany me whither I will lead you."I gazed at him in amazement
- 119 "'My lady was some nights ago reading the story of Jane Grierson,' said I, 'and her sleep-walking conversation was only a repet.i.tion of the story.'"'Grierson, Grierson!' cried my master, as he rose frantically, an
- 118 "Aye, sir, and _the book_ of all books," replied he seriously; "but I hope I am not irreverend when I say that G.o.d may lead us to understand the first image in Eden by showing us sometimes something better here than what we can feel withi
- 117 "And my mother kens," Janet was proceeding to say, when her mother's voice was heard, crying from the house-- "Come in, Janet--what are ye doing oot there in the cauld?--ye hae been lang enough wi' Florence the nicht--but the morn
- 116 Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland.Volume VI.by Various.THE GUIDWIFE OF COLDINGHAM; OR, THE SURPRISE OF FAST CASTLE.Near where St. Abb stretches, in ma.s.sive strength, into the sea, still terrible, even in ruins, may be seen the remains o
- 115 He was getting gradually worse--gradually weaker. He had tried all those little remedies commonly prescribed for coughs, without advantage, and in secret. What was next to be done, he hardly knew. The school could no longer be continued, as he was unable
- 114 The load that had for many days pressed down the treasurer's spirits gradually pa.s.sed off as the deacon proceeded, and a new light shone on his mind; his countenance brightened up."Deacon," he said, "the truth begins to dawn upon me,
- 113 "Mrs. Horner!--what has happened? Why are you here at this untimeous hour?--or what is the cause of your grief?""Thomas Kerr," replied she, "I am a poor unfortunate woman, whom G.o.d alone can help. Pa.s.s on, and leave me to my m
- 112 We have now to explain the most extraordinary part of this piteous case--and that is, how it was that the poor boy's parents knew nothing of his miserable fate till it was discovered by the inquiry of which we shall shortly speak. In the first place,
- 111 "DEAR ISY,--I enclose you a crown; if you want more, apply to Manager Trash for my arrears of salary. I'm off to Perth with the toggery of an old fellow who slept in the same room with me last night. They'll perhaps talk of pursuing me; if
- 110 Once, indeed, at a party to which he had been accidentally invited, he had felt a kind of a sort of a nervous tremulousness come over him on being set down at the supper table beside a lady, who, he discovered, was a widow; not from her garb, however; for
- 109 "Elspeth," said the freebooter, "it is not your life they seek, and they canna hae the heart to harm our bairn. Gie me my Jeddard-staff in my hand--an' fareweel to ye, Elspeth--fareweel!--an eternal fareweel!Archy, fareweel, my gallant
- 108 "Your fire's no sae guid as the ane I saw last nicht," he said to the tavern-keeper."It is only newly lighted," was the apology of the host."It may be the better o' that," said the other, throwing the whisky into th
- 107 "They _are_ sure of the _spark_," replied the Prince. "But we give it here only as a medicine whereby we recover our patients that they may be the more able to feel our torments. The moment thou drinkest, the pincers will be applied."&
- 106 "Take it with thee, take it with thee, man," said the writer. "Say it is a--a Dunfermline baton, the sign of your constables.h.i.+p, and you will find the bill two inches shorter.""Ingenious cratur!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Duncan
- 105 IT was about dusk when I was caught in a mist on the borders of Scotland. I had made my way from Manchester, by Kendal and Penrith, and was on a long stretch across the bleak muirs which separate England from Scotland, as you advance towards the village o
- 104 But we must not conclude, on this account, that our forefathers were without curiosity, or without the means of gratifying that pa.s.sion for news which is deeply seated in our nature. Not at all; the very inconveniences of their position produced, in a g
- 103 I spent the evening of that day with Bill, outside the camp, and we ate the dates together, that in the morning had cost him so dear. The report had gone abroad--luckily a false one--that our colonel was dead; and that put an end to all hope, with the poo
- 102 "I've heard of that too, sirrah," replied the king, again laughing; "and it is for the good service thou didst me there, that I now feel disposed not to hang you.""That's an ugly word, sir.""Go to, go to, you k
- 101 "The king's!" said James, in astonishment--"what mean ye?""I mean," said the dying man, "that it was the king's sword that left me as you now see me. We waylaid him in this wood, expecting he would come this wa
- 100 Having said this, he rose from the kneeling posture to which his employment had reduced him, and, as we have already said, resumed his march through the Middlemas wood.Leaving Willie to prosecute his journey, we request the reader to return with us to Whi
- 99 ("Deil a doot's o't--mony a ane; and that I hae met wi' the nicht's ane o' them. But what's strange in the notion o' me gaun aboot the country?How else could I mak a leevin o't?") "His faither had the
- 98 My apprentice, with difficulty, got the unhappy man into my coach, and took him home. Next day, I was called, early in the forenoon, by an express from his wife. I found him in bed, in the very room where Mr.T---- was murdered. An attack of his disease wa
- 97 THE CONSCIENCE-STRICKEN.At a dark period of the world, not yet so far back, in point of time, as modern conceit would place it, many facts in philosophy const.i.tuted a mere page of fable in the estimation of those whose belief in witchcraft and other fan
- 96 MATILDA STANLEY.BY DESIRE OF HER UNFORTUNATE SON."'Matilda Stanley!' exclaimed Captain Sherbourne in a tone of agitation, 'was that the name of your mother?'"'It was, your honour,' replied William, 'and there w
- 95 "'There, Jack!--there, my honest old friend!' cried Bill, stretching out his one hand, and with the other supporting his sweetheart. 'My head and heart are scudding beneath a sudden tempest of joy! Speak, Mary, love!let me again hear y
- 94 Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland.by Various.Volume 5 BILL STANLEY; OR, A SAILOR'S STORY.Reader, if thou hast never visited the Fern Isles, but intendest to visit them, thou hast a pleasure in reserve--a positive, downright, profitab
- 93 In the meantime, however, Macpherson, though fighting desperately, was compelled to yield ground, to avoid being closed upon and surrounded; for the pressure of the crowd was now greatly increased by an accession of town's people, who, having heard t
- 92 The reception by the latter of the person whom we have just intruded upon them, was very markedly cold and distant; and it was rendered more so by the contrast between his manner to them on his entrance, and theirs to him. The former was cheerful and conc
- 91 "Why, I must say I would not feel much for your case, gentlemen," said the stranger, "though you had to sleep on the heather for a night--I have done it a thousand times; but such quarters would ill suit these fair ladies, I fear."&quo
- 90 "To proceed, the vessel lay at King's Road, waiting my arrival on board, to overhaul her stores, to see what might be awanting. Her name was the _Queen Charlotte_; she mounted twenty-two guns; her captain was called by the seamen the Gallipot Ca
- 89 You may smile, reader, at the idea of a story ent.i.tled--THE FAIR; but read on, and you may find it an appropriate t.i.tle to a touching, though simple tale. This may seem like the writer's praising his own production--but that is neither here nor t
- 88 I followed the old man in silence. He led the way into a field. We climbed over some loose stones thrown together, to serve as a wall of division at the farther extremity of it, and slowly began to ascend the gra.s.sy acclivity, which was on both sides bo
- 87 "Deed, mem, it's no easy sayin," replied the subject of this pathetic lamentation. "They're awfu' times. Nae man leevin ever saw or heard o'the like o' them. There, doon at Leith enow, they're murderin ane anit
- 86 "Good woman, good Mrs. Wemyss, I would say, know ye anything of mine outer garment? My gown, know ye where it has been deposited? I likewise lack my hat, good Mrs. Weymss; know ye what has become of it?""Truly, your reverence, I dinna ken,&
- 85 Of such, however, seemed to be the person who had captured the unlucky hero of our story; for, on David and his escort coming up to the gate, they found the way prepared for them by the former, who, keeping still in advance, had arrived there before them.
- 84 "A priest, a priest! For the love o' G.o.d, a priest to shrive a dying sinner. A priest, a priest!""What are ye screaming at, ye young rascal?" exclaimed David, intercepting the boy, and catching him by the breast. "Wha wants
- 83 "Oh, come, don't be too hard upon me on that point. Mum, here we are at the drawing-room again. Not a word of what we have heard. If these scamps have made themselves scarce, as I think they have, good and well.But, if they venture to shew face
- 82 "You will be of our party to-night, gentlemen," continued Mrs. Cheesham."We are to have a little music. You are fond of music, Mr. Stukeley, I know; and no pressing can be necessary to an ama_toor_ like you, Mr.Francis. I can a.s.sure you,
- 81 BON GUALTIER'S TALES.COUNTRY QUARTERS.A pleasanter little town than Potterwell does not exist in that part of her Majesty's dominions called Scotland. On one side, the hand of cultivation has covered a genial soil with richness and fertility. Th
- 80 And, after some farther concerted arrangements, the heritor left his affianced, and proceeded to Cauldshouthers, to report to Grizelda what he had achieved. In a short time, accordingly, the marriage was solemnized; and a very suitable display was made in
- 79 In no part of her Majesty's widespread dominions does mighty Aristocracy rear its proud head with greater majesty than at Linton. There are, or were, in the neighbourhood of that ancient borough, no fewer than forty-five lairds, all possessing portio
- 78 Thomson found the character of the old man quite a study in its way; and that of his wife--a very different, and, in the main, inferior sort of person, for she was mean-spirited and a n.i.g.g.ard--quite a study too. But by far the most interesting inmate
- 77 nor, as the shepherd of Ettrick says, "knees and elbows an' a',"--still she fought with the instruments with which nature had endowed her, with her bill and her little claws, and she fought it most vigorously. O Nature! thou art a fear
- 76 "But even a' that was little or naething," continued William again; "for to pay us for a' the guid we had dune him, he made himsel invisible, and rode aff like a fire-flaught on ane o' the knight's horses; and frae that
- 75 A loud laugh from within was the reply to this speech. What next could this mean? The farmer was confounded, the hinds stared, and every one looked at another. Here were men who five minutes before were fighting like fiends, who had been deceived and conf
- 74 "Here, Will, here man," whispered the beggar, as he rioted in his wild humour, and twirled Will Carr about to face Lilly, while he left her for Bess Gordon. "Set to her, man, and dinna spare a kiss and a good squeeze o' her hand, as ye
- 73 'Ye talk in vain--as I have said, so it is and shall be,' added he. 'And now, farewell, dear Catherine.''Stay! stay!--leave me not thus!' she exclaimed, and grasped his arm. At that moment her husband returned and entered the
- 72 'What is all over, love?' inquired I.'Oh, nothing, nothing,' continued she, smiling--'merely the difficulty a young husband has in making his wife acquainted with the state of the firm in which she has become a partner.''
- 71 Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland.by Various.Volume 4 THE SOLITARY OF THE CAVE.On the banks of the Tweed, and about half a mile above where the Whitadder flows into it on the opposite side, there is a small and singular cave. It is eviden