Next day, Neil went to the old home place And met his stern father face to face; Boldly enough he unfolded the tale, Though maybe his cheek was sometimes pale, He would marry Kate, and her alone, He had tried to care for the other one, But she squinted so, her hair was red, And freckles over her face were spread; In all the world there was none for him But his Kate. Then laughed that old man grim, “Your mither, lad, was a stubborn jade, A stubborn an’ handsome dark-eyed maid, An’ in a’ our battles she’s always won, An’ Neil, you are just your mither’s son; But I haven’a lived through a’ my days And just learnt nothing, heaven be praised! Hark now, a gaed to your uncle’s hame An’ bargained wi’ him afore ye came, A’ saw yer Kate an’ like’t her weel, A luik o’ your mither I could spell In her bonny face, a woman to win By ony means, that is short o’ sin, Sae I tellit him to let Kate be The lassie puir an’ o’ low degree, An’ sort gie ye to understand That Janet was owner o’ the land. _Why_ need I gie mesel’ sic a task? Ye stiff-neck fellow, ye needna ask, Gin ye was coaxed, ye wouldna move-- Ye’d be too stubborn tae fa’ in love; Like a’ the Campbells ye’ll hae yer way, Yer mither’s hae’d hers mony a day.
’Tis glad ye should be this day--my word! Tak’ time right now to thank the Lord, Yer father’s wisdom gat ye a bride An’ plenty o’ worldly gear besides.”
Ah, thankful enough was Neil that day, The joy leaped up in his eyes of gray, But not for his father’s wisdom great, Though maybe it had gotten him Kate,-- Not for the land, and not for the gold,-- Not for the flocks that slept in the fold, “Thank heaven,” he said, with a glow and thrill, “Thank heaven for the day I rode to mill.”
Perchance the day was fair as this-- The eastern world is full of glow, With warmer sun, and bluer sky, And richer bloom than we can show-- At Joppa quaint, beside the sea, When Simon Peter went to pray.
I wonder if he did not pause Awhile to gaze on God’s great book, To read on earth, and sea, and sky, The smile divine, the tender look; For when the hour of vision’s given, The two worlds touch--our earth and heaven.
God teaches with a tenderness That we who follow him should learn, Hides not His glory when ’twill bless Eyes that look up, and souls that yearn. He sent the vision fair to see, And spoke to Peter on that day.