REPORT- ON THE COMPETITION.
"Everyone who thinks and feels is apt at times to fall into the state of Mind of the Psalmist, and believe that= - 'All the earth is full of darkness and cruel habitations.' Therefore I slWidd like to .see the ieliekof ilemardfor a story, incident, or even reported saying tending to reconcile one to human nature.'?---‘" -AimirrE." • - . •
. The Editor offered a prize of 25 for an anecdote fulfilling " Auliffe's " conditions. •
It was frequently humour that seemed to our eOmpetitors the best remedy fOr despair. Mr. B. St. G. ilornby's anecdote was a little grim :---
"I have always been cheered in affliction by the thought of an old couple I once knew in a poor cottage, who through nights of pain used to be chuckling at the parroh copying their. groans."
And there is some wryness in R. S. F.'s story of the slum-bred child who in after years gave her mother the following tes- timony: "Mother often used yery foul. language herself, but I will say for her that whenever she heard me use it, she beat me good and hard." But it is often the grimmest of humour that most relieves a disillusioned mood.
The majority of competitors sent in tales of self-sacrifice. So many stories of this kind were told at first hand that it became obvious that goodness of heart is almost a common- place of human character. To read through the entries made us wonder for a time that the world could ever be thought dreary or evil. We thank especially " Cropt,on," " Jasmin," K. M. B., K. B., " Pacha," M. Brodie, "An Old Nurse," Louie Walker, " Luscus," Lettice Milne Rae, Isabel Savory, Portia, John Illingworth, F. Wiliest and "Medicos." The prize we award to "A Highland Minister" for the following story:— THE BLACK HOUSES.
I once paid an unexpected visit to a cottage in one of the Western Islands of Scotland. Like all its neighbours in that Clachan it was of the type known as" the black houses "—a type that is happily disappearing under the cult of sunshine and sanitation. These houses have low drystone walls, thatched turf roofs with a hole in the centre for a chimney, earthen floors, few and tiny windows. Inside them the blue haze of peat reek always hangs about, and the heap of grey peat ash in the centre of the floor holds within it a heart of fire. The furniture is usually of the simplest and is generally home made. With these conditions I was familiar, but on entering the living room of this cottage I was struck with the note of orderliness about it, though it was in no way better appointed than its neighbours. My visit was to tho old man of the house, now a confirmed invalid, who had once been a devoted lay-missionary in these islands. He was a widower and was attended to by his only daughter. His bedroom was in the inner and smaller room, and here too I found the same tidiness and freshness that had impressed me in the outer rovin. The invalid was evidently well and lovingly cared for ; and propped up on the bed, which had a touch of hospital neatness and purity about it, with his fine patriarchal face and flowing beard, he made an arresting picture. The daughter, his sole attendant, was a mature smart-looking woman, with I a' gentle voice and-a quiet dignified manner. Our conversation was mostly in Gaelic, the language of these islands still, but in deference to my companion English was also spoken, and he it was that elicited from the old man what he devoutly regarded as one of God's crowning mercies to himself. The sufferer gave the somewhat cryptic answer : "Oh, sir, I have everything ; have I not my Saviour and my dauchter I".
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A little puzzled we took our departure and as we passed through the outer room I saw that the heap of grey ashes on the floor had been fanned by the open door into a ruddy mess—it had been given " Beauty for Ashes !" .• That evening I learned the sebret of the lustre of that humble home.
, The daughter, their only child, had proved to be a clever pupil at the Clachan School, and with the unquenchable ambition . of the West Highlander a profession was aimed at for her. She.chose nursing. When fully Qualified she found a post in a great London hospital. There her deftness and her devotion brought her under the notice of some leading. London,physicians. _Critical cases were entrusted to her. Her native ability asserted itself and her gracious character ripened. Then a proposal, honouring to the medical .profession, was made to her that she should study and "qualify as a doctor. The necessary funds 'would be provided, and her own intelligence would justify the experiment. So she became a medical student with every prospect of an assured professional career. It was then that from that far old Isle of the western seas came the news Of her mother's death and the need of the helpless invalid father. " Renunciation took the place of ambition, and throwing up everything she -came home to the" black house ".to be eyes and 'Inds and every human comfort to the lonely old man. That explained the redeemed interior of that externally Unlovely cottage-; and it was that which justified one-of the Saints of God in linking together the love of his Saviour and the love of his dauchter. Never again shall I believe that ." all the earth is full of darkness and cruel habitations,"..
A HIGHLAND MINISTER. ,
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