282 WHITE KID GLOVES. 



moor-cock went darting away, turning himself sideways 

 to catch the gale with his wing, chuckling, and rejoicing, 

 as it were, in his free flight and the success of his mischief. 

 " Now may a dart from Murdock's quiver pierce thy side 

 before night ! " 



" Well it was not our fault, that is some comfort, there 

 was no kid glove in the matter ; an allusion you will better 

 understand when I tell you that a celebrated sportsman, 

 after having made a very long and laborious circuit to 

 come into a quiet shot, destroyed his chance, when on the 

 very verge of attaining it, by a slight elevation of one of 

 his hands which was decked with a white kid glove : it is 

 marvellous how such a piece of furniture found its way 

 into a Scotch forest ; and one is tempted to exclaim in the 

 words of Mrs. Siddons, < How gat it there ? ' " * 



The sportsmen arose, and put the best countenance 

 they could upon the matter, which, sooth to say, was no 

 better than a very doleful one, deadened as their hearts 

 were by disappointment. The deer, however, had not 

 seen them, and were still in the ground before them. In 

 fact, when they came over the hill, they saw them looking 

 back jealously in the moss below. 



" There is no coming down upon them from the hill," 

 said Tortoise. 



" They will na bide there lang," said Jamieson. 



" They are magnificent creatures," said Lightfoot. 



* I do not vouch for the tale, but it is said that Mrs. Siddons, 

 hearing a story about a French official who was locked up in his bureau, 

 being rather in an absent mood, fancied that he had been thrust into 

 a chest of drawers, and exclaimed, with great pathos, " Poor gentle- 

 man ! how gat he there ? " 



