Alexander MacGregor

“ But Ed Brians, I can't stand. He wants to run everything in the town. He pretty nearly does, but he's not going to run my business. You mind that!"
Though Lawyer Ed had completely forgotten the cause of the trouble between them, Alexander Graham had not. Upon a certain date, years earlier, the belligerent young elder had tramped into a managers' meeting, denounced a money-saving scheme of Manager Graham's, and called the assembled brethren all misers and skinflints. The managers had succumbed, in the most friendly manner, all except Sandy Graham. ”

“ The army was laden with booty, and the king saw that unless it were left behind the men would not be able to march. It would be no easy matter to make the soldiers give up their plunder, but Alexander knew well how to manage men. ”

“ Such indulgence annoyed the king and he reproved his officers, telling them that toil was more honourable than pleasure.
‘How is it possible,’ he said, ‘if you cannot attend to your own body, that you look well after your horse, or keep your armour bright and in good order? You should surely avoid the weaknesses of those you have conquered.’
To set his army an example, the king now began to hunt more than was his custom and with less care for his own safety. When the soldiers were sent against an enemy, Alexander himself went with them, and endured the same hardships and dangers as his men. ”

“ MacGregor had much literary facility, and was a good draughtsman, always illustrating his own books. While at Cambridge as an undergraduate he contributed to the 'Mechanics' Magazine/ 1844, and sent sketches to 'Punch,' His records of his travels are very brightly written. Their titles are: 1. 'Three Days in the East,' 1850. 2. 'Our Brothers and Cousins, a Tour in Canada,' 1859. 3. 'A Thousand Miles in the Rob Roy Canoe, 1866. 4. 'A Voyage alone in the Yawl Rob Roy,' 1867. 5. 'The Rob Roy on the Baltic,' 1867. 6. 'The Rob Roy on the Jordan, Red Sea, and Gennesareth,' 1869. ”

“ Lightning flashed, thunder crashed, and several of Alexander’s men were killed as they struggled breast high in the water. With great difficulty the others reached the farther side, to find that Porus had realised his danger. A thousand horsemen and sixty armed chariots awaited the daring king. But Alexander captured the chariots and slew four hundred of the cavalry.
The whole Macedonian army had now joined the king, and a desperate battle was fought. Hour after hour the conflict raged, neither side gaining the victory. ”

“ The famous phalanx of the Macedonians now threw itself upon the enemy, and the Persians tried in vain to repel the fierceness of the attack. Soon the whole army was put to317 flight, all save a band of Greek soldiers who were fighting for Darius.
These withdrew to a height above the battlefield, and sent to Alexander to ask for quarter. But the king refused their request, and ordered his men to attack the little company.
The Greeks fought desperately, and Alexander lost more men in this struggle than he had lost in all the rest of the battle. ”

“ On landing he found that James Macgregor, formerly minister of Aghadowey, and founder of the township of Londonderry on the Merrimac, had died on 5 March. He succeeded him as minister, and also engaged in educational work. Clerk was a strict vegetarian, but his abstemious diet did not subdue his warlike spirit. ”

“ The king tried to accomplish this in different ways. He had already built cities in the East, and left in them Greeks and Macedonians along with the native Asiatics.
Now he himself wedded Statira, the daughter of Darius, Hephæstion married her sister, while several Macedonian346 generals, following the example of the king, took the daughters of Persian nobles to be their wives. Many of the soldiers, too, married women of the East.
Alexander hoped that little by little the two races would learn to know each other better and to have the same interests. ”

“ MACGREGOR, JOHN, commonly known as Rob Roy (1825–1892) , philanthropist and traveller, horn on 24 Jan. 1825, was son of General Sir Duncan MacGregor, K.C.B. His mother was the youngest daughter of Sir William Dick, bart., of Prestonfield, near Edinburgh. Adventures came to him early: as a baby he was outward bound on the Kent, East Indiaman, which took fire in the Bay of Biscay. An account of the disaster was published by his father in 1825, and repubished by him in 1880. As a boy he was apt at mechanics, read hard, was a good climber, boxer, and horseman, and passionately fond of boating. ”

“ Only one Athenian was found to reprove the Athenians for their hasty and foolish joy.
Phocion, who was both a general and an orator, said gravely, ‘Nothing shows greater meanness of spirit than expressions of joy at the death of an enemy. Remember that the army you fought at Chæronea is lessened by only one man.’
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CHAPTER XCI
ALEXANDER AND BUCEPHALUS Alexander, the son of Philip of Macedon, became king in 336 B.C. The queen-mother adored her brave son and dreamed of the great things he would do when he became a man. ”

“ MacGregor laughed, and patted the basket-hilt of his sword, put on his bonnet, and arose. Saying, "I would say something more if you stood on the open heather, under the canopy of heaven. But now let us understand each other; big words never scared MacGregor, and they are not likely to do so now. ”

“ Is 't pictur's ye' re wantin' to pent, Macgreegor?"
"Naw!" said her son, with great scorn. "I'm gaun to ha'e a big pot o' pent an' a big brush, an' I'm gaun to staun' on a ladder, an' pent wi' white pent, an' rid pent, an' bew pent, an'——"
"Aw, ye're gaun to be a hoose-penter, Macgreegor," said his father.
"Ay. But I'm gaun to pent shopes tae. An' I'm gaun to ha'e big dauds of potty fur stickin' in holes. I like potty. Here a bit!" And Macgregor produced from his trousers-pocket a lump of the grayish, plastic substance.
"Feech!" exclaimed Lizzie, in disgust. "Whaur got ye that? ”

“ His success in dealing with native races was due to the tact, patience, and firmness with which he treated them, and to his determination to prevent their exploitation by Europeans. They rewarded him with their trust and his name became a power throughout the South Pacific. Reticent by nature, and with a certain ruggedness in his character, MacGregor was essentially a strong man and an inspiring leader; yet he was entirely without boastfulness or egotism, and his qualities of strength and restraint united to make him, in the words of Lord Bryce, ‘a model of what a colonial governor should be’. ”

“ The silence was broken by Willie.
'Savin' up?'
'Ay.'
'It's a dashed bad habit, Macgreegor. Dinna let it grow on ye. If naebody saved up, everybody wud be weel aff. . . . Aweel, what maun be maun be.' And, groaning, Private Thomson drew forth a packet which his friend had 'stood' him the previous day. 'Regairdin' this tea pairty,' he resumed, 'are ye supposed to eat a' ye can an' leave what ye canna—if there's onything to leave?'
'She'll expect ye to eat a' ye can.'
'It's easy seen she doesna ken me.'
'Oh, she'll be prepared for the warst, Wullie,' said Macgregor, his good-humour returned. ”

“ By a strange mischance he had already dropped two pieces of plain bread-and-butter on the floor, but to his credit it must be recorded that he had remembered his mother's injunction not to attempt to recover them.
"Ay, Macgreegor's the yin fur surees," said John. "He cam' hame frae the Sawbath-schule suree the ither nicht wi' fower orangers an' guid kens hoo mony pokes o' sweeties."
"An' he had to get ile i' the mornin'," said Lizzie, whose time was chiefly occupied in feeding wee Jeannie.
"Do you like oil?" said Mrs. Purdie, smiling sourly at Macgregor. ”

“ They're fattening us!"
MacGregor nodded affirmatively, and then Van Blaricom's eyes wandered wildly from the chief to that group on the shore where he thought he had seen the "she-queen." At that moment the headman came forward again, again sniffed at him, and again chuckled, and all the natives as they looked on us chuckled also. It was most unpleasant. Suddenly I saw the American start. He got up, turned to us, and said: "I've got an idea. MacGregor, get U. S. and Bob Lee." ”

“ This put an end to the fray, for all his followers fled down the hill-side, pursued by the MacGregors—all save one, a man of powerful form and ferocious aspect, who was naked to the waist, and had his kilt girdled round him by a belt of untanned bullhide.
This Celtic savage, whose name was Aulay MacAulay, flung himself upon MacAleister, who had stumbled and fallen. Seizing the henchman by the throat with his teeth, he grasped Greumoch MacGregor by the right foot, and with a fragment of his sword, which had been broken, endeavoured to despatch them both. ”

“ Luk at his heel, John. Ye're jist a pair, the twa o' ye! Ye're baith that sair on yer stockin's. If it's no' the heels, it's the taes; an' if it no' the taes, it's the soles; an' if it's no' the soles, it's—— Aweel, I've darned them afore, an' I daursay I'll darn them again," she concluded, with a philosophic smile, and stooped to assist Macgregor, who was struggling with a complicated knot in the lace of his second boot.
"John," said Lizzie two mornings later—it happened to be Sunday—"I canna get Macgreegor to rise. He's sayin' he's no' weel." ”

“ Miss Tod appeared, fresh from the joys of strong tea.
'Oh, lassie, ha'e ye hurted yersel'?'
Christina choked, recovered herself and cried: 'I've sold a blighter a sixpenny notebook for threepence, an' I'll never get over it as long as I live. B—but I hope that'll no be long!'
Just then Heaven sent a customer.
* * * * *
And perhaps Heaven sent the telegram that Macgregor found on his return home, rather late in the afternoon. The war has changed many things and people, but mothers most of all. Mrs. Robinson made no mention of the 'extra special' dinner prepared so vainly in her son's honour. ”

“ Na, na, John; she's no that easy frichtit."
"Aweel, ye ken best, Lizzie. See, gi'e her to me."
"Oh, I'll haud her till we get inside. She'll shin be walkin' her lanesome—wull ye no', honey? Jist keep a grup o' Macgreegor, John, or he'll be fleein' awa' an' gettin' rin ower or wannert."
"Paw," said Macgregor, "I see the Zoo."
"Ay, thon's hit. Ye never see wild beasts afore, Macgreegor?"
"I near seen wild beasts in the shows at the Lairgs, paw."
"Aw, ay; ye wis bidin' wi' yer aunt Purdie then. She wud be feart to gang in whaur the beasts wis." ”

“ Recite?" The old man was pleased, however. "Weel, I'll gi'e ye a bit readin', if ye like, Macgreegor," he said, putting on his specs and taking an ancient and somewhat battered Bell's Reciter from a shelf at his elbow. "Whit 'll I read ye, ma mannie?"
"Read aboot the man that wis lockit in the kist till he wis a—a—a skeletin, an' loupit oot on the ither man."
"'The Uncle'?"'
"Ay. I like that yin awfu'," said Macgregor, with a shudder of anticipation.
"Whit's that?" cried Lizzie. "Aw, yer no' to read him that yin, fayther. He had an unco bad nichtmare the last time." ”

“ Grandfather Purdie seized the uplifted arm. "Macgreegor," he said, gently, "ye're no' to dae it."
"Whit wey?"
"Because," said the old man, searching for an argument that might appeal to the young savage—"because it's sic a wee bit thing."
"It's gey wee," admitted Macgregor, peering into the tin while the victim slid off the rock and escaped; "ay, it's gey wee. Here's a bigger yin. I'll bash it." ”

“ Oh, they weemen!'
'If ye hadna a face for pies already, I wud gi'e ye yin!'
'Ah, but ye daurna strike a man that's been wounded in his country's service. Aw, gor, I wisht I had never enlisted! What country's worth a mug like this? . . . Which girl are ye maist feart for, Macgreegor?'
Macgregor fled from the tormentor. He had not intended to use his late pass, but Willie's taunt had altered everything. Afraid? He would soon show Willie! Also he would show Maggie! Likewise he would show—Well, Christina had no business to behave as if she were the only girl in the world, as if he were a fool. ”

“ An', by Jings, she was pleased an' prood! She stood me ma tea, includin' twa hot pies, an' she gi'ed me a packet o' fags—guid quality, mind ye!—an' she peyed for first-class sates in a pictur' hoose! That's hoo to dae it, ma lad!' he concluded complacently.
'An' what did you gi'e her?' Macgregor inquired, after a pause.
'Ma comp'ny, likewise some nice fresh air fried in naething, for I took her for a short walk. I could manage wi' ninepence.'
'Ach, I didna think ye was as mean as that, Wullie! Was—was she guid-lookin'?'
'I didna notice her face a great deal; but she's a beezer for stootness. ”

“ I dinna like dookin', but I like paidlin'."
"I'm thinkin' I'll try the code-ile, Macgreegor."
"It's rale nesty to tak'... But it micht mak' yer hoast better afore the simmer.... Rothesay's a nice place; is 't no'?.... I'm gaun ower to luk at the watter." Macgregor slipped off the seat, and, dragging his steamboat behind him, went over to the railings of the esplanade.
"Ye' re no' to sclim up," cried Mr. Purdie, rising in alarm. "If ye wis fa'in' in there ye wud be droondit."
"There's an awfu' lot o' watter the day," remarked the boy as his grandfather put an arm around him. ”

“ John was about to assure his son that he fully believed him, when he heard some one behind say:
"Jist luk at that, Mrs. Forgie! Is that no' an awfu' daft-like hat to pit on a laddie?"
"It is that, Mrs. Bawr. I wudna let a laddie o' mine's gang oot in a thing like that fur a' the gold o' Crusoes."
John's ears tingled, and he nearly bit the end off his pipe. "Macgreegor, I think we'll gang roon and see the drummer," he said.
"Naw, I want to see thon man blaw his trumpet," said Macgregor, who, fortunately, had not heard his critics.
"Some folk," observed Mrs. ”