The Sun.
London, England, 1829-01-13 00:00:00

CLAVENHOUSE.

After the Revolution, Claverhouse, then
Viscount Dundee, rose in behalf of the exiled
Monarch. The army destined to oppose him
was entrusted by the existing Government to
General Mackay ; and cluriug the marching and
counter-marching, and occasional skirmishing
which ensued between them, au incident is said
to have occurred strongly indicative of the cha-
racter of the former. A young man had joined
Dundee's army, the son of one of his old
and intimate friende. Ile was employed upon
acme reconnoitring service, in which a skirmish
taking place, the new recruit's heart failed him,
and he fairly fled out of the fray. Dundee
covered hia dishonour, by pretending that he him-
self had despatched him to the rear, upon a
message of importance. He then sent for the
yputh to speak to him in private. " Young
man," he said, " I have saved your honour;
but I must needs tell you, that you have chosen
a trade fur which you are constitutionally unfit.
It is not, perhaps, your fault, but rather your
reiefortune, that you do not possess the strength
of nerves necessary to encounter the dangers of
battle. Return to your father ; I will find an
excuse for your doing so with honour ; and I
will put you in the way of doing King James's
cause effectual service without personally en-
gaging 41 the war." The young gentleman,
penetrated with a sense of the deerest shame,
threw himself at his Generd's feet. and pro-
tested that his failure in duty was only the effect
of a momentary weakness, the recollection of
which should be effaced by his future conduct,
and entreated Dundee, for the love he bore to
his father, to give him, at least, a chance of re-
gaiiiing his reputation. Dundee stilt endea-
voured to dissuade him from remaining with the
army ; but as he continued urgent to be ad-
admitted to a second trial, he reluctantly gave
way to the request. " But remember," he said,
" that if your heart fails you a second time, you
must die. The cause lam engaged in is a des-
perate one, and 1 can permit no man to serve
under me who is not prepared to fight to the
My own life, and those of all others who
serve under me, are unsparingly devoted to the
cause of King Ames, and death must be his lot
who shows an example, of cowardice?' he un-
fortunate young man ernbraeed, with seeming
eagerness, this stern proposal. But in the
next skirmish in which he was engaged, hiscon-
stitutional timidity again prevailed. He turned
his horse to fly ; when Dundee coming up to
him said, " The son of pep' father is too good
' a man to be consiened to the rerceost Marshal,"
and, without another word, he shot him through
the head with his pistol, with a sternness and
inflexibility of purpose resembling the stoicism
of the ancient Romans.

A ct,,rioos circumstance occurred in this town
last week. Furry years ago two children, whose parents
live in Frankwell, left home, and have since resided in
Wales. They came a few dais ego to see their parents
here ; but during their life they hs.d iirt'iwn only the Welsh
langpage, and their parents here the English only, so that
the meeting between them was merely dumb show. :;.;gi-
ther party could pnderatand eack other without au
pretcr.—Siirewsbury chronicle.
About a fortnight ainCe, a young woman,
uzfrned E. Mitchell, was brought to be 41f an illegitimate
child, 4.t Bradford, near Sberborne, which three days
afterwards die. 4, and was burled. Subsequently, itowaqe;,
Suspicions arose, wh:ch induced the parish officers to disinter
the body ; and on ez:arnisoation by Mr. Turner, of Sher-
burne, and Mr. Sboreland, of yeowil, sufficient evidence
was discovered to prove that the child hr been strangled.
A Coroner's inquest was held by T. cooks, Esq. on Friday
last, and a vcrdict of " Wilful Murder" returned against
the mother, who has been committed for trial.— Verborne
iWercury.