Star.
London, England, 1826-07-07 00:00:00

ANECDOTE OF THE ELIBANK FAMILY.

In the days of feudal anarchy, when every laird and
baron in Scotland was an independent prince, possessing
the power of life and death within his own domains,
however limited, it was a common amusement for one
chief to invade the territories of his neighbour; vi et
armis, and to drive his cattle ; that is, to rob and plunder
hin% of his whole bestial, by far his most valuable pos-
session. This kind of hostile incursion was called a
4. raid." _ _ _

Scott, the laird of Harden, had, for some cause or
other, conceived a deadly feud against his neighbour
Murray, laird of Elibank. He therefore resolved to
commit a raid upon the latter's territories, and, for this
purpose, collected a powerful bang, at the head of which
he placed Isis eldest son, the young laird of Harden.—
It so happened, however, that the laird of Elibank had,
either through means of spies or of treachery on the part
of some one of Harden's household, got notice of his
neighbour's friendly intention, and he accordingly laid
his plans so well and so secretly, that the invading party
were completely discomfited, and the young laird of
Harden taken prisoner. As be was caught in the fan,
as it is called, there was no doubt of the law of the cue ;
his life was forfeited, and Elibank gave orders to prepare
for his immediate execution.
Elated with his victory, he went home and communi-
cated his intention to his lady. " Are you mad," said her
ladyship, would you hang the young laird of Harden,
You that has so many unmarried daughters I Na, na—
It'll be a hantle mair viselike to inak' the young laird
marry ane o them." The eloquence of the lady pre-
vailed, and as young Harden was in perilous cir-
cumstances, and was expected gladly to accept of
any alternative to avoid an ignominious death, it was
resolved, that be should not have the " best of the
batch," but that be should wed 44 Muckle-Mou'd Meg,"
the third daughter of the family, who was distinguished
by what, in modern phraseology, is termed an open
countenance," that is, in less metaphorical language,
her moth extended from ear to ear. 'The alternative
was accordingly proposed to the culprit, but to the
astonishment of' all concerned, it was at once rejected.
Weel, weel, young man (says the Laird of Elibank),
yes pt 'till the morn's morning to think about it," and so
saying left the young laird in his dungeon to his own
agreeable ufiectiont.
In the morning, Harden, after a sleepless night,
looked out from the window, or rather hole of his cell,
and saw the gallows erected in the yard, and all the
apparatus of death prepared. His heart failed him, and
he began to think that life, even though spent in the
society of 44 Muckle-Mou'd.Meg," was, not a thing to
be rashly thrown away. He declared his willingness,-'
therefore, to accept of the maiden's hand. There were
no marriage laws in those days, no proclamation of
bands-,no session clerk's fees. Mass Joist.* was. sent
for, and the indissoluble knot was tied.
Nor did Harden ever repent of his bargain; for Meg,
notwithstanding the deformity from which she took' her
name, was in fact one of the best creatures in existence,
possessed of a great fund of excellent sense, and withal
a handsome personabk woman. She turned out an
admirable wife, managed the household of Harden with
the utmost propriety ; and a union which had taken.
place under such eau aordnary circumstances, and with'
such very unpromising auspices, was in the higest de-
gree cordial and constant. The lineal descendanrof
this marriage has just been returned Member of Par-
liament for the county of Roxburgh.
• The Priest was commonly so called, probably from the
word Mass.

Sir MANASSEH LOPEZ, Brit. 1143 arrived at his seat
at Marstaw.

THE LATE MURDEE NEAR MANCHESTEE.-.-Our
readers will have it in recollection, that about six weeks
ago. an atrocious murder was committed on the person
of a young woman, a servant to Mr. Blears, a publican,'
at a place called Winton, by two men of the name of
WiCeand, and that a letter was sent by them to a per-
son in Smithy-door, whom Mr. Lavender traced to
be Mrs. Sarah btuart, a dealer in cutlery, and from
whom the knife was purchased that was stabbed in
•Mrs. Blean's cheek bone, requesting her to perform
some little offices for diem. This Mt s. Stuart is under
recognizances 'to appear on their trial at the ensuing
Assizes ; but it is said she is endeavouring to evade the
ends af justice, as far as her evidence goes, for she was
seen by a person who knows her very well, to arrive by
the Telegraph coach, on Monday evening last, in Fetter
Lane, Holborn, and ip the course of the following day
she procured. a passim, for France, where she stated
her husband was working as a machine fitter-up. He
goes by the name of Ward, she says. On Wednesday
iiie set off on one of the coaches from the Bell and
Crown Inn, Holborn, for Dover. These MlCeands were
very intimate with its. Stuart, and one of them used
to act as clerk for her sometimes. She took out her
passport in the name of Stuart.
The immense ship the Baron of Renfrew, the
largest perhaps ever built, was, it will be remembered,
lost in the • fall of the last year, on the French coast,
when she had safely crossed the Atlantic, bound from
Canada for Loodon. The principal past of the cargo.
Sce. was sold in France, but a. large part has been brought
to this country, not on board a ship, but, being strongly
bound by ropes and chains as rafts, have been towed
across the ocean by a steam vessel. Two of the e rafts
lett France on Thursday, and were sattly within the
-gates of the Commercial Docks, Rotherhitbe, on Satur-
day. These rafts contain from 15 to 40,000 cubic feet
of timber. On the top of one of them came the Baron's
foremast, a single tree of between 80 and 90 fret in
length, earl of proportionate girt. It is rough as when
grown. except the bark, sad is allowed to be a very
fi..e stick.

DUMFRIES. JuLT 4.

A part of Mabie Moss has been on. fire for several
days past, and amidst all the exertions that have been
used by Mr. Howat and his people, we are not aware
that the progress of the devouring element is, as yet,
arrested. How the fire originated nobody can tell, but
already halt an acre of meadow and several roods of,
hedges have been totally destroyed. A Pentlawn who
travelled betwixt Moffat and Dumfries on Saturday
last, saw a number of fires, which he could not account
for, and which threatened mato a great deal of mischief.
Meadow, turnip, and fallow fields, were all emitting
huge volumes of smoke, and as no satisfactory reason
could be assigned for setting each places on fire, our
informant naturally enough ascribed the phenomenon
he witnessed to the aridity of the soil, and the heat of
the climate. - - - - --

,
1 —Oar Yeomanry Races, which are now held annually,
satc ted great interest on Tuesday last. At an early
boor the Race Course was crowded with a multi-
qde spectators, many of whom were persons of
fashion, wealth, and distinction ; and notwithstanding
the heat of the weather, few of them went away before
the conclusion of the sports of the day. The races were
not particularly good ; but altogether the scene was so
eshilaraing. that few individuals either expressed or
felt disappointed.
Th. Teoataarirsvally Cup for horses not thorough bred, carrying
33 Imes each, and to be ridden by members of the Corps :
heats, one mat and a half.
Mr. Syme's hr. 011nockie, by Caleb Quotas:
Mt. Cruickshank** b. g. Charlie •
Mr. Tulloch's g. • •
Proudfoot's,b. m. Nell Owynne
Mr. Bonus's g. g. •
Won easy.
For the Sweepstakes.
Mr. Carll's c. g. by Epperston, walked over.
A Match between Mr. Younger's C. g. and Mr. Proutifoot's
Gwynn* was won in a ruing manner by the latter. This race.
erratedeonsiderabk interest.

. 1 1

. 3 2
. 2 dr.
. dut
. dirt

Accidents have been frequent amonst the,Dumfries,
shire Yeomanry Cavalry this season. Captain Hope
Johnstone had a very narrow escape, his bone having
slipped when at exercise, owing to the field having be-
come hard and slippery by reason of the weather; we
are happyrhowever, to state, that, though censideralsly
stunned at the time, he suffered no other material in-
jury. On the Thursday, Mr. Henning, from Kir km.shoe,
when setting out from the Inn door, (Mrs. Becks, Old.
Flesh moket-street). had a severe fall, his horse having
came down on i•s side, b lore he could disengage him.
self from the saddle; but, though he ieteived several
contusion's he was able to be again upon duty in a few
days alter. Another Gentleman belcnging to corps,
Mr. W. .1.•CAT,041, of the nord liifitmary, Edinburgh,
had• a d •liger us 141;• his mare being young and-warm
tempered,• And tot‘accustoated to cavalry ewer', r xs