The Wilmingtonian., 1824-05-06
From Blach'mood's MaguSine.
SCOrS MUMMY.

From BIachrood's Magazine.
SCOTS MUMMY.
On the top of a wild height, called
Crownscroft, where the lands of three pro.
prietors meet all at one point, there has
been fn' long and many years. the grave Of
a suicide, marked out by stone standing
at the head, and another at the feet. Often
shepherd on one of the farms Of which it
formal the extreme boundary, and think
ing what could induce young man, who
had scarcely reached the prime of life, to
brave his Maker and rushinto his presence
by an act of his own erring hand. and one
SO unnatural and preposterous but it me-
yer once occurred to me as an object OF
curiosity, to dig up the mou!tlering bones
Of the culpr., which considered as the
most revolving of all objects. The shing
was, however, done last month; and dis
covery was made Of one of the greatest ma
tural phenomena, that ever heard of in
this country.
The little traditionary history that re-
mains Of this unfortunate youth, is altoge.
sher singular one. lie was not native
Of the place, nor would he ever tell from
what place he came, but he was remaska-
'lie Tor 4 dee, sullen disposition. There
aases nothing egainsth bis character, that any
sBe knew Of. and he had been considera-
n;e ttms in ,he place. The last service he
was in was with Mr.. Anderson, of EI-
srieve, who died about 100 years ago, and
who had hired during the summer to herd
a stock of young cattle in Eitrieve Hope
It happened one day in the month Of Sep
iember, that James Anderson, his masters
son, boy about 10 years of age, went
with this young man to the Hope one day
to divert himself. The herd had his din
ner along with him; and at one o'clock
when the boy proposed going home, the
former pressed him very hard to stay and
take share of his dinner; but the boy re-
fused, for fear his parents might be alarmed
about him, and said be acould go home; o.
which the herd said to him, then if Y,
Wilma stay Flames, ye may depend ont
I'll cut my throat afcre ye come back a
GAIN
have heard il likewise repoted but on
~ by one person, that there had been som
things stolen out of his masters house
good while before, and that the boy ha
discovered asilver knife and fork, that wa
a part of the stolen property, in the herd
possession that day, and that it was th
discovery that drove him to despair. III
boy did not return to the Hope that afie
noon /; and, before evening, man comm
in at the pass called the Hart Loop, wi
drove Of lambs, on the way to Edinbu
perceived some thing like man standir
in strange and frightful position at Il
side Of one of Eldinhop's hay rick's. I'll
drivers attention was riyetted on tn
strange micouth figure, and as the dro
road passed at no great disance from Il
apot; he first called, but receiving no a
swer, ne went up to the spot. and behold
vas the a6ovc mentioned young man, W
lad hung himself in the hay rope that "
tying down the rick.
This was accounted a great wondea a
every one said if the devil had not assis,
him, it was impossible the thing could h;
been done, for in general these ropes
so brittle, being made of green hay, t
they will scarcely bear to be bound o
the rick. And the more to horrify
good people of the neighborhood, the
ver said that when he first came in vii
he could almost give his oath. that he
two penple busily engaged about the
rick, going round it and round it, and
thought they were dressing it. If this
servation approximated at all to the tr
it makes this evident that the unfortur
young man hanged himself after the
with the lanbs came in view. lie was h
ever quite dead when he cut him dc
He had fastened two Of the old hay r,
at the bottom of the rick on one side
deed they are all fastened SO when
laid on) so that he had nothing to do
TO loosen two ends on the other side,
these he tied in knot round his neck,
then. slack sning his knees, and letting
self lean down gradually, till the hay
bore alt his weight, he contrived to pu
end to his existence in that way. Now
Tast IS, that If vor try al the rones tina