Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-12-19

hand on his shoulder, and said, in . tore in
different, as if she had been talking OF some
friendly visit-'When dost thou expect themi'
They cannot be here ill the shadows fall lons
10 the eastward replied Hamish; that, b,
even supposing the nearest party, commanded
by Sergeant Allan Brrack Cameron, has been
commanded hitler by express from Dunbar.
ton, as It is most likely they WILL Then
enter beneath your mothers roof once more;
partake the last time Of the food which she
has prepared; aler this let them come, and
thou shalt see il thy mother is an useless su-
cumbrancc in the day of strife. Thy hand.
ractised as il is, cannot FIRE these arms 90 fast
as can load them; nay, il il is necessary, I
do not myself fear the flash or the report; and
my aim has been held fatal In the name
OF Heaven, mother, NEEDLE not with this
matter!' said Hamish."
Cameron does come, and from a misunder-
standing, is shot dead by Hamish, who is con-
veyed prisonc 10 Dumbarton, tired Immediate
ly, and executed within a few hours. The
whole is described in The most vivid and affect
ing mouner. Mr.. Michael TYRE, the clergy-
man who had done him the last kind Christian
ot,ces. Is returning homew ards, when he is met
by The now ch'ldless cateran. We pass the
earlier colloqny.
".Elspat Fac lavish (hc says,J I grieve to
to' yOu ~ Hc"s. KNOW item Without INV
speech said The unhappy woman-sm nv son i.
doomed TO de- 'Elspat,' resumed the cIer-
gyman, { he ras doomed, and the sentence has
been executed The hapless mother threw
her eyes up to heaven, and uttered a shrek SO
unlike the voice of a human being, that the
eagle which scared in middle air answered il
as she would have done the call of her mate.
1t is IMPOSSIBLE she exclaimed, il is iinpos-
sIble! Men do not condemn and kill on the
same day! Thou AIT deceiving me. TIE peo-
pie call thee holy-hast thou the heart 10 tell
a mother she has murdered her only child -
God knows said the priest, the tears falling
last from ihs eyes that, were it in my power,
/ would gladly tell better tidings-but these
which l bear are as certain as they arc fatal
my own ears heard the death-shot, my own
eyes beheld thy sons death-thy sons funeral.
My tonghc bears witness to what nv ears
heard and my eyes saw The w~retcl,ed fe-
male clasped her hands close together, and
held them up towards heaven like a sySil an
nouncing war and desolation, while, in impo-
tent yet frightful rage, she poured firth n tide
OF the deepest inprecations. 'Buse Saxon
churl" she exclaimed, 'viIo hypocritical Jug
ger! May the eyes that looked tamely on the
Death Of my fair-ha;red boy be melted in their
sockets with ceasuless tears, shed for those
that are nearest and most dear to thee! Nav
'"Ns hNutu Ho uCutH-huCH DC Qe0Q
hereafter TO all other sounds save the screech
Of the raven, and the Kissing of the ADDER
May the tongue that tells me Of his death and
OF my own crime, be withered in thy mouth
or, better, when thou wouldst pray with thy
people, may the Evil One guide il, and give
voice to blasphemies instead of blessings, until
men shall fly in terror from thy presence, and
the thunder ofheaven be launched against thy
head, and stop forever thy cursing and accused
voice! BECOME! with this malison-Elspat will
never, never again bestow so many words upon
living man. She kept her word-from that
day The world was 10 her a wilderness, in
which she remuined without thought, care, or
interest, absorbed in her own grief, Indifferent
to every thing else. With her mode of life, or
rather of existence, the reader is already as far
acquainted as l have the power of making him.
or her death, l can tell him nothing. Every
attempt TO place any person in her hut TO take
charge Of her. miscarried, through the extreme
resentment with which she regarded all intru-
SION on her solitude, or by the timidity of those
who had been pitched upon 10 be inmates with
the terrible woman of the Tree. AT length.
when EIspat became totally unable lin appear
ance at least) 10 turn herself on the wretchcd
settle which served her for a couch the human
ny OF MIR. Tyres successor sf mt two women to
attend upon the last moments Of the solitary,
which could not, it was judged, be far distant,
and TO avert the shocking possibility that she
might perish for want Of assistance VI food, be-
fore she sunk under the effects of extreme are
or mortal malady. Ii was on a November
evening, that the two women appointed for
this melancholy purpose, arrived at the misera-
BILE cottage which we have already described.
Its wretched inmate lay stretched upon the bed.
and seemed almost already a lifeless corpse,
save for the wandering Of the fierce dark eyes,
which rolled in their sockets in a manner terri
BILE to look upon, and seemed TO watch will,
surprise and indignation the motions Of thc
strangers, as pcls)ns whose presence was allie
unexpected and unwelcome. They were fright
ened at her looks; but assured in each others
company, they k.ndled a FIRE, lighted a candle,
prepared food, and made other arrangements
for the discharge Of the DUTY assigned them.
The assistants agreed they should watch tho
bedside Of the sick person by turns; but, about
midnight, overcome by fatigue, (for they had
walked far that mofning,) both Of them fell
fast asleep. When they owoke, which was
not till after the interval Of some hours. tie
hut was empty and the patient gone. They
rose in terror, and went TO the door Of the cot.
tage, which was latched as it had been nj night.
THEY looked out into the darkness, and
called UPON their charge by her name. The
night-raven screamed from the old oak tree,
the fox ho%led on the hill, the boarse water
fall r. plied with It's echoes but there wos M
human answer. The terrified women did not
dare TO make farther searchtill morning should
appear; for the sudden disappearance OF a
creature SO fra as Elspaf, together with the
wild tenor Of her history, inundated them
fom stirring from the hut. They remained.
therefore in dreadful terror. sometimes think
ing they hoard her voice without, and at 9th
err times, that sounds Of different description
were mingled with the mornful sigh of tho