Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-11-13
MY LANDLADY's STORY.

That hour o'night's black arch the key.stane.
Tam OShdMttr.
Mrs. Grove, in her work entitled the "Night
side of Nature" makes allision to the facts,
upon which the following little story is found.
cd; but, strange, she does not give the details
1t was case Strikingly in point for her. Was
it too horrible 10 put in her book or was she
restrained by the same delicacy that made
every marvel-mOngcr speak of it in whisper
1t was told to me, in Edinburgh by my
landlady, Mrs. S.. She was from Mon.
troSc, and spoke in wellmarked Gselic id.
iom. that greatly enhanced her descriptive
powers. 1t is remarkable fact, that no Ian.
guagc is so we'll adapted to the thrilling, the
pathetic, and the humorous, as the dialect oi
tho Scottish Highlander. Sir Walter Scott
owes much Of his success to it, and the lyrics
Of Burns would be insipid without il. re.
member once hearing Mrs. s. Jest with
her husband about some nonsense he perpe.
trated in his courtShip. She was so much
amused at it. that she fell back in her chair,
and exclaimed, IL Gamma think o. Il, but il
makes me Almost splut me seeds laching."-
The same expression in plain English, 81 can.
not think Of it. but it almost makes me split
my sides Il laughing" is utterly tame by the
side Of the other. Mrs s., moreover, had
n manner which made her narration vividly
impressive.
1t was in the evening twilight, and we were
watching from the parlor window, the Inch.
keith light in the Firth of Forth, throwing Out
its flashes Of warning to the mariner. for.
get what drew from Mrs. S. the awful re.
cital, the interest Of which have feehly at.
tempted to maintain, by drawing upon MY
fancy for some slight application but she
began, in substance, as follows, occasionally
tapping me upon my shoulder and reducing
her voice to kissing whisper: ...~.r
II is scarcely year ago since young man
died in the town Of Haddington. His con.
duct had been so Outrageously dissolute, that
every body rcpulScd him with abhOrrence.-
Finally he sank down in half.Starved cOndi.
ton, ut the door of his uncle, an old black.
smith Of lladdington, and was kindly taken
in and cared for. Everything was done for
him that even affection could suggest; but he
grew worse and worse, until he went into a
dclirium, and uttered things Of such ftightfuI
import, that few persons could remain near
him. There were certain expressions which
| excited more establishment than otherS-in.
decd they drew tears from those who heard
them as we'll on account Of the earnestness
with which they were uttered, as the distract.
cd gcsticulations accompanying them. He
| seemed to stare at some very distant object
distant as a fixed star; and, with his out.
stretched hands thurSt forward Is if to resist
the rapid approach Of something, he shouted
in voice bubbling up through his death rat.
tic, "Back! back!-awA' wi We AVA wi We! II
is na sac written an not to be bruised. No,
no, no! 1t is written that the seed of the
woman shall bruiSe-AwA' wi ye-mercy oh
mercy, mercy, mercy!" These rawlings al
last ended in death.
II IL the custom in Scotland, to sit up three
nights with the dead. The corpse Of Andrew
Allan (for that was the young mans name)
was placed up stairs in the back room. II
rested upon . rude table, consisting of fonI
small benches supporting two boards, Il was
wrapped in Sheet and two halCcrOwn pie.
ces were placed upon the eyes to keep them
closed. The blacksmith's house was built