Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1860-11-10
A Thrilling Incident.

shire, Scotland. She had been occupied
all day tending her cousin, Miss Hay, who
was ill of fever, and now, ere retiring to
rest, she thought of the contest in which
many of her relatives were engaged. The
army of Prince Charles having retreated
to the Highlands, several detachments of
the kings troops were on the marh for
that campaign, which ended in the battle
of Culloden.
Amidst the roar Of the storm, Miss SCOTT
fancied she heard the bell of the castle
ring, and presently a servant appeard, say
ing that an officer requested to see her
alone. On descending to the dining
room, she found her cousin, Captain Hay,
who eagerly asked for his sister. When
he found that she was too i'll to be dis
turbcd, he said that in a vault below the
castle, unknown except to his parents and
himself, were concealed the family plate,
and some papers which it was of the ut
most Importance he should now possess.
AS he had only obtained from his troop,
he had not timc to select the papers, but
he would open the trap-door, and Miss
Scott must go alone the next night to take
them out, and he would send trusty
messenger to receive them. He took a
shovel from the hearth and a small dark
| lantern.
Miss Scott followed him into the lower
story of the castle, through chambers and
long, dark passages. At length they
reached small vaulted apartment, the
only furniture of which was q strong wood
en- press, fixed to the wall in one corner
of the room. In front of this, Captain
Hay scrapod away the sand, and Mis-:
Scott saw the ring of an iron trap door
BY united strength they raised it, and de-
scending stair, they reached the Lowest
vault where the chest stood. Captain
Hay gave his cousin list of the required
papers, and the key of the chest; then he
left the trap.door so as she could raise il
without assistance.
Next night when all had retired to rest
Mss Scott took small lamp, and easily
raising the trap door, descended to thu
chest aud took out the papers; but, ol
horrible the heavy ironbonnd lid of th
closet slipped from her trembling hand
) The violent conclusion closed the tradoo
and burst open the door of the stron
wooden press above, SO that it rename
immovcable across the trap door. Sh
became aware that she must die of starva
ton in that drearyful vault In faintin
she must have extinguished her lamp, fc
she revived in the awful darkness. Afte
n praying as Jonah might have done, 81
became again insensible. On revivin
she lay in bitter agony; at length. sh
heard sound. Had most merciful Go
. heard her cry? Surely some one was
the upper vault! The trap-door W;
=, slowly raised, and Captain Hay locke
down in terror and amazement
. Then she became composed, he e!
', planned to her that, having omitted
mark in his last document of the greatc
: Importance, he had explained the circum
stance to his commanding officer, and g
permission to return to the castle. 1t
= supposed Captain Hay perished at Gull
i den, for he was never hcatd of more.
Years passed away. Miss Scott W
,, married to pious and medical man, b
u he died of fever three weeks after Il
Il union. In the depths of despair the wi
9 ow exclaimed, ~ prayed long that
& might be united to him; but will new
% 70 pray again, nor see the light of the sun
u For more than year she refused to S
% her friends, and sat in darkoncd room.
II The Rev. Hugh Blair, (author of t
y well.known Sermons, and afterwards Pr
fessor of Rhetoric in the University
T Edinburgh then a young man, pecan
: interested in her history, wrote her We
sympathizing letter, and asked leave
, pay her one visit. He found her sitti
~ :. alone on the sofa, by the light of tap
- What passed is not known, further th'
y that he spoke of the wonderful deliveran
- God had vouchSafed to her that aw
y y, night in the vault. She wept much
- Sand now, madam, kneel and join W
me in prayer She did so (; and wi
~ they rose from their knees, he said, "NC
~ madam, l will show you the light of
a. a. SUM-" and he opened the shutters.
n From that day she admitted her frien
n attended the house of God, and beca
10 exemplary for piety and submission.
is not surprising that, to the close of
life, shade of melancholy tinged
=. ,nJ bo ,roe ,,nu,;ll;n