, 1864-06-27
NO. 90.

afterwards, however, feeling himself getting
much worse, he not only allowed, but de-
sired that surgeon should be sent for.
One was Immediately procured. On nexam-
lining the wound, be inquired Of Davidson
how he had met with it. He was told, in
reply, the same story which We have Just
related. =
"That cannot be true, p said the surgeon.
" Your wodnd has not been inflicted BY
splinter of wood, but by a sharp three-e6Sed
instrument. Il clean wound, and has
all the appearance Of having been inflicted
| with bayoret Of somk such weapon. In.
deed, I feel quite assured Of this, whatever
may be your motives for cOnceaing it" .
Davidson repeated his asseyerations Of
having come by his injury By falling on
pointed piece Of wood.
"Well, well, sir, my Business is not how
or by what means your wound has been in
flicted but how il is to be cured? During
this time he was examining the injury)
" But l fear" he added, " it is beyond my
skill, or that of any other human being.
Your wound, I have every reason to think,
is mortal" .e. ~. Nj.
"Doyou think soY said the patient with
great ealmness and composure.
al certainly d." replied the surgeon,
and think il is my duty to tell you that
if yOu have any worldly affairs TO settle,
the sooner that you set about it the bet
ter"
The patient made no reply for some time,
but seemed absorbed inthOught. Atlength
he said 49,.
"Could you, sir, procure me a visit from
elergymanf know none myself, and y
may be Of consequence that l should see
one. l have something Of importance to
communicate"
The surgeon readily undertook to bring
such person as the dying man desired to
see. and Immediately departed for that pur-.
pose, having previously promised, at the
earnest request of the sufferer himself, that
he would return along him.
al wish to have you both together" he
said" it will be better that there are two.
In less than half an hour after; the sur
geon returned with one Of the clefgymen
of the city. The moment they entered,
Davidson requested the former to, shut the
door, and to see that It was properly secured,
This done, he requested them to draw near
him, when he began, in low. voice, the
astounding confession that It was he who
had attempted to break into the house Of
his hieces, and that il was he whom the
soldier had stabbed on that occasion. All
this, indeed, the surgeon had previously
snspected--for he lad heard Of the, a.
tempted robbery, and Of one Of the ruAfans
having been stabbed with bayoaet BY q
soldier, but did not, till now, know anything
Of the relationship Of the parties. Thus
much the dying man confessed; but he
would not say, though pressed to tell, who
was his associate in the crime. This per-
son, however, was subsequently ascertal1ed,
beyond all doubt, 70 have been his son, g
he never came home, nor was ever afler-
wards seen or heard Of BY yany one who knew
him. Having made this confession, the
wretched man expired, and that even be-
fore one single word Of intercessiOn could
be offered up in his behalf by the attend.
ing clergyman.
Having brought this incident to a close,
we return to the two sisters, who were now
residing Withtheirfathef' shiend, anderson.
This worthy man now took an active inter
est in their affairs; aud, approving Of their
original intention Of removing to Glasgow,
did all he could to further their views in
this respect, by selling off the cattle, farm
ing utensils, &C., and stock Of every kind!
Some days after their settlement in Glas-
gov, their friend Anderson called on them,
and remarked, in the course Of conversation
with them, that he thought, now that they
were all snug and safe, something ought To-
be done for the soldier, to whom they owed
not only great part Of their little fortune,
but, in all probability, their lives. At this
moment the young soldier entered. During
the conversation that followed, Mr.. Andero
son discovered that the young man would
willingly be quit Of the army. This dis
covery he kept in recollection; and, when
the soldier left them, he proposed to the.
sisters to purchase his discharge, and to do
so without his Knowledge; This was ae-
cordingly done on the very next day; and
in three weeks afterwards, Henry Johnston
(Which was the young soldiers name( and
Jane Edmonstone were united in the bands
Of holy wedlock. The former, whose dis
like Of the army, it itsubsequently appeared
applied only to its subordinate situation:
more definitely speaking, to the c6hditiof
of private soon after purchased q leu
tenants commission with part of his wife'S
money, and finally died lieutehant-cOlcnel,
leaving behind him the reputation Of agood
man aud gallant soldier.
Try this, some of you: Fasten = nail