The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-08-16
Good Morrow. Pretty Maid

OACC Oii q SllhS, va a ShLihASi
morning, three regiments of soldiers
marched through an old burgh town,
known to its inhabitants as emphat.
ically "the town." one of those
towns, like blue white oysters hang.
ing from brown and green sea-weed,
which fringe the coat of the firth
known in its young days as Scotland
Water. The town WAS not dilapi-
dated then. 1t was the resort OF
shippers gently born, who did lit
tie in the privateering business, and
left their mark in the shape of two
storied wind-swept, sea-washed hous-
es, with back doors and main door,
a coping above the last, and square
stone above the coping, bearing an
anchor or a coat of arms, or two
pairs of iDitials,-those of husband
and wife,-united in stone if disu-
nited in flesh.
The two had its population, but
what the soldiers saw of them con-
sisted solely of women, unless chill
dren, dogs, hens, and ducks be taken
into account. Not women IN their
normal state either, running out, fine
or slatternly, rejoicing in the sight
of the red coats, blessing the bonnie
face of the Southern; but lowering
women, scowling and scolding, and
where they could not scowi and
scold, sore hearted and wet-eyed.-
When they held up their children, it
was not to laugh and crow to the
strangers, but to threaten them
Look at them, bairn; ken them
again; and if your father falls, laddie,
grow a man and be their deaths. -
The old skipper town, hating the
Union, and loving its former privl-
leges in malt and salt trade with
Holland, was Jacobite to the heart 8
core and these were soldiers of Cum
beland, whom Englishmen called
Bluff Bill, and Scotchmen, the Butch
er. The townsman were away with
the Jacobite leaders; the women were
left behind to witness the desolation
and degradation of town as the Han
overian troops crossed the ferry,
ouartered themselves on their enc
mics, or marched in pursuit of ''Char-
lie and his men," to wait for news of
encounters and engagements, to sigh
for the return of their men folk
And the echo Of the women's sighs
soughs still on the bleak Scotch
breezes, among the swaying thistles
and nodding bluebells In snaches OF
old songs: go! send Lewie Gordon
hame," "a would be night again, gin
Jamie were come back"
A strange, deserted, sad, sullen
world these English gentlemen, yeo-
men and grooms passed through In
the hostile districts, like crossing
Styx, and wandering among the
shades of the dead, as to the Hess
ians the Northern pass appeared the
mouth of hell; but they were mostly
practical men, thinking OF the glorles
of Bath in the season, or the com
forts of country houses, OF shot and
shoulder belts, OF boots and tops and
aching limbs within them, of grudged
nights quarters and 'sweer' kali and
porridge, or, if their imaginations
were given to excursions, Of hillside
ambushes and the slogan of Highland
savages.
The bitter jibes and muttered
curses of the women fell on the sol
diers like small stones on coats OF
mail; they were not WORTH resenting,
so long as a war of words was all
which the viragos ventured to wage.
Yet they were strong women these
Scotch wenches-some of them the
terror of the yellow harvest field in
their snoods or curches, or the randy
fishwives OF the white sandy shore.
Most of them had drunk in Scripture
with their Scotch blood and their
mothers milk, and were well read
in the stories of Jael and Sisera, and
the mother of Israel, who threw
down piece of milestone on the head
of Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal;
and the red coats had need to march
warily through the steep narrow
streets of the town.
A few of the spectators were OF
higher rank and gentler breedin g
but not of opposite faith; these were
at the windows, expressing theil
wrath by silent, stately scorn. One
young woman of this class filled :
narrow window with her hoop ano
her ruffies; while at the other window
of the same tall, gray house, womer
and children, ladies and servants
clustered and hung by each othel
like frightened pigeons or sheep bu'
the girl set herself forth alone as
mark for the carbines should there
be skirmishing in the streets, or vol
Ileys of iusolent triumph, In voluntary
testimony, knitting her smooth brow
and setting her white teeth, TO ne
hatred OF the Wings She hat
thrown the window up and leant OF
tha sill, and there framed BY tni