The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-08-14

is courted by the men and his hand, eithe
as a partner in q country dance, or in q loEge
: minuet Of the heart," marriage, is coquet
ted for by the maidens: he, IN tact, possess
es oil the power which superiority of intel
lect bestOws in more popuIOus and pOlishet
societies. But it is by no means the case
as ,s often said, that srdor in the pursuit 0
) violent sports is connected with Ignorance
or mediocrify Of intellect. On the contrary
by far the greater number Of victors at gam Il
Of agility and strength, will be found to pos
Sess degree of mental energy, which is, il
fact, the power that impels them to corpo
real excitement, and is often the secret 0
thCir success over more muscular antago
nIsts Philips Grey, in particular, was
striking instance of this fact. Notwith
standing his passion for athletic sports. b,
had found time, while on the hill side tend
ing bis fox, or 10 the long winter nights, t
make himself well acquainted with tn,
Latin classics. This is bY no means uncom
mon among the Scottish peasantry. Smith
and Black, and Murray, are not singular in.
stances of self-aught scholars; for there i,
scarcs valley IN Scotland in Wh :ch you
Will not hear Of one or more Young men o
this stamp. Philips also played exquisitely
on the violin, and ia that true taste for the
simple Scottish melody which can, perhaps
be nowhere cultivated 80 well as among the
mountains and streams which have fire.
quently inspired them. Many a time, when
you ask the name Of the author " some
sweet ballad which the country girl is breath
ing amongst these hills, the tear will start
into her eye as she answers" Poor Philips
Grey, that met dreadful death at the Grey
Mares Tail" With these admirable quail
ties, Philips unfortunately possessed a mood
Of mind which is often attendant on genius
he was subject to attacks Of the deepest
melancholy. Gay, cheerful, humorous, &C
tive and violent in his sports as be was,
there were periods when the darkest gloom
OveTshadowed his mind, and when his
friends even trembled for his reason II il
said that he fr, quently stated his belief that
be should die dreadful death. Alas | that
this strange preSenument shoul have in.
deed been prophetic | IL is not surprising
that Philips Grey, with his accomplishments,
should have won the heart of a maiden
somewhat above his own degree, and even
gainei the consent of her father to his early
marriage. The old man dwelt at NJ fat iale,
and the night before Philips we idiug day,
he and his younger brother walked over to
his intended father-inl4w's house, in order
to be nearer The church. Tnat night the
yourg shepherd was 10 his gayest humor !;
his bonpy BRIDE was by HI side, and looking
more beautiful tuan ever he sang his Fl nest
songs, played his favorIte tunes, aud com
pIetely bewitche1 his cnmpanions. All on
suddeD, while he was relating some extraor-
binary feat Of strength Ehlch had been Der.
formed BY one Of bis acquaintances, be
stopped in the middle Of The story, and ex-
changed the animation with which he wa
speaking for silence and lock Of the deep
est despair. HIS friends were horror struck
but as he insisted that nothing was the mat
ter with him, and as his younger brother
said he had not been in bed for two nights,
the old maj dismissed tue family, saying
Gang ava to bed, P ,li.ps, my man, and
g-ta sound sleep or II you do lie wauken
4 wee bittIe, its nae great IN alter o Ia its
the last nicht my bonnie Marion III keep ye
lying waukpn for her sake. Wil.'t no, my
bonnie doc ?"
+" d ed, father. l dinha ken" quoth M
riOn, simply, yet archlY aad the party Sc
psrated.
Philips, however, walked down the burn
side, 10 order to Try if the cool arr would
uiS~ipdtc MS 1nAlclN. Dut1 III Spll0 Oh us
,HOTts, q prrsentiment OF some fatal event
gathered strength in hrs mind, and he iuvO-
UNFAIRLY found hlmself revolving the occur
rences Of his past life Il re he found hltle
% condemn, for he had never received an
unkind word from his father, who was now
IN the grave AMI his mOther was wearing
out q green and comfortable ol age beneath
his own roof He had brought up his Voun-
ger brothers, and they w-re now IN a fair
way to succeed in life. He could not help
feeling satisfied at this, yet why peculiarly
at tins time he knew not. Then came the
thought Of his lovelg Marion, and the very
ago Y that at once ruSne1 on his heart had
well nigh choked hun. Inmedlstely, how
ever, tue fear which had hung alb ut hun
seemed t. vanish fur, strange and mysGeT-
IouS as it was, it was NOT sufficiently power
ful to Withstand the flrce OF that Otner hor-
rlble Ima5 5ination. s. he returned to the
house, aud was surprised to hnj himself
considering how little property should be
distributed after his death. When be reach
ed the door, be stopped FIR a moment, over
come with this pertinacity in the Supernatu-
raj influence which seemed exercised over
him; and at length, with gloomy resolution,
ente ed the house. His brother was asleep,
and candle burning on the tab e. He sank
down into lar, and went on with Ills lit
tie ejaculation respecting his will. Al length,
having d cided upon al, these things, AM
baving Fixed upon the churchYar1 Of St.
Aarl'S for his burial place, he arose IRON
Lis char, AMI crossed the room tOwar is b's
brother, intending to convey his wishes to
hun.
The loU tha II - 1f
those beds with sliding doors, 81 common
In Scotland aud hey Ond bun there was
room for Philips to lie down. SOmething
bright seemed cleaning IN the dark recess OF
the bed. lie advanced tne candle, and be-
hold, oh, sight Of horror Ia plate upon
what bore the shape Of GOTTA, bearing the
words" Philips Grey, aged 23." For a
moment he gaze1 stealIly upon il, an was
about to stretch out his hand towards 1t i,
when the lid slowly rose, and he behvld q
mutllated and bloody corpse, the fea ures Of
which were utterly uhdstinguishable,b but
which, by some unearIhly impulse, he in
stantly knew to be his own. Sull ne kept a
calm and unmoved gaze at il, though the biz
drops Of sweat stood on his brow with the
agony Of his feelings and, while he wa,
thus contemplating the dreadful revelation,
it gradually faded away and At length totally
VANISHED. The power which had upheld
hIm seemed TO depart along with the p0an-
tom bis sight failed hun, and he fell on tue
Il IOr.
Presently be recovered, and found him
self in BET, with his brother by his side,
chafng his temples. H. explained every
thing that had occurred, seemed Calm and
collected, shook ms head wnen his brother
attempt u to explain away the vision, and
finally sank into a tranquil sleep.
Whelher the horrible resemblance OF his
own cofia an1 munlated corpse was in real
ity revealed to him by the agency Of some
Supernatural power, or whether It wat (as
20 ptlcS Wi saw the natural ef'ct OF ILLS
nypOchonjriac state Of mind, producing an
OpIIcAl dec ptIon, we will nor take upon us
\ 70 determine certain, however, it Is, that