The workingman's advocate., 1869-02-13
TALES OF THE BORDERS.
THE DISASTERS CT
HNNY ARMST RONG.
BT ALExAErER CAMPBELL.


4" Gracious Heaven, if there is not Johnny
Armstrong Or is it his ghost -
"No ghost at all, we warrant you" SAID
we "ghosts DO not generally wear grear
coats and red comforters. But who 10 al
the world is Johnny Armstrong
"Johhny Armstrong" replied our friend
greatly excited, "is q person, a particular
acquaintance of mine, who has been missing
these six weeks; aud who was supposed
by every body who knew him, 10 have per
ishtd by some accident or other, but Of what
nature could never be aseertained, On his
way to Brechin, where be had gone to visit
some relations"
We felt interested in Johnny, by this briet
sketch of his mysterious story and, not a
\ little curious to know where on earth he
could possibly have been all the time, we
readily closed with our friends proposal to
run round to the birth for which we saw the
vessel was making, and to await bis coming
on shore.
"But bow, in all the world" said our
4 friend, commnning with himsel during this
! interval, 4" has he got into vessel from
l Rotterdam lie could not have been there,
surely It's impossible"
| AS to this we could say nothing, rot know
! ing at the time anything at all of Johnny S
adventures but of these we were not now
long Kept in ignorance. Oh hi stepping on
shore, our friend seized him ioyously by the
hand, and expressed great satisfaction at see
ing him again This satisfaction appeared 10
be mutual; for Johnny returned his friend S
grasp with great cordiality and warmth.
The first salutati0ns over
9 But where on an the earth, Mr.. Arm
o,r criar1 hova tor ha.,, g.
these three months back ?"
johnny smiled, and said it was " over
lang tale" 10 til where we then Tcre Z;
but as be meant to stop either in Leith or
Edinburgh for the night, it being pretty
far in the evening, if my friend Id would
adjourn with him to some resp BILE house,
where he could get nights 'uarters, he
would give us the whole story his adven-
lures. With this proposal wcrrl lily closed !;
ana on Johnny asking ii we a point out
such a house a. / e alluded TO, ~ at once
named the New Ship Tavern. Thither we
accordingly repaired; and, in less than two
hours thereafter, We were put good reader in
possession, BY Johnny himself, Of that part
Of his story to which the preceding pages
have been devoted. What follOws-for
Johnny's misfortunes had not vet termina.
ted-we learned afterwards from another
quarter.
On the next day-we n an tie day sue
cetcing The evening We sptnt with Johnny
The latter proceeded 10 Edinburgh, with
the view Of taking coach there for Carlisle.
Bot, in making his way up Catherine street,
and when precisely opposite No. IL Calton
street-we like to be partieular-Johnny
found himself suddenly accosted by one Of
his oldest and most intimate friends. This
was Mr.. James Stevenson, fellow-tovns-
man and fellow shopkeeper Of his own.
The astoaishment Of the latter, on meet
ing with johnny, and, indeed, Of finding
hin at all in the land Of the livil z, was very
great and he sufficiently expressed this
feeling by the lively and highly excited
manner IN which he addressed him.
Having put the usual queries, with that
air Of intense interest which they naturally
e-.cted, as TO where Johnny had been, what
be had been about, &c. &c and having OBJ
tai3ed brief sketch Of his adventures, with
.he promise of fuller one afterwards, Mr.
Stevenson, in reply, asked Johnny what
course he was DOW steering.
"Houe, to be sure" said Johnny, with q
smile. "It's time moo, | think Pm just
sac far on my way to TAX DOT q ticket .oT
the COACH
"Ye medina do that unless ye like" re-
piled Johnny's friend. Ye may save your
siller, aud no be abuns an hour LANCER tar
rie1, BY takin' a seat wi me in the gig hae
in WI me. I'm sure Ye'rc welcome, and I'll
be blythe O. your company"
= Hae ye a gig in wi'yef' said Johnny,
looking pleased by the intelligence.
"'Deed hae ], Mr.. Armstrong, and yen
Just clink down beside me inf"
Ill do that WI great thankful ness" re-
Piled Johnny, "and muckle obleegcd by the
offer.
The friends now walked away, arm 10 arm
together and in about two hours after
wards-Mr. Stevenson having, in the mean
time, dispatched what business he had to
do in the city-they were both seated in the
gig, and bring it on merrily toward Car
isle.
Neither Mr.. Stevenson nor Johnny how
ever, were great whips-a deficiency which
was bY no means eompensa ed for by the
circumstance Of their having rather spir-
lied horse, although bliud OF an eve. He
was, in truth, very troublesome animal /;
boggling and snyIng at everything that pre-.
sented itself to bis solitary optic. Notwith-
standing this, the travellers got on very well
for time, and we're whirling over the ground
at rapid rate, when an unlucky cart Of hay
came 10 their way at n narrow turn in the
road. How this simple occurrence should
have operated so unfavorably Us II did for
them, we shall explain.
A cart Of hay is not q very alarming OBJ
ject to rational creatures like ourselves, but
10 the one-eyed horse Of the travellers ii al.
peared very serious affair; for it had no
sooner presented itself to his solitary organ
OF vision than he pricked up. bis ears, snort
ed fuFiously, and began to exhibit suudry
other symptoms Of disquietude. BY dint,
however Of some well-directed punishment
from Jamie Stevenson's whip, which johnny
increased by an energetic application Of his
stiok, the restive animal was brought up
TO the wagon Of hay; but, for some tune.
the Inducements just mentioned failed 10
prevail on him to pass It.
At length, however, Johnny having added
greatly to the vigor Of his blows With the
stick, and bis nesghbcr to that Of the strokes
with the whip, the horse did pass the wagon
and that with vengeance. Taking heart,
or rather becoming desperate be bolted past
1t with the rapidsty Of q cannon shot and