The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1874-09-03
Watching The Dead.

Watching The Dead.
A gentleman now living IN Edinburg, bat
formerly resident Of the Highlands, and
well yersed in its super.titicns and folk
lore, sends the Inverness CoLTter the fol-
lowing notes from his commonplace book
on the curious belief Of the Higblanders in
"Faire Chlaidh, or watching the dead.
an many parts Of the Highlands it Is
believed to this day that the last person
buried has to perform the Gtty Of sentinel
over the churchyarI, and that to him the
guartianship Of the spirits of those buried
before is in some degree committed. This
post he must occupy until tenant Of the
tomb releases him. 1t il not esteemed an
e1yiable position, but ore to be escaped if
possible; consequently if two neighbors die
90 the same day the surviving relations
make great efforts to be first in closing the
grave ever their friend. | remember an
old nurse, who was mourning the death Of
a sweet girl whom sic had reared, eyclaim-
ing with joy, when che heard, on the day
after he- funeral Of the death Ct a parishiCr-
er: j thank God my dear darling will
have 10 watch tie grave no longer, 4
lulicrous but striking. Illustration Of this
strange notion occurred some years ago in
the parish Of A. An old man and an
CID woman, dwelling ia the same township,
but not on terms Of friendship for the lady,
Kate 1tuadh, vas more noted for antirathy
than observation-disclosures both at the point
81 death. The good mans friends began
to clip his nails, an Office always performed
just as a persCn is dying. lie, knowing
that his amiablc ncighlor was, Ike himself,
on tbs verge Of the grave, reused himself to
last effort and exclaimed; stop, stop:
y,u knew not what use ! may have for all
my nails in compelling Kate Ruadh to k ep
Fare Chlaidh in place Of dom. it myself
la the statistical account IF Scotland, XIV,
30, Parishes Of Kilfnichcn and Kilviccucn,
County Of Argyll, We read: "The inhabi-
tants arc by no means superstitious, yet
they still retain some opinions banded down
By their ancestors, perhaps from the time
OF the Dru:ds. 1t is believed by them that
the spirit Of the last Ferson buried watches
round the churchyard till another is buried,
to whom lie delivers his charge" In the
same work, XXI, ia, it is said: ain one
division Of .he country. where it is believed
that the ghost Of the person last buried
KEEP, the gate OF the churchyard till relieved
by The next victim Of death, q singular
scene occurred when two burials were TO
take place on the same day. Both parties
staggered forward as fast as POSSIBLE, to
consign their respective friend in the first
place to the dust. If they met at the
gate, the dead were thrown down mt !
the living decided by blows whose ghost
should be condemned to porter it." 1t
was the duty Of the spirit OF he last per
son inferred to stand sentry 1T the rave
yard gate from sunset until the growing
Of the cock every night until regularly
relieved. This, sometimes, 10 thinly in
habltcd parts Of the country, happened
J to be a tedious and severe duty, and the
duration of the 'Faire IChlaidh" gave the
dcccascd's surviving friends more uneasi.
ness. About thirty years ago l7gD a
young man had an interview With the
xu2st If neigIIbor's wife while she watch
ed a! TIE gate OF u,,. Laggan churchyarI.
She was clothed in comfortable mantle
Of snow-whitc flannel, adorned with red
crosses, and appeared now, though very
Old woman at her icceasc, 10 the full bloom
. Of youth and beauty. She told hi.n that
she enjoyed the felicity of Flathinnis, and
they exchanged snuff mulis. She dire tied
him to a hidden treasure, and desired TIA,
il might be aGdcd to The fortune of her
daughter, who, she said, was to be MARI ed
on certain day, which she named, and
strange to say, though tn, girl was not
then cOurted, she became wife on the
day iUretuld.