The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-11-12

the 23d. She persuaded her landlady,
Mrs. Mills, ana Mrs. Morgan, friend
of her confidential servant, the latter
being not unlike Lord Nithsdale, in
shape and stature, to go with her to the
tower to pass for him. Mrs. Morgan.
by Lady Ms direction, put under her
riding-hood another of the same kind.
On arriving, Lady Nithsdale was, as
usual, allowed to take only one person
in with her at time. She took Mrs.
Morgan, and when they had reached
the prisoners room made her leave the
riding-hood and conducted her out,
saying aloud: "Pray do me the kind
ness to send my maid to me that may
be dressed, else ! should be too late
with my petition, having previously
remarked audibly that she was going
to present a separate petition Of her
own to the king. Mrs. Mills was then
brought in, the countess bidding her
hold her handkerchief to her face as
though in tears. desiring that the earl
should 60 out in the same manner, thus
concea';ng his countenance. She next
disguised her husband, doubling over
with white paint his long beard, which
there was not time enough to shave,
tinting his cheeks red and his eyebrows
yellow, to resemble those Of Mrs. Mills,
and putting londe tresses on his head,
Mrs. Mills then put on the riding
hood which Mrs. Morgan had brought,
and one Of Lady Nithsdales petticoats
furnished concealment for the lower
port of the prisoners person. These
preparations having been completed,
Lady Nithsdale led out the real Mrs.
Mills, wearing the Morgan hood.
saying aloud, Dear Miss Catherine go
in all haste and look for my woman
Evans, for she certainly does not know
what 0 clock it is, and has forgotten the
petition I am TO give" The ante-room
was full of the wives and daughters Of
the guards, who, plying the countess.
made way for her companion. The SEN
tinel at the outer door opened it prompt
ly, and Mrs. Mills went out. Lady
Nithsdale waited until it was nearly
dark, and the time for lighting candles
had about arrived, when she went out
Of the room, holding by the hand
the pretended Mrs. Mills, who seemed
to be weeping, while her lady be-
walled the non.arrival of her maid.
go, dear Mrs. Betty she said.
''run and bring her with you; you
know my lodgings, and if ever you
made haste in your life, do it Eow.
The guards who were no doubt gentle
minded over the presents Of the day
before, opened the doors without the
least suspicion, and both went out;
the countess keeping carefully behind
her husband, so that his awkward gait
might not be Observed. She continu-
ally cried out to him to make all posi-
BILE haste in sending Evans, whom they
found waiting outside. When they
reached the open space outside the
tower, the earl was so nervous that all
would have been lost but for Evans.
who conducted him to his hiding-place.
On delivering her casket into safe
hands, Lady Nshsdale returned to the
tower, and, entering her husbands
room, pretended to converse with him,
talking loud and occasionally initiating
his voice. This she did until she
thought him safe from pursuit. when,
with the door half open, she affected to
bid him goodnight. Before shutting it
she drew to the inside little string
which fastened it SO that it could not
be easily opened from the snte-roem.
This being accomplished she told the
earl's valet, who was not in the secret.
that his master would call for candles
when he wanted them. which would be
be Immediately, and left the tower.
1t does not lie within our design to
rccaptulate how Lord Nithsdale was
con called in friendly house for some
days, and finally made mis- escape from
the kingdom disguised as liver.ed SER
want of the Venetian am bassador, who
was returning home. Lady Nithsdaie.
who vas arrested, followed him III a
few days, and met him in France. l hey
both survived this daring ami Skillfully
conducted adventure many years, the
earl dying at Rome in l144. and lis de-.
voted wife living until 1851. Il was no.
ticed by some writers that the escape
Of Count Lavalette from the concier-
gerie at Paris in 1915 was not unlike
that Of Lord Nithsdale as he walked
out Of prison leaning on his daughter :
arm and clad in his wife's dress. hold.
ing handkerchief to his face. The
plan was more clumsy, however. than
Lady Nithsdale's. for the Countess
Lavalette remained in her husband 5
cell and was kept in the closest cap
tivity for six weeks by ,he enraged
authorities. Certainly the annals Of
history do not contain the record Of a
sharper or better played trick than
that Of the Jacobite countess.