Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-02-03
THE BLACK DOUGLAS.

KING EDWARD l. of England nearly
conquered Scotland. They did not have
photographs in those days, but had ex-
pressive and descriptive names for people
Of rank, which answered jus. as well.
SO Edward was known as g Longshanks."
1t was from no lack of spirit or energy
| that he did not quite complete the stub
born work, but he died little too soon.
On his death-bed he called his pretty
| splritless son to Kim and made him
promise to carry on the war; he then or
dered that his body should be boiled in
caldron, and that his bones should be
wrapped up in a bulls hide, and carried
at the head of the army in future cam
paigns against the Scots. After these ana
some other queer requests, death relieved
him Of the hard politics of this world,
and so he went away. Then his son, Ed
ward H., tucked away the belligerent old
Kings bones among the bones of other
old kings in Westminster Abbey, and
spent his time in dissipation among his
favOriJes and allowed the resolute Scots to
recover Scotland.
Good James, Lord Douglas was very
wise man IN his day. He may not have
had long shanks, but he had very long
head, as you shall presently see. He was
one Of the hardest foes with which the
two Edwards had to contend, and his long
head proved quite too powerful for the
second Edward, who, in his single cam
/ Y1a IL, ID
burn nearly all that his father had gained.
The tall Scottish castle of Roxburgh
stood near the border, lifting its grim
turrets above the Teviot and the Tweed.
When the Black Douglas, as Lord James
was called, had recovered castle after cas-
tie from the English, he desired to gain
this stronghold, and determined to accom-
plish his wish
But be knew it could be taken only by
surprise, and a very willy ruse it must be.
He had outwitted the English so many
times that they were sharply On the look
out for him.
How could it be done?
IT'S an old Yule-log story, and you shall
be told.
Near the castle was a gloomy old for
est, called Jedburgh. Here, just as the
first days of spring began to kindle in the
sunrise and sunsets, and warm the frosty
hills, Black Douglas concealed sixty
picked men.
1t was Shrove-tide, and FStens Eve,
Immediately before the great church festi-
val of Lent, was to be celebrated with a
great gush of music and blaze of light and
free offerings of wine in the great hall Of
the castle. The garrison was to have
leave for merry-making and indulgiag in
drunken wassail
The sun had gone down in the red sky,
and the long, deep shadow began to fall
on Jedburgh woods, the river, the hills
and valleys.
An officers widow had retired from the
great hall, where al was preparation for
the merry making, to the high battlements
of the castle, in order to quiet her little
child and put it to rest The sentinel,
from time to time, paced near her. She
began to sing:
Hush ye, Hush ye,
Hush ye, Do not fret ye;
Little pet ye! The Black Douglas
Hush ye, Shall not get yet
She saw some strange objects moving
across the level ground in the distance
They greatly puzzled her. They did not
travel quite like animals, but they seemed
to have four legs.
"What are those queer- looking things
yonder?" she asked of the sentinel, as he
drew near.
They are Farmer Asher's cattle" said
the soldier, straining his eyes to discern
the outlines Of the long figures in the
shadows. The good man is making
merry tonight, and has forgotten to bring
il his oxen; lucky t will be if they do
not fall a prey to the Black Douglas"
So sure was ne that the objects were
cattle that he ceased to watch them longer.
The woman's eye, however, followed
the queer-looking cattle for some time,
until they seemed to disappear under the
outer works of the castle. Then, feeling
quite at ease, she thought she would sing
again. Spring was in the evening air; il
may have made her feel like singing.
Now the name Of the Black Douglas
had become so terrible to the English that
it proved bugbear to the children, who,
when they misbehaved, were told that the
Black Douglas would get them. The lit
tie ditty have quoted must have been
very quieting to good children in th9se
alarming times
So the good woman sang, cheerily:
Hush ye, Hush ye,
Hush ye, Do not fret ye:
Little pet YET The Black Douglas
Hush ye, Shall not get yer