The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-09-02

to him flash Of satisfaction that he had
| ba!ilcd all the curious. intrusive disturb
crs of his peace. In the expressive lang
uage of Shakespeare, che &. II and made
no sign"
Often during his life in the village he
would come from tho postoifcc holding
| a letter in his hand and remark, ''This
is from my lady friend in Edinburgh"
When he had passed away, Mrs. Hun
tington, with rare good taste and pa
thc,ic kindness, wrote letter dcscrlb
inc his last moments. She addressed it
to "Mr. Walacc's Lady Friend, Edin
bursh," and sent it through the chain of
banks through which the old man S
money had come. In due time a reply
arrived cold, formal, unsympathctlc'
1t was signed "Nlr. Wallacc's Lady
Friend"
"Who was Mr.. Wallace:" see the
question in your eyes. went to East:
hampton in the autumn Of 1873, aud
did nv best to find out. talked with
Mrs. Huntington and Mrs. Cornclia
Huntington (author Of a charming ut.
tie monograph ancnt Easthampton and
its ways in days gone by, called "sca
SprayD, and l should count pilgrim
age fruitful which gave me the pleasure
of their acquaintance. found them at
the time Of my last visit enjoying q
green old agc. loved and respected by
all. They told me much of great inter
est about Mr.. Wallace, and among other
things they spoke of finding copies of
his accounts (of charities in his native
land) with the headings torn off. One
mad been carclessly torn, and on 1t
found a name. | sent this name
with a mass of notes to my late
accomplished friend Robert Mackcn.
zic, ESQ, of Dundee, Scotland, author of
"a History of the Nineteenth Century, "
and other interesting works. In a few
weeks he wrote ME that he was ION the
trail" In a few weeks more he sent inc
what he properly called "a very tantallz-
ing letter. Said he, 81 know the mys-
terry to the very bottom, butt may not
tell you!'
Not little disappointed. l communi.
Gated this information to circle OF
equally disappointed friends. One Of
them, a distinguished divine. told me
that lit made his flesh creep like one Of
Wilkie Collins stories" Then went to
Scotland? No-to Colorado, of all places
in the world, and at the foot of Pike 3
Peak, in the summer of 1879, I found
out all about the poor exile. AS living
persons are concerned in the manner of
my discovery, may not rightly publish
the details thereof; but they are among
the strangest happenings of my life:
Suffice it to say that on.my return held
all the clews, proofs, and facts in my
hands, and that only now am | per-
mittcd to tell the truth about John Wal.
lace.
Perhaps some OF YOU know how dis.
tinguished and important judicial Off
Ger is the high sheriff of q great Scotch
county. Such distinguished and i'm
portant officer was, 1910, Sheriff W,
resident in Edinburgh. lie was a
bachelor of fifty years Of age. He
was famed for his bcnevolence and
his good works. lie was the friend
of the poor, the widow, and the
orphan. His services to the state had
earned him a public testimonial. He
had "honor, love, obedience, troops
of friends lie was founder and ar
dent supporter Of Sunday.schools. Peo-
pie focked from cultured Edinburgh
homes to hear his weekly addresses to
the children.
One day, at the height of his fame,
there was made against him the subtle
charge of grave and mysterious crime.
At o'clock j. the evening the lord high
advocate went to mutual friend.
$50 to Sheriff w. at once" said
he, in sad and measured tones, land tell
him that when 60 to my office at 10
o'clock tomorrow morning warrant
will issue for his arrest"
That night Sheriff W. died out OF
Scotland. lie had just time to say to a
friend that he was not guilty of more
than an indiscrction, but that he could
not face even the shame OF that.
His disappearance is mourncd in EdIn.-
burgh after all these long years. and
tears come to the eyes of old friends
when it is mentioned. The man who so
patiently bore the long crucitixion of a
self-imposcd exile, the man who endured
the pcnnancc Of thirty one years among
strangers in strange land, the man who
read the beautiful service in the little
Easthampton church. was no John Wal
lace. Under the white marble tablet in
the old Easthamp,on cemetery sleeps the
scholar, the great jurist, the courtly gen.
tleman, the humble Christian Sheriff
W-.-A. 4. Hayes, IL Hvl'er's Maya