The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-09-26
GRIZEL COCHRANE.


destructive doom seemed to have hung over q
the house of Campbell, uniting in a COM
mon ruin all who Joined their fortunes to
the cause of its chief. Sir John Cochrane
was no exception. He was surrounded by
the kings troops, and after long and des-
perate resistance he was taken prisoner and
was tried and condemned to die upon the
lscaffold He had but few days to live,
and his jailer awaited only the arrival of
the death warrant to lead him to execution.
His friends had visited him and exchanged
the last farewells-all but one. His daugh-
ter Grizel, the pride of his house, his dear
est treasure, she alone had not come to re-
ceive his last blessingl
| Night had fallen on the prison, and the
father sat with his head pressed against the
cold, damp walls of his cell, longing for a
last look of his favorite child, when the
door opened, and the keeper entered, fol-
lowed by young and beautiful girl. Her
y person wns tall and commanding, her eyes |
dark bright and fearless with sorrow too
deep to be wept away. The unhappy pris
loner raised his head. MY child my own |
=. IGrizelf' he exclaimed as he pressed her to
his heart.
: my fatherl my dear fatherp' sobbed the
miserable maiden.
your interview must be short, very
4 short" said the jailer as he closed the
door and left them together.
,I Heaven help and comfort thee, my pre-
! cious chidw said Sir John. II had feared
d that should die without bestowing my
blessing on the head of my daughter, and
1 that stung me more than DEATH but thou
art come, my love--tbou art come-and the
t last blessing of thy wretched father'----
Nay, father, forbearl' she exclaimed.
o Not thy last blessingl not thy lasti My
i father shall not dic"
BE calm, be calm, my child" he said.
Would to heaven that | could comfort
thee, my ownl but there is no hope. With
e in three days thou and all my little ones
u will be- Fatherless he would have said,
:, but the word died upon his lips.
Three days" she repeated, raising her
"a head from his breast, but eagerly pressing
I his hand "Three duysl Then there is hope
70 my father shall live. Is not my grand
father the friend Of Father Petre, the CON
ip fessor and master of the king? From him
n he shall beg the life of his son, and my
father shall not die"
oil NAY, nay, my Grizcl," he returned, "be
le not deceived; there is no hope. Already my
Il. doom is sealed. Already the king has
signed the order for my execution, and the
OF messenger Of death is now on his way"
r. yet my father shall not-shall not diel''
II she repeated emphatically, and clasring
" her hands, Heaven speed daughters pnr-
poser' she exclaimed, and turning to her
~ father she said calmly, I'VE part now, but
OF, we shall meet again"
a what do you mean, my child?" he in
ST quired eagerly, gazing anxiously on hei
face.
Ask not now" she replied, my father
70 ask not now. Pray for me and bless me
ID but not with thy last blessing"
;, He again pressed her to his heart and
~ wept upon her neck. In q few moments
y, the taller entered, md tho door was closed
II, between the father and daughter.
Ia On the evening of the second day aftei
Il this interview, Il wayfaring man crossed
- the drawbridge at Berwick from the north
y and proceeding along Marygate sat dow
~ to rest upon bench, by the door Of an inI
~, on the south side Of the street, nearly front
hi ing the spot where what was called tn
,el ''main guard" then stood. He did not en-
b ter the inn, for it was above his apparen
OF condition, being that which Oliver Crom
i well had made his headquarters n few year
before and where at n somewhat Garlic
90 period James vi of Scotland had take
ih up his residence when on his way to Eng
en- land.
ca The traveller wore coarse ie.kin, fastene
o round the waist by leathern girdle, an
IN over it a short cloak of plain material II
ce was evidently n young man, but his beavc
!, was drawn down so as almost to concef
fc his features. In one hand he carried
I'M small bundle, and in the other a stat
Having called for a glass Of wine he took
crust of bread from his bundle and aft
resting short time rose to depart. Nigl
eptI was coming on, and n storm was threatcl
eks ing. Tho heavens grew black; the clout
ula rushed from the sea; sudden gusts of wiz
on, mouned through the streets, accompanit
~ 10 by heavy drops of rain, and the face of Il
,av Tweed was troubled
i In Heaven help thee II thou intendest
lieh travel far in such night as this said u
and sentinel at the English gate as the travel
passed him to cross the bridge.
In g few minutes he was upon the VIII
and desolate moor of Tweedmouth, viii,
Il =. for miles presented desert of furze, fe
d st ard stunted heath, with here and there
aud copso of thick brushwood. He slow
st toiled over the steep hill, Drawing t
oo5. storm, which now ragged with the wild'
son. fury The rain fell in torrents, and t
dc de, wind howled like legion of famish
with wolves, hurting it's doeful echoes over t
able heath. Still the stranger pushed onwal
until two or three miles from BerwiC
when, as il unable longer to brave
80. storm, he sought shelter amid some busl
90 by the wayside.
,on Nearly an hour had passed since
: 81 sought this inn. feet refuge, and the dal
GERS ness of the night and the storm had
sen creased together, when the sound of
} W.T. horses feet was heard hurriedly plashi
p' along the road. The rider bent his head
the blast. Suddenly his horse was grasI
by the bride. The rider raised his he
and the stranger stood before him hold
80, pistol to his breast. "Dismountp CIR
rn the stranger sternly.
nnk The horsemRn, benumbed and
Mar stricken, made an effort to reach his arr
liam but instantly the hand of the robber, q
q Tile ting the bride, grasped the arm of
rider and dragged him to the ground.
fell heavily on his fiee and for sevt
minutes was sensclcss. Tho stran
s YOU, seized the leather bag which contained
, G .,;, mail for the north, and 1ingng it over
,tion shoulder rushed across the heath.
prlitp Early on the following morning the
grehr hahitants OF Berwick were seen hurry
Jams in groups to the spot where the robbery
been committed, but no trace of the rob
could be obtained.
Three days had passed, and Sir j
$ lot. Cochrane still lived. The mail which
|, ~ tanned his death warrant had been robl
inrad| aud before another order for his cxecu
pitll, could be given the lntreesslon OF
re in father, the Earl of Dundonald, with
kings confessor might lie saccessful. I'll
now became he almost constant compal
49, of her father Nearly a fortnight had pa
l. ssi' since the robbery of the mail and prutr
Si6 ed hope in the bosom of tue prisoner
tctlon came more bitter than his first dcsl
1ndon But even that hope, bitter as 1t was,
,okyer ishcd The intcrcesson of his father
been unsuccessful, md a second time
James signed the death warrant. Wi
little more than another day that war
n de- s.rha Iii ~ han,,,,, 10 d,,op, crro,
'disas the captive.