The Portland daily press., 1896-03-07

To the unrestricted but unprecedented
layman it appears that these two instano-
es deserve attention. In the latter there
might be difficulty. An ancient Afrikan-
der would not readily submit anything
that is his to analysis. but "there could
be no harm in trying" AS for the form
err, Mr.. Froehnert made present of his
little balls TO Frank auckland, who Gin
tended" to hestow them on the College
of Surgeons, and did so in all probability.
Has any notice been taken of them? Doc
tors are very busy mon, but some official
OF the college nj ght spare few moments
to investiga very curious assertion
But has tho "Lse Penny" ever been an
slyzeo? II was still TN honored posses
sion OF the Lockharts of Lee few years
ago, and is to this day. we trust. The
legend, of course, is romantic Simon
Locard of Lee carried the Bruce's heart
for Douglas on his memorable expedition;
we have the deed by which Q mortgaged
his lands to the Prior Of Ayr for the sum
OF 10 pounds in 1323-to pay for his oru-
sadeiing outfit doubtless. The heart
was lost, and Douglas persisted; but IN
the disaster, as the story goes, Simon
was lucky enough to overthrow Moor
ish Prince and carry him off. Tho Prin-
cess came shortly with q ransom; In pay.
ing it she let fall stone from her bosom,
and the shrewd Scotsman insisted that
this should be "thrown in" Bitter was
the DANES protest, but when it proved
useless, she explained the virtues of the
talisman. It was-and is-as tone of ir,
regular shape. half an inch across, dark
rad in color, set in q coin; but at tn
present time this is fiat piece of silv.f.
which may be a, shilling Of Edward l.
If so, Looard himself must have had it
mounted on returning homo. So much
for the story.
Evidence first appears in 1929, ct the
trial of Isabel Grey for witohoraft. Her
cattle were routing" badly, and she
begged loan of the penny" which
was refused. But Lady Lee sent water
in which it had been dipped, and the
cattle ceased to rout forthwith. We do not
know what routing may be, hut the
stone was commonly used for hydro
phobia. All present at the trial were
familiar with 1t evidently, and we learn
that people sent for water in which it
had been stepped from all parts of Scot
land, and even from Yorkshire There
are several illusions afterwards until the
great case of Lady Baird commanded the
attention of the kirk. She was actually
in paroxysTs Of hydrophobia when her
servants returned with supply Of the
water; he drank, bathed, and recovered.
This was in 1860 Thereupon the Synod
OF Glasgow indicted Sir James Lookbart
of Lee for witohcraft, but after DELHI era
ton it was resolved not to issue process
Instead, the snyod "admonished the saidAl
Laird of Lee in the using Of the said
stone to take heed it be used hereafter
with the least scandal that may possibly
be-" Now. a mighty effort of faith is
Necessary to believe that half an inch of
any substance would retain its vigor for
centuries when STEPPED continually in SO
much water that lady could battle
therein. This is not like the regular
'snake-stones, which might keep their
virtue for ever Upon the other hand-as
Huxley. the most stawart of unbeIievers,
used to demonstrations ancestors were
not fools, and hydrophobia is scarcely to
be cured by imagination. For curiosity's
sake alone scientific examination of the
LEE Penny'' is to be desired.