The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-09-26
(From ChamberS'S JOurnal0


Hundred Years the Heart OF the Graham
May Once Again Ecst on scottish Soil.
(From ChamberS's Journal0
Alas that no one knows where-but
somewhere. certainly-thc heart Of valiant
James Graham. Marquis of Montrose,
awaits the collector of curiosities! Tossed
among bits of armor, old china, bric-a-
brac, in some old curiosity shop in the
north of France: possibly now carried TO
Paris or London, it may lie in some Old
lady's lumber attic; or, trampled years ago
into the ground of back garden in Bou-
logne. Pierre and little Marie may turn it
up any day with their spades. "Qu' est-ce
oue c'est done" this little old. beaten.
egg-shaped box of steel? Why, Pierre and
Marie. it holds. if you only knew it, the
dust of a Scottish hero'S heart, and the
case itself was fashioned out OF his good
steel sword.
Nortrose knew Merchlston Castle, Edin-
burgh well: It was in fact, second nome
to him in his boyhocd. for his sister Mar
garet had married Sir Archibald Napier
when. MontrOsc was 6 It years Old, ana
he spent much Of his tile with them. Inc
Napiers had, besides, town mansion
within the precincts of HOlyrOod House;
country, the Old castle, with its barns and
out houses and oranges. was no doubt q
more attractive holiday home than dull
town house in the fashionable Cannongate
One can fancy the little figure, in It's
clothes Of green camlet" or mixed par
gone" and cloak with pasmcnts. wan
dering with his bow and arrows ABOUT the
parks. or, maybe, escaped from MS watcA-
full 'pedagog," Master William FORFEIT
imperiling himself. boyliKe, on the oa'Iie-
ments of the castle.
But to get to the story of the heart one
must leave the life and hasten to the
death of Montrose. His sister and broth
er-in-law had died long before, ana the
owner of Merchiston in 1860 was Mont
roses nephew, the second Lord Napier. A
great affection existed between Montrose
and his niece by marriage, Lady Napier
and as mark of it he bequeatned TO her
his heart-a strange. and, II one must tell
the truth, an embarrassing. legacy; but
looked upon by the lady herself as su-
preme honor and a sacred trust
Montrose was executed al the Market
Cross of Edinburgh on Tuesday, May q,
1850. The extraordinary composure ana
gallantry of his bearing are well attested.
An unsigned letter in the British Museum
written by a spectator while the execution
was actually going on, says: Il never saw
q more sweeter carriage in man In all
my life. He Is just now turning OH from
the ladder: but his countenance changes
not" Another account says: He slept
along the streets with so great state, so
much beauty. majesty and gravity as
amazed the beholders And many of his
enemies did acknowledge him to be the
bravest subject in the world, and In him
gallantry that graced all the crowd.
Clothed in fine scarlet richly shammaded
with golden lace. and linen with fine
pearling about. his delicate white gloves
in his hand his stockings Of incarnate
silk. his shoes with their ribbons on his
feet" his dress was more becoming
bridegroom than a criminal
After hanging on the gibbet for three
hours the body was taken down and the
head was affixed to the Tolbooth; the
limbs were dispersed to various places
throughout the Kingdom, and the dlsmem-
bered trunk was enclosed in little snort
chest" and buried on the Boroughmuir.
The Boroughmuir was the usual place OF
execution and burial for the worst crimi-
nals 1t was place Of evil reputation lit
tie sought during the day and much to be
Stunned by night.
No wonder, then, that some "adventu-
rous ss5sl.s...--ansaa.lzsaszzfe fedawWss
steal to that grewsome spot, raise the
hastily and none too deeply buried body,
and cut from 1t the heart Of Montrose.
The master Of Merchiston was in exile In
Holand IL was Lady Napier alone who
planned the night excursion and saw 1t
carried out Did her heart fair her that
May night, waiting at the foot OF the tur-
ret stair until her messengers, returning.
put in her hands something not seen, but
felt. with the square Of fine linen all
"tricked with bloody gules?" That same
nd 10 fr n ctnnEinpS
of '.incarnate" silk showing still darker
stain have remained ever since among the
treasured possessions of the Napair FAM
ily.
For a time, then, the heart was safe at
Merchiston. 1t was embalmed and in
closed In a little steel case made OF the
blade of Montroses sword; the case was
placed in a fine gold filigree box which
had belonged TO John Napier, the inven-
tor of logarithms; and the box in its turn
was deposited in silver urn.
Before very long, however, Lady Napier
dispatched the casket by some faithful
hand to the young Marquis of Montrose,
who, with Lord Napier and others of the
connection. was still living in exile in Hol-
land. and here begins the first part of its
adventures, of which, unfortunately, no
record now remains.
For many years the heart was complete
~ lost Signt OF, ana any nope VI ever re-
gaining ii had long been given up. when
friend Of the Napier family recognized the
gold fillgree box enclosing :he steel case
among a collection of curioS!.ieS In Hol-
land. He purchased the relic at once and
returned ii to MerChston, at that time
the property of Francis, the fifth Lord
Napier. There for n second time the heart
reposed. but not for long. On the death
of the fifth Lord Napier 1t passed into the
keeping Of his only surviving daughter,
Hester, afterward Mrs Johnston.
Some years after her marriage Mrs john
ston was on a voyage to India with her
husband, her little son, and I'll their
household goods. when their ship, which
formed part of the fleet under Commodore
Johnston. was attacked by French
frIgate, and n stiff fight ensued. Mr. John
ston busted himself with four Of the guns
upon the quarter deck. while his wife. who
had refused to so below. remained beside
him, herpically obstinate figure, holding
by the one hand her little boy, and in the
other a thick velvet reticule. into which