The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-09-25
THE HEART OF MONTR0SE
BEQUEATHED BY THE MAR0UI TO
HIS NIECE, LADY NAPIER.

Gruesome Relic of q Valiant Scottish
Hero and how 1t WAS Mysteriously Lost
Little Hope of the Ult innate Recovery of
the Relic, but After tho Lapse OF One
Hundred Years the Heart OF the Graham
Diay Once again Rest on Scottiah Soil.
(From Chambers Journal)
Alas that no one knows where-but
somewhere, certainly-the 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 olo
lady's lumber attic; or, trampled years ago
into the ground Of back garden IN 6ou-
locne. Pierre and little Marie may turn It
nm anv day with their spades. "Qu'est-ce
que c'est donc," this little old, beaten,
-snaped box of steel? Why, Pierre ana
Marie. 1t holds, If you only knew II, tne
dust of a Scottish hero's heart, ana the
case itself was fashioned out OF MS Sooo
steel sword.
Nontrose knew Merchiston Castle, Ed1n-
bursh WE'LL it was, in fact, second nome
to him in his boyhood, for MS sister nai
garet had married Sir Archloaio Napier
when Montrose was p years o!o' am a.io
he spent much of his tie with them. Inc
Napiers had, besides, town mansion
within the precincts Of Holyrood House
hut t6 little Montrose, brought up IN the
country. the o.d castle, with its barns ana
out houses and oranges, was no douot d
more attractive holiday home than duIl
town house in the fashionable Cannongate.
One can fancy the little figure, IN ITS
clothes Of green camlet" or mixed par
gone and "cloak with pasmcnts, wan
dering with his bow and arrows ABOUT tte
parks, or, maybe, escaped from MS "aecu-
ful "pedasog," Master William t'orrett'
imperiling himself. boyIRe, on the oa''.e
u1ents of the castle.
But to get to the story Of the heart one
must leave the life and hasten 10 tne
death Of Moutrose. His sister ana DToth-
er-tn-law had died long before, ana lne
owner Of Merchiston in 1850 was Mont
roses nephew, the second Lord Napier. a
great affection existed between Montrose
and his niece by marriage. Lady Napier
and as a mark Of 1t ne bequeatned 10 heG
his heart-a strange. and, If one must zen
the truth, an embarrassing, legacy; out
looked upon by the lady herself as su-
preme honor and a sacred trust
Montrose was executed at the Market
Cross Of Edinburgh on Tuesday, May z,
1850. The extraordinary composure ana
eallantry Of his bearing are well attesreo.
An unsigned letter in the British Museum
written by spectator while the execution
was actually going on, says: y never sa"
a more sweeter carriage in a man IN all
my life. He is just now turning OH lroH
the ladder; but his countenance changes
not" Another account says: he slepI
along the streets with so great state, SO
much beauty, majesty and gravity as
nd
enemies did acknowledge him to be the
bravest subject in the world, and in him
eallantry that graced all the crowd.
Clothed in fine scarlet richly shammadeo
with golden lace, and linen with hne
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 criminal
After hanging on the giboet Ior three
hours the body was taken down ana the
head was affixed to the To!bootn; the
limbs were dispersed to various places
throughout the kingdom, and the dismem-
hered trunk was enclosed in a little short
chest" and buried on the Boroughmuir.
The Boroughmuir was the usual place OF
execution and burial for the worst crlrni-
mails; Il was place Of evil reputation, III
tie sought during the day and much to De
Stunned by night.
No wonder, then, that some "adventu-
rous spirits were required who would
steal to that grewsone spot, raise the
hastily and none too deeply buried BODY,
and cut from It the heart Of Montrose:
The master of Merchiston was in exile in
Holland: 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, out
felt, with the square OF fine linen a.!
"trtcked with bloody gules?" That same
| square Of linen and the pair Of stockings
of "incarnate" silk showing a still darker
stain have remained ever since among the
| treasured possessions Of the Napair fam
lily.
| Merchiston. It was emoalmeo ana m
| closed In a. little steel case made Of the
blade Of Montrose's sword; the case was
placed in fine gold iligree box which
| had belonged to John Napier, the inven-
tor of logarlthms; and the box in its turn
| was deposited in a 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 t1ol-
| land, and here begins the first part OF its
adventures, of which, unfortunately, no
| record now remains.
For many years the heart was complete
! ly lost sight Of, and any hope of ever re-
gaining it had long been given up, When
| friend of the Napier family recognized the
gold fligree box enclosing the steel case
among a collection Of curiosities IN Aol-
land. He purchased the relic at once and
returned it to Merchiston, at that time
the property of Francis, the fifth Lord
Napier There for a second time the heart
| reposed, but not for long. On the death
Of the fifth Lord Napier it 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 all their
household goods. when their ship, which
formed part of the feet under Commodore
| Johnston, was attacked by French
| frigate, and stiff fight ensued. Mr. john
ston busted himself with four of the guns
| ,.oor tho nuorter deck while mis- wife. who