The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-14
CHAPTER, II.
THE COMING OF THE AMAL3K1rE.

j Et7s as5 aCllfAELlllt IL.
TIE COMING OF TIE alAN1ALEt1TE
IT would have been hard to find with
In the civilized worldsnt more miserable
and distracted country than Scotland at
the date OF our history and the West
Country was worst Of all. The Coyenan-
ters, vino were never nycrse to lighting,
had turned upon Clavcrhouse and his
dragons when they came to dispense i
1icldmceting at Drumclog. and had
gathering themselves to a head and.
meeting tile royal forces under the
Duke OF Monmouth ut Boutwell, Bridge,
they had in turn been hopelesssy crush
cd. What remained Of their army was
scattered by tire cavalry, and since tEet
day, with some interludcs. Clnverhouse
Work we" Of dlsperslng iresbyterlan Con-
among the hills. or searching the moss
hays for outlawcd preachers. 1t was q
on the grand scale under the Prince Of
Orange. and had fought in battles
where eighteen thousand men were left
those operations. they were simply po-
lice. work of an 5irksorye and degrading
kind. There were sotdc who said that
Inherent cruelty OF his nature was graft
fed n causing. obstlnatcl Covenantcrs,
who had not taken the OATH to be shot
on the spot, and haling others to prison,
barbnrty. Others believed that being
man of broad mind and chivnlrous tenn
8 per. he absolutely disapprovcd OF the
government policy and loathcd the butcher
work TO which he and Ills troopers were
& set.
Upon one way Of It he was q blood
as IN Sfa an sold PGn s sst
was with neither view. There is no
doubt that, like any otter ambitious COM
mander. he would mnc,, rather have been
'f,rrr nal y Yl6
may be granted that as u brave man he
did not banker to be the cxecutioncr Of
peasants; but he absolutely approved OF
scruple in carrying it out. It was tho
only thing that could be done. and 1t
had better, be done thoroughly;t the , sooner son
the turbulent and irreconctlable Cove
nantcrs were crushed and the country
reduced to peace the better for Scotland.
And 1t must be remembered that, though
they were only fraction OF the nation
the hillmcn were a very resolute and
harassing fraction, and kept the western
Z counties in n state OF turmoil. NO week
passed without some picturesque incident
being added to the annals OF this lament
able religious war. and whether II was an
cscapesor an arrest an attack or de-
feat. the name of Claverhouse was always
rum5rss q his doings. and In every cot
tagc enraged Covenanters spoke OF his
atrocities. No doubt the king had other
aet fyes and ui't the names Of men like Grer.
and that fierce old Muscovite tighter,
General Dalzel were engraved for ever. !,
the Scots people. But there was no SUI
perstition so mad that 1t was not cred,
4 tied to Claverhousc.. and no act so wicked
the hours of day he ranged the country.
amonster thirstIng for the blood OF inno-
cent men. and the house of the evening
4 he spent with his associates IN orgies
worthy OF hell. His horse. famous for
its neetness and beauty. was supposed TO
be an evil spirit and I, as for himself s.,ld
not be shot except BY a silver bullet;
because he was under the protection OF
the Devil. Perhaps It Is! not too much 70
say that during those black syears.Dla Ia'
Of The country folk. little else than {
devil himself. and it was then ne earnet
iniumy, Bloody ,CIayerse. z
Although there were not many houses eils e.
OF Importance III the! west which Graz nan
had not visited during those years., y
happened that he had never been within
Paisley Castle. and that he had never
met any of the family except the earl tant
his aged countess Lady Cochrane ant
tie Coyenanting servants could hav,t
given thumb-nall sketch OF him wni N
would have done for mediaeXal r ,a,.ar
press OF his character which would nav
been SANDER upon Judas $Iscariot. He
heroic ladyshp had, however. never me
Clayerhouse. and she prayed God sh
never would not because she was afrai'
Of him or OF the Devil himself. but, !. PC
ant interview on either side. But It wa
not likely In those times that the Dun
donalds should altogether escape the no
ranging through the country. seekin
whom lie might dcvour, as the Covenant
ers said, should not find himself {, SO. som :,
NJ was known to be well affected. and !
any case did not count. but Lady Coch
rane was dangerous woman; and ne
ting against the government and was a
exile, No one was much surprised whe
tidings came to the castle early on
fa5 ,,,nrnin pr 1 hat Fs ClaVerhOuSc with tW