Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-12-15
A SCOTTISH LEGEND.
The Story OF the Knight With the
White Feather.
TWO COURAGEOUS WeRRloRS.
Heroic Alexander Hume and His Still
More Heroic Fellow Soldier and Pro-
teetor-The Sad Sequel to the Battle
That Was Lost.

/ More Heroic Fellow Soldier and Pro-
teetor-The Sad Sequel to the Battle
That Was Lost.
The heraldic arms of the Scotch
+ Town OF Selkirk show n woman seated
m n tomb. on which Is also placed the
Z Scottish lion. The legend told about
/ The arms is this: King James w. OF
I Scotland. who was about TO invade
England. needed recruits for his enter
prise. The town clerk Of Selkirk. VIII
/ liam Brydone. tried his best to aid his
/ king by persuading his fellow country
men TO enlist In the royal cause. So
+ earnest was he that he is said 10 have
moved over n hundred lusty Scots TO
Join his standard. Among these was
ono of the name Of Alexander Hume.
This man was shoemaker OF the
Town Of Selkirk. He was strong. stall
wart. bold and an excellent workman.
4 Brydone was very glad to welcome
him. as he reckoned him quite the best
man OF the hundred. and his comrades.
who were also brave men and true.
checrcd him as he appeared among
them. such confidence had they In his
. ~ A~AOIl. NAuOtA-Nt. NttAVl anu SAltuklu
+ Hume's wife. Margaret. was fine
Young woman and very fond and proud
NJ her brave. strong husband. Now.
Margaret did not at all like this pro-
posed invasion of England. She felt
that 1t would mean great trouble TO the
Scotch people. who would certainly be
vanQuished 10y their strong enemy. and
The thought came To her that her own
brave husband might perhaps lose his
T life In the struggle She therefore used
all her best efforts To keep him at
home She pleaded In vain. Alexan-
T der was firm. At last she held up to
his face their little ive-months-old
/ daughter and asked who would look
after the child II he should die and
who would keep her from misery and
misfortune.
Hume loved his wife and child, and
these appeals brought the tears 10 his
+ eyes. but they did not break down his
4 resolution. which he had girt about him
as armor. Nothing could move him
10 become untrue TO his king and coun-
try
Finding tha; no entreaties could
move him. Margaret at last gave way
to anger and told him that his eager
desire TO be thought the bravest man
of Selkirk would not supply the child
he was bound 20 work for with bite
of bread. She said even more than
this. Her tones grew higher. and one
word led 10 another. as you know IL
will. until the couple parted In anger
he 10 the field OF battle and she 10
remain AT home.
Alexander had not gone far before
+ Il dashed across the mind OF his wife
that perhaps she might never see him
alive again. Unable TO control herself.
she Hung the child into its crib and
rushed out OF the house. She must
SCI her husband again and get from
him one parting glance or word OF
reconciliation. She hurried through
the town. she sought everywhere for
him. but he was nowhere TO be seen.
lie had gone OF With his comrades.
The poor wife wept bitterly. Her
grief was deep.
Hume AND his fellows were soon en-
-sged in battle. He displayed the
greatest bravery. Wherever be went
numbers OF the enemy fell In every
/ direction upon The field OF battle he
WAS seen Ills companions kept well
~ Co him. and IN particular one man
WAC had lately Joined the party. This
man fought with courage equal 10
that of Hume himself. keeping contin-
uaiiy beside him and defending him
in many perils Once when an Eng.
]
60 the Scot this soldier struck the COW.
ardiy fellow To the earth just as he
was inserting his spear between. the
clasps OF Hume'S armOr. Hume called
10 the brave fellow aud demanded his
name. even in the midst of the fight,
but the stranger said that that was no
matter
This generous soldier wore a leath
er jacket and an iron helmet. in which
there was placed small white feath
er Wherever Hume fought ON the
battlefield there might be seen beside
him the iron helmet and the white
feather
Al last the battle ended in defeat fol-
tn Scotch. who scattered in all direc
tions. Hume. who. with other sol
diers. was obliged 10 lie concealed in
the forest for some time, took the frs
opportunity OF inquiring after his faith
ful attendant. But all his INQUIRE:
were without avail. He could not trace
him. Nothing could he learn Of hin
but that he had disappeared when tn,
fight was over.
Alexander Hume hurried 10 his cot
tage. He was anxious TO see again hi:
beloved wife and bestow upon her tn,
kiss OF reconciliation. When he reach
ed 1t be listened at the door, and hi:
heart beat fast. He had kind words Il
say to her from whom he had parted
in anger. and his deep wounds needed
dressing. He lifted the latch and walk
ed in. All was still. No wife came {,
meet him; no child's cry met his ear
On looking round the room he saw
seated in an armchair the knight VIII,
had fought so bravely beside him il
the battle. wearing the same leather
Jacket. iron helmet and white feather
That person was Margaret Hume Sh,
was dead and clasped in her dead
arms the little child.
BE conciiiatory and considerable Il
e.