The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-03-25
T H E
HIGH WAYMAN
How a Bracelet
Became a Keep
(: :: sake :: +"
BY EDNA L. $ Witt

One evening in the year 1913 coach
numbered along the main highway be
tween Glasgow and Edinburgh to
ward the latter city. 1t was the year
that Oliver Cromwell, having closed the
war with the parliament, defeated the
| Scotch royalists at Preston and end
| ed the war. In those days the roads
were unpaved and, being the only
means Of land transportation, were
much used and consequently in the
worst condition possible. Two per
sons within the coach, a gentleman and
his daughter, were tossed about as ii
lurched in the ruts and mudholes which
even had there been something better
| than an oil lamp on each side Of the
vehicle to light the way. Presently a
rear wheel went down to the axle, and
the coach, careening on that side, came
| to stop. For some ten minutes the
| driver dashed the horses in a vain eff
fort to force them to pull it out and
! after a rest, was about to begin again
when by the dim side lights the trav-
elers were able to discern the figure
of masked man on the road beside
| them
That he was highwayman was evil
dent from the concealment of his fea-
lures, but his first words were not in
the least terrifying "Wait bit" he
said to the coachman, It'll l bring a
lever with which to get the wheel on
to dry land" And with that he disap-
peared in the darkness, returning In q
few minutes with a fencepost, one
end of which he placed under the rear
axle and the other end on his shoulder.
Then, calling on the driver to again APP
ply the lash, the coach was lifted on to
irmer ground
"Now," said the man who had secur-
ed this result TO the gentleman in the
coach, 'the laborer being worthy of his
hire, 1 shall have to trouble you for
your valuables. 1t pains me to do this;
but, the war being over and the king no
longer able to pay his soldiers, l must
needs get living the best way l can .
ALAS" replied the gentleman in the
coach, that is case of one beggar
calling on another for help. The Duke
of Hamilton in order to pay the troops
that Cromwell had so ably defeated
has taken everything l possessed ex-
cept my home. | am on my way to
Edinburgh to try to make a loan on
that which will tide me over these
strenuous times"
I'm that case" replied the highway
man, please accept my services
gratis"
While this brief dialogue was being
spoken the lady in the coach sat con-
cealed in corner so that the highway
man did not see her But as he, hav-
ing mounted his horse, was about to
ride away she leaned forward and, TAX
ing bracelet from her wrist, extended
it toward him, saying:
ut is not meet that one of the kings
defenders should go unrewarded for
a service. Take this, and may the day
soon come when his majesty shall be
able to take care of his own"
There was sufficient light from the
coach lamp for the man to see that she
was yong girl and beautiful. He
sat so absorbed in the vision of love
liness before him that for moment he
did not heed her words; then, taking
the bracelet, he said:
shall raf.1rr, = ~ v1o..oo..
IF you do" said her father. you
shall be hanged for what you area
robber My daughter and / are not
agreed upon these troublous times. l
am with the parliament. understand
that many of the kings hirelings. now
that their occupation has gone. have
taken to the road. Cromwell will soon
be our ruler. and he will then clear our
highways of these gentlemen robbers. I"
Kindly tell me who you are" said
the other, that ] may give Old Noll an
opportunity to stretch my neck. He
will doubtless bring his sovereign to
the block, and would not deprive him
If the pleasure of bringing one of his
majesty's loyal subjects to the halter
that is, If you can turn me over to
him."
Il am Donald MacIvor, and my home
Is on this road midway between Glas-
Cow and Edinburgh. But l warn you
to keep away, for I shall surely turn
you over to the hangman If you come
upon my grounds"
Tho xyr,oo,, xoa5o - .o.,1.- L.
this, but, lifting his hat to the lady,
disappeared in the darkness. This
was his first attempt at robbery, and
it i'll accorded with his rank or his in
clinations. He was a younger son Of a
Scotch laird who In order to save his
estate had taken neither the side of
the king nor the parliament. He left
the travellers, but felt very respondent,
for his first effort at highwayman's
career was not to his liking, and he
knew Of no other occupation unless he
went to France and became a hireling
soldier of the French king. One thing
he was decided upon-that sooner or
later he would take the bracelet he
had received and clasp it with his own
hands upon the wrist from which it
had been removed.
King Charles |. was brought to trial
following year The fortunes of the
royalists were at a low ebb and were
not destined to improve till King
Charles II. was restored to the throne
more than a decade later Meanwhile
the young Scot, who had made one
attempt at a career on the highway,
being prescribed by Cromwelps gov
eminent, went to France, where he
found Prince Charles, who secured
him a commission in the French army.
One evening there was ball in
progress in the manor house of Don
aid MacIvor He had profted by
Cromwelps success and was disposed
to win over as many of his neighbors
to the new regime as possible. The
fete he gave on this occasion was
with this end in view. Among the
guests was a young man who was not
known and had not been invited to
the ball. But amid so great throng
the presence of the stranger was not
noticed. Presently he approached the
oldest daughter of the house and said:
Il must ask you to pardon my in
trusion here. for l have not been in
vited | have returned to Scotland
after several years absence on being
advised of my older brothers death.
My father, Sir Malcolm Douglas, who
lived beyond the Grampian mountains,
died two years ago, and my brother
died recently | am therefore Sir Wal