Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-05-28

|
Anthony's chapel"
After attempting In vain to induce
Jeanne to explain the message, he re-
turned to visit EfFie again, In the Toi-
booth, only to be compelled, on his ar
rival there, to tell the whole story,
lest he be convicted Of guilt in the
Porteous affair. And then he was sent
home, under bail not to leave Libber-
ton, nor to communicate with any
member of the family Of Effie Deans
| But If his experiences were to him
incomprehensible they were by no
means 50 to the authorities. BY piec-
ing together his testimony with those
OF others, they rightly determined that
| the stranger in the l-lng's park, the
leader of the Porteous mob, and the
father Of Effie's child were one and
the same person; namely, Georlie
Robertson, comrade of Wilson the
smuggler, and but lately escaped from
the very prison in which Efiie Deans
was now confined. Accordingly, they
planned to capture him that night ut
Muschat's Cairn. But before they
could reach that place, Robertson had
time to beg Jeanne to save her sister
at the trial by testifying that Effie had
disclosed to her her condition. Then
| he escaped.
Merely that slight falsehood would
have removed the case Of Efiie Deans
from under the letter of the cruel
Scotch statute. But Jeanne, steadfast-
ly, devoutly truthful, was utterly I'M
able to placate her conscience in bear
ing false witness. Nor could the dis
appointment of EfIie herself, whom she
was at last permitted to visit In the
strong-room Of the prison, alter her
resolution. ale wanted that ! sud
be mansworn," she said. ~ told him
that I daurna swear to an untruth."
At the trial, when Jeanie was
brought in to testify, Effle, in human
weakness, cried, 20 Jeanne, Jeanne,
save me-" But when the solemn oath,
--"the truth to tell, and no truth to
conceal, as far as she knew or was
asked" was administered "in the name
Of God, and as the witness should an
swer to God at the great day Of 1udg-
ment," Jeanne, educated in deep rever-
ence for the name Of the deity, was
elevated above all considerations save
those which she could, with a clear
conscience, call Him TO witness. And
when the advocate came at length to
the point of asking her, what your
sister said allied her when you in
Quiredp Jeanne could only answer,
nothing" When the sentence was
pronounced by the doomsman, Eflie's
own eyes were the only dry ones In
the court. "God forgive We, my lords"
she said, land dinna be angry wi me
| for wishin' five a. need forgiveness"
The next morning found Jeanie
Deans travelling alone and afo0t on
the long road to London "to see the
Queens face that gives grace" and
beg for her sisters pardon. Her tar
| tan screen served all the purposes of
a riding habit, and Of an umbrella; a
small bundle contained such changes
of linen as were absolutely necessary
She had few guineas, and letter
from Reuben Butler to the Duke Of
Argyle, whose grandfather had been
under obligations of the deepest to
the famous Bible Butler, grandfather
of the poor observation-disclosures now
sick at Libberton.
She passed luckily, on the whole,
through so weary and dangerous
Journey and at length, through the
intercession Of the duke, secured the
pardon which she sought.
Before she reached Scotland again,
Fife had elOped with her lover, who
was in reality George Staunton, son
Of an English nobleman. The sisters,
who had last met when Eflie was sit
ting on the bench of the condemned,
did not meet again for many years,
though Lady Staunton wrote some
times to Jeanie-now Mrs. Butler,
wife of Mr.. Reuben Butler, pastor Of
Knocktarlitie.
Finally, by chance, Sir George
learned that Meg Murdockson, who had
attended EfIie in her Illness, had not
murdered the child, as they had al
ways supposed. He traced the boy to
certain troop of vagabonds, Of which
Black Donald was the chief. In an
ARRAY with Black Donald's men, Sir
George was shot by young lad called
''the Whistler" who proved to be the
lost son. The lad disappeared. and
escaped to America. Lady Staunt0n,
overcome by the tragedy, after vain
efforts to drown her grief In society,
retired TO convent in France. Al
though she took no vows, she remained
there until her death. But her Ia.
1uence at court accomplished much
| for the children Of her sister jeanne,
who lived happily on in the good par-
ish with which the bounty of the
Duke of Argyle had provided her HIS
band.
The Heart of Midlothian is notable
for having rather fewer important
characters, smaller variety Of inci
dents, and less description Of scenery
than most Of Scott's novels. One OF
tne most remarkable scenes in all dc,
ton is the meeting of the two sisters
in prison under the eyes of the jaIler
Radcliffe. The interview Of Jeanne
with Queen Caroline is also most note
worthy. There is much humor at the
expense of the Cameronian wing of the
Presbyterian faith In Scotland. In this
work also appears the strange charae-
ter of Madge Wildfire, daughter of the
old crone, Meg Murdockson. Into her