The Regalia Of Scotland

It was a damp, lowei-y morning in the ycar 1G50. Tlie misfcs had settled dank aud heavy over the Seottish liills ; and frum ihe niimcrous lochs si i 11 floaied upwapd a wet, raurky fog-bank, wllicll was as disl reding to the eve as it was disagreeable lo i i ie skin. Froin an overhaiiging rook, al most inacccssible by the deep and ragged ravine thnt ran tiiroiiifU it. the casi e of lDunottar wasscaroely visible; butas the nioriiing ad vaneed thesnn lighied the bighest lovvers, and gradually clearing' off the mÍ8ts, it showed tiie wiiole of the Imgo fortress standing in its naked roughuesa over the sea. ïhis strong and impregimble eastle was (he pritlf) of Kincai-dineshire, being the hereditary fortress ot' tlie Earls Marischel, and ha ving proved its ca pa bil i lies of defense uiider John ü'üvy, of Uarias, who still held his post as governor. On the möraing of whieh we speak, had the tbickfog eloared sooner, Ogilvy might have been seen cautiously lookinjr out tirona tlie door Ihat opencd on the landward side, as if eagerly expecting soine one. The anxious expi-ession on the govornor's face gave way to cbeerfüllicss as he beheld i horse slowly winding around üie base of the rook. Ile hastily desocudt' d the hill, and on. arriving at Ihe bot torn ho caerly greeted a lady, whom he lielped to disniount, and accoiri)aiiicd lier to the eastle. An Ijonr elapsed before they agaiu reapueared. Iii lucí, so warm oud fricndly was the ï-eception wliicli 1ln' govetnor aiül Mrs. O_;ilvy yave tlie lady, that slie liugered lonirer tlian Bhe iiiténded. A labio had been airead y spread wiih tlie boitiitifïïl ïè- mains of a real Scotch breakfast, in whicli fisl, game uiid fowl uerc cous)icuous, and whicli the guest was urgcd to pltaliO oí', witli niucli oí' hospitaUty. John Ogilvy. governor of Iunotiar, Was a tal 1, broad-shouldered, middleaed man, wilh Mrowgly niarked ic;itures, and a masa of üglit hair, wkich his wü'e called auburu, but Le tcruicd it red. Mrs. Ouilvy wu a piel (y little vonran, with lawjfUing blue eyef, a briglit, handsonie cuuiploxion, and a Dioiith that Bccmed ouly made lor 61)li'. . Tac visitor, wliom (bey callee! Mrs. Gi'aniícr, was a noble lady, (all and Well formad, aml with nn intellectiial expresslou on handsome face that iiiteresied the beholder at firstsight, and wh tch a fuller acquaiutaiicedid ïiot disappoMit. lier tarian ridingdresa fllted close to her form, and liat fornicd oí' (he saine material, with long plumos woru grocefully at (lie side, and (he lon cmU ot tartán ribbons iioating over the shoulders, was a garb in which she looked ospccially well. Sin. (inniger was the wife of the minister of Keiniiíf, a man whose large heart bespoke hini one of God'a noblenien. Th ree ycars botare he had woocd and wou tíie da.ugb.tci' oí a Scotiish laird; and ahhougli bova to wealth and honors, Alicc Glenburn liad gladly shared the lowly pareouage, a sweot homo, blust with Fergus Granger's love. Xut even ihe blockada of the Engligli Lad pnoveuled ihe alniost daily visits oí' tliu iniuistei' or Mrs. Grangcr; and lïviieiidy tl ie latler would tuke over largo bundles of work and stay until her si-win was complelcd. Once or twice thogeiwral cansed tho iii-pi'ciioa oí tlie lady's pretty covcrod tvoi'U banket, laugliiiigly declaiing thal lic only did il for the pleasui-e of assisting her u niount lier steod - a shnggy Slieiland pony, not remarkable tor his beauty, but sure-tboted and vigorous. Aller this slie foarlessly canicd her banket, whieli was a large onc, and innunierabie packagos, of evers' shape, dikI. 110 scarcU was made and tio questions askeï. Tliis day ihe lady had stopped as usual at tho Euirlish ciicainpnient, and the general hiuibelf had assi.sted her to disiiiouiit lor a few ïiioinents, and to reniount. General Monk was a thorough Englishinan, polite and eourily in his manners, particularly to ladies. The minister's wil'e had inaile quité an inipressiou on his mind, l'roin her uniform cheerfulne88, her fino su i p, uut oer mayiiKo oemeanop. On lilis íiioming the general liad asked her where usual buudlo of work was, and reccived lor au ausvver that ehe liad lefi it the day bolbre, and was now coiniug to the castlc for it. AV'licii, an kour or two at'tei', lie saw her return wilh a largo bundle, lie süiilcd and pointed to it as she passed. 8he also 8i ni led, and, touch'mg the poiniói her riuiijg-stick lo her pony's back, sho galloped off, iuwax'dly rejuiüing iu i foi'Uinate escape. "Tliere une-; a pretty woman," said tlie general lo an offii er. Is ihat the reason yon did not search tlie paokagc which she carried? .Mei links 1 liava seeu a peasant woiuan undergo a closei1 scrutuiy fron youi' men ilum Lhis fair lady was subJected u." J)oubiless. You know, Maywood, that I cannot resist the sireng. 1 be Heve íh t 1 should absolutely abaudoii this, did a pretly woinan ask me to." '1 do not doubt it íji the least, and lf the niiiústei-'s wife was awarc of this she would probablj; ask yon." The lady !v tUis time was far off among tilt! liills, andj as s 1 . o reappearcd aTtci' bo'nig invisible lor a while, they cmild sec her looking back towanU tlic enoanipnii'iit. and then inging hei' sleed iiito u quickor paoc, she was Uii Vuiu their siht. ' "Tlie iii'uiisui' dl' Kinnoil' must be a ■ happy man," Bigbed Col. Wilmer. j 'Tiuil coM&üenaneo must sin d a bright light over a dreavy Sc.otiJsU manso anioiig lliese wild huls. Bul. general, wiicn do yon ïuise this siego!1 Are yöu'iiot tii"ed ol' holdiiiíj' watch over these doggcd Scotch Frosbyteriaus wit!) iheir sour fiiees, and loug, lanlc bodie?" "Not a bit of it, colonel ; I rather enjuy their vi'xation ; .and you sec that il is nut. a sie.ue tJiat liecossarily involves suil'erinji', and that L tin only scckiiiur to mako that stout old jfovernor deliver lip his castle, wilh perfect liberty to iake liimself out of t lic way as souu as he capitúlales, eveu your soft beart camiot see uiy gi-uat amouut of Qiiielty. li.it if .Mar, Cuiuiuill Dhu otmuid m' into our hands, it would be sometliiug to üoast of." "Btit (hls castle - what is the idea ofconquering ibis'" 'For the t reasure which is donbtless concealed bcnoatb iisarehos. Then too, the regalia, which these Bcotchmen value as they do Iheir passport to beaven! and whicli we must obtain, peaceably if tliey will, but forcibly it' we must; it would be a featber in our English cais if wo oould but get it." The sicge continued. The castle was guarded on every side. The minister! wife was, afier a few days, forbidden to visit the castle without, a search of her person, so that 110 food should be ooiiveycd, eveii in small quantities, to the imnaies. The tact was that Mrs. Granger had alrcady carried to hor frieiids such provisions as could be coudensod into small quantities. Ilercapaciouspockets bidden in the folds of her tailan dress, bad held bottles of wines paekages of portable soup, and bags of hard bolled eggs, evcry time she had passcd the Ëirgfiah camp. lint now sbe must discontinue this, or submit to be searebod, which she would not. Day by day ihe delence gr.OW wcaker, for novv tlie provUious wcre decreasiug. There wa8 a desperate strugj glc in thelieartof Ogilvy. llail il been forhiniself alone,he wou ld not have rcpincvt ; bul those precious livcs - those lives for which lie would havo willingly died - lor these he must do whnt hia brava soul revolted ai ; and lie at last, wrote the articies oicapitulatiou, which we re accepied. Acecpted 6ut nover fulfilled by the treacherous Sotliron - for 110 treasure no precióte iiid coveted regalia wcre fouud; and for this Ogilvy and his wife were imprisoneil and even torturcd, to Hiako thom discover where it was coucealed. Nor did the minister and lus wife escape frora their indignities. The packages were reineuiberutl ; aud f'nrious al t lie ida of beiiig outwitted by a vvoinan Mrs. Granrer was suOjected to a serios of perseuitions, wiiioh no spirit oí' less courage md composure thau her's could have enilun il. "The ini'iister's wife foiled you, general." said WihinM-, Foili'd me! By St.George, I think she ralher t'ooled me! AVrho would have tliought that free and courteous bcaiiug could conceal so inueh deception. But they are all alike ; and all deceptive." "Ali! general, I say not so. My little Mary is iiiuooence itself." 'Uut this lofty looking parsoimess, she shall be piinUhed." And so she was, and her friends wiih lier. It was agony to Alice to soe lier husbaud dealt with by the floree soldiery, but her courageoás spirit was cheered by the patieut mauuer in whioli lie Ijore it. Released IVum temporary imprisoument, the frieuda gladly clustered onoe more íibout tlic ampie chimuey of the manse. Tidings süll coutinued to reach Cheir oars oí' cruolties pruciiocd upon the Moss troopers. As yet the regalia liad not been discoveréd, altliöugk npinerous persaiia claiined to know the place of coucealment. iSome believed it liad beei carried abroad by Bir Jolm Keith. üthers that they were vut liiddeu in sume secret place in the eaátle. The minister'8 familyhad asseinbled around the broad hearth ouedull Xovember ai'tenioon. and witli thcin the ex-govornor of Dunottav, his wif'c and li Ulo F lora. llrs. G ranker was lelling of her nninerons interviews with the general, and Flora iisiening, opeiimonthed to the cbnfersátion. "What was it that you were guardiuyV" asked the cliild. Mr. Granger got up and looked out of tlio window. No une waa üi siglit, anda rain liad conimenced. 'Wc shall have no vMtors to-day, Aliee. Let ua go show Flora what yon brought froni l he castle." The re yfts a general bustlhig for cloaks and lial.s, and tliey tbllowed Mr. Graugcr. ïiiey piocecded to tho kirk, _ and tbrougb tho aislo, to the pulpit, where tlie minisler lil'ied a trftp-door, ingeniously covered, wlierc sat a heavy oakon i'ooi -stool. Flora's blue eyes opened wide, as the minister, auwrapping the soft leathor eoverings, rovealed tlie shilling traivn, secptre and BWOTd - ricotland's royal regalia. ' The ISth of May, 1CC0, snw the reslovaiiou of the iStu irts in Charles 11. Flora was iwwa wonian, belrollied to one destined to hold a high place. - lier lüilicr had been crcaied a baronet by Charles, and received mauy niarks oi' kingly favor. liislorians have sonieünies written as thonah the minister of KJnnetfdid not receive the meed that he and his heroic wii'c deserved ; but in all prpb aliiiily, Ü(', (iinply lionors of a court did not snit ihi.s h unible mïniBte'r of the gospel. A pension was granted thoin, whicli removed thcir anxiety and. addod to t h ís, wa.s the ïneinory of having preserved, in troublous timos, the royal regalia.