THE HEROINE OF EDINBURGH. 165 LXVIII. THE HEROINE OF EDINBURGH. S EVENTEEN hundred and forty-five! How many associations are linked in a Scottish mind with these magic numbers! More than a hundred years have passed since then, yet the very name of the date brings a dark shadow on many a brow, and a sigh from many a heart. The city of Edinburgh was besieged, and after a short struggle yielded to the assailing party. The Jacobite flag waved from its walls, and with the exception of the Castle, fell easily (perhaps willingly) into the hands of the besiegers. 2. A court was held at Holyrood House, a council of war convened, and a plan for surprising the garrison in the Castle (still bravely defended by General Guest) resolved upon. The execution of this perilous attempt was confided. to a young man in the Pretender's * ranks named John McKinnon, a most expert climber. 3. He engaged to scale the Castle Hill during the night, drawing up with him a rope to be fastened to an iron ring which he affirmed was to be found at the foot of the lofty Castle wall, overgrown with lichen, and so concealed from view. By means of this rope the Pretender's troops were to be guided up the almost perpendicular rock, put the garrison to the sword, and obtain possession of the "Citadel of the North." 4. John McKinnon had a brother, to whom he wished to confide his intended exploit, and communicated all these particulars to him that same night, in a field near the city. He knew not that he was overheard by a young girl on the other side of the hedge, but not a word was lost. Sisterly love had sharpened the ear of the Scottish maiden, whose only brother was a sergeant in the garrison troops. She heard that the attempt to climb and fix the rope would be made on the following night, and that on the succeeding one his comrades would begin their perilous ascent. * Charles Edward, grandson of James II., was called the Pretender, on account of his claiming the British throne. 5. What was Jeanie to do, - how save her brother? Any intercourse between the besiegers and the besieged was impossible. A signal could not be made, and if she disclosed her secret information her own life would be forfeited. After a short deliberation, she resolved to save her brother or perish in the attempt. If man could tempt that hideous ascent for love of gain, might not woman for sisterly affection? 6. Darkness was around her as she crept to the foot of the hill, darkness befriended her as she clung to its steep side, and eagerly availed herself of each crevice for her naked foot, and each stunted plant for her active hand. At every pause in her toilsome and perilous employment she whispered, "My brother, my brother"; nor did she relax her exertions until, by a desperate effort, she planted her foot on a ledge of rock just broad enough to afford her a resting-place. 7. It has been said that it "would require a long line of thought to fathom the depths of piety in a Scottish peasant's heart." If this be true of a nation, how much more of an individual like her before us! How fervent her thanksgiving for having reached a spot of comparative safety! How earnest her prayers for complete success! How ardent her hope of saving one so dear! But how long might she venture to pause here? 8. The cathedral bell tolled one. The sentries on the Castle were changed, the password given, and all was still again. Might she now proceed? At this moment the moon peeped faintly from behind the shadow of a friendly cloud, a light breeze moved her dress. A soldier on the wall started forward and discharged his musket towards the spot. No cry escaped her, pale, but still, she stood as if rooted to the ground. The smoke cleared away,-one start would have been fatal; but the man moved on, and in reply to his comrade said, "Only a sea-mew." 9. Men applaud the bravery of him who rushes on the cannon's mouth and dies on the battle-field; they honor THE HEROINE OF EDINBURGH. 167 him who braves the perils of a naval life and boards the enemy, sword in hand. But consider the calm, enduring courage of this young maiden, see her risking a fearful death with no eye to applaud, no tongue to encourage, and none to tell him for whom she thus risked her life what his loving sister had done for his sake! 10. The moon shone brightly forth, - to move now was certain discovery. Here, then, midway up that fearful precipice, must she remain till the darkness befriended her once more! All night she stood; cold winds were gathering round her, but could not chill the warmth of her loving heart; misty clouds folded her in their clammy vapor, she heeded them not. The morning dew, the midday sun, the evening shade passed away, darkness, welcome darkness. urged her on. 11. Her toilsome ascent was resumed, and ere the cathedral clock struck one again, she had reached the parapet, been assisted over by the sentinel, told her tale to the Governor, and received her astonished brother's blessing! 12. The rest is soon told. McKinnon succeeded, a few hours later, in reaching the wall, was seized, and shot on the parapet. Jeanie remained in the Castle with the Governor's lady, and bore her many honors meekly. EXERCISE. 1. The city was besieged, and after a short struggle yielded to the assailing party. 2. A plan for surprising the garrison in the Castle was resolved upon. 3. The execution of this perilous attempt was confided to a young man. 4. He engaged to scale the Castle Hill during the night. 5. He communicated these particulars to his brother. 6. Jeanie heard that the attempt to climb would be made the following night. 7. If she disclosed the secret, her own life would be forfeited [Lost as punishment.] 8. After deliberation she resolved to save her brother or perish. R I. ING out, wild bells, to the wild sky, II. Ring out the old, ring in the new, III. Ring out the grief that saps the mind. IV. Ring out a slowly dying cause, V. Ring out false pride in place and blood, Ring in the love of truth and right, VI. Ring in the valiant and the free, The larger heart, the kindlier hand; Ring in the Christ that is to be. Tennyson. HOW THE GIANT WAS CAUGHT AND SET TO WORK. 169 LXX. HOW THE GIANT WAS CAUGHT AND SET TO WORK. MORE ORE than twenty-five hundred years ago an old Greek philosopher noticed that amber, when rubbed, had a strange power of attracting to itself light bodies, such as straws, hairs, and small sticks. The philosopher wondered and thought about this, and made mention of it in his writings, but he died without having found out any good reason for it. At intervals of several hundred years two or three other of the wise men of ancient times spoke of this singular power of amber. They made mention, too, of a queer fish that gave shocks to any animal that came in contact with it. 2. They also noticed-just what you must have seen many times that when they took off their clothes on a cold night they heard a crackling noise, and saw sparks of light; and that their hair, on being combed, crackled and sparkled; and that a cat's back, when rubbed the wrong way, gave out sparks. For more than two thousand years generation after generation of men and women lived, noticed these queer things, and, like the old Greek, died without having found out any reason for them. 3. But about the year sixteen hundred, an Englishman, named Dr. Gilbert, set to work trying experiments, and he found out that not only amber, but many other things, had, when rubbed, this power of attraction. Slowly and patiently he worked. When people want to find out a scientific truth they do not do it by a lucky guess or a series of lucky guesses. Sometimes it takes a whole lifetime of experiment and observation to arrive at and establish one little fact in science. 4. Many learned men became interested in the discoveries of Dr. Gilbert; there was some strange power of attraction hidden in these bodies which they could not account for or understand. They made machines to try experiments; they spent their time and money and brains |