led him down to the door of his own house. With the dignity of Cincinnatus, leaving his plough in mid-furrow, John dropped his spade, and walked down, it is said, "rather like a leader than a captive." His wife was warned of their approach, and, with more than the heroism of an ancient Roman matron, with one boy in her arms, with a girl in her hand, and alas! with an unborn child, Isabel Weir came calmly out to play her part in this frightful tragedy! Claverhouse was no trifler. Short and sharp was he always in his brutal trade. He asked John at once why he did not attend the curate, and if he would pray for the king. John stated, in one distinct sentence, the usual Covenanting reasons. On hearing it, Claverhouse exclaimed, "Go to your knees, for you shall immediately die!" John complied, without remonstrance, and proceeded to pray, in terms so melting, and with such earnest supplication for his wife and their born and unborn children, that Claverhouse saw the hard eyes of his dragoons beginning to moisten, and their hands to tremble, and thrice interrupted him with volleys of blasphemy. When the prayer was ended, John turned round to his wife, reminded her that this was the day come of which he had told her when he first proposed marriage to her, and asked her if she was willing to part with him. "Heartily willing," was her reply. "This," he said, "is all I desire. I have nothing more now to do but to die." He then kissed her and the children, and said, "May all purchased and promised blessings be multiplied unto you!" "No more of this," roared out the savage, whose own iron heart this scene was threatening to move. six dragoons, there, fire on the fanatic!" They stood motionless, the prayer had quelled them. Fearing a mutiny, both among his soldiers and in his own breast, he snatched a pistol from his belt and shot the good man through the head. He fell, his brains spurted out, and his brave wife caught the shattered head in her lap. "What do you think of your husband now !" howled the ruffian. 66 "I aye thocht muckle o' him, sir, but never sae "You muckle as I do this day." "I would think little to lay thee beside him," he answered. "If you were permitted, I doubt not you would; but how are ye to answer for this morning's work?" "To men, I can be answerable; and as for God I will take Him in my own hands!" And, with these desperate words, he struck spurs to his horse, and led his dragoons away from the inglorious field. Meekly and calmly did this heroic and Christian woman tie up her husband's head in a napkin, compose his body, cover it with her plaid-and not till these duties were discharged did she permit the pent-up current of her mighty grief to burst out, as she sat down beside the corpse and wept bitterly. THE END. WILLIAM COLIJNS AND CO., PRINTERS, GLASGOW. COLLINS' SCHOOL AND COLLEGE CLASSICS, FOR MIDDLE AND HIGHER CLASS SCHOOLS, LOCAL EXAMINATIONS, &c., with Biographical and Historical Introductions and Notes. Printed uniformly in Fcap. 8vo, price 9d. sewed, or 1s. cloth. Now Ready, RICHARD II. By Rev. D. MORRIS, B.A., Classical In Preparation, Shakespeare, KING LEAR. MERCHANT OF VENICE. FAERY QUEEN, Book I., Cantos . to VI. LENCE. LAY OF THE LAST MINSTREL. COLLINS' SCHOOL CLASSICS, FOR JUNIOR CLASSES, WITH INTRODUCTIONS AND NOTES. EXCURSION, Books I. and II. ANCIENT MARINER, &c. In Preparation, PARADISE LOST, Book I., L'ALLEGRO, and IL TASK, Books I. and II. JULIUS CÆSAR. ODES AND ELEGY. 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