immediately adding, however, in better spirit, as he took the hand of the wrinkled dreamer, but mind, father, until the dream comes true, if it ever do, I shall regard you both as my true parents-father and mother.'

'That's like your ain kind heart, Alan my son. Ye've aye been a joy to us, and your words now mak' me perfectly happy.'

The childless mother put her hand on Alan's shoulder, and looked tenderly and wistfully in his face, clearly indicating that the sentiments of her husband were also hers, though she could not venture to utter a syllable. The mist of deep emotion dimmed her eyes. Then Sandy, looking at them,

said, with great earnestness,

'Wifie-Alan-Lewis-how I like and love ye a'!

The Lord keep ye!'

He subsided once more, and was silent for some minutes. When next he spoke, it was to his wife only.

'Leezie,' he said in a low voice, 'do ye mind that bonnie hairst-day on the corn riggs o' Carsecallan, when I first saw ye amang the shearers?'

Ay, Sandy, weel do I mind the day,' said the wife, smiling fondly and with inverted eyes, as a vision of that golden season passed through her

memory.

'Up to that day,' he resumed, 'my life had been

a useless daidling sort o' a thing. But when I looked in your face-into the clear blue fountains o' your . een-a' things were changed suddenly, as wi' the waff o' God's haun. What was afore dark and meaningless was now a' licht and beauty and sweetness. I seemed to wauken frae a lang, waefu', dreich sleep, to find the worl' clad wi' smiles and fu' o' saft happy voices. My soul had been a clod; but now it had wings like a bird-the laverock that rises frae its bit nest in the fur, and mounts and sings in the ear o' its Maker. Happy day! Weel, wifie, I hae the same feeling again. A' things are changing for the better and the bonnier. The dawn o' heeven is breakin' on me in waves o' licht, and my soul is flutterin' its wings in its wreck o' a prison, ready to mount through the air, and lilt its sang o' praise in the ear o' its Deliverer.—D'ye hear, wifie? come close. It's a' a mistak' about death; there's nae sic thing; I'm sure o't. I feel mair like as if I were gaun to a waddin' than to the grave. It's a' licht-a' licht— see that!-a garden o' roses, wi' somebody walkin' in the midst-Christ!-'

He held his wife's hand; but as he spoke the last word eagerly, yet dreamingly, he lay gently back on his pillow, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

The muffled time angel ticked steadily in the corner; the February wind moaned drearily through the leafless trees; and as the Avon rushed and rip

VOL. II.

Ꮐ

pled to the Clyde, the Clyde to the cold bright sea, the spirit of Sandy Dalziel had passed to the other side of the thin vague screen which half conceals and half reveals the secret of the other world.

CHAPTER XI.

HISTORICAL.

WHEN Parliament met on the 28th January 1817, no mention was made in the speech from the throne of the spirit of disaffection which existed throughout the country.

But as the Prince Regent was returning through the Park from the House of Lords, he was followed by a mob, who attacked and insulted him with considerable ferocity. One fellow fired an air-gun at his royal highness, probably with the intention of putting an end to his distinguished career.

This act of violence led to a revision of the royal speech. On the 3d February, a supplementary message was sent to both Houses of Parliament, announcing that many parts of the country were dangerously disturbed, and demanding the immediate attention of the Legislature. After three days' consideration, both Lords and Commons appointed each

a secret committee to investigate the matter, receive information, and report.

Some measure of the interest which the people at this time took in the question of reform may be gathered from the fact that immediately after the meeting of Parliament there were poured into the House of Commons upwards of 1000 petitions, signed by more than half a million of persons, praying for reform and retrenchment.

It almost seemed as if the Government wished to launch some countercheck to this powerful manifestation of popular opinion, for they caused to be arrested a number of the more violent leaders in the reform movement in London, including Watson, Preston, and Castles, who were committed to the Tower on a charge of high treason; while large rewards were offered for the apprehension of young Watson and Thistlewood.

The secret committees exhibited a wonderful degree of industry in ferreting out the form, if not the reason, of the public discontent; and very soon Lord Sidmouth was enabled to present to Parliament a huge green bag, filled with (so-called) treasonable documents; from which circumstance the work of the committees came to be called the 'Green - Bag Inquiry.'

In their report, made on the 18th, the Lords' Committee stated that secret societies existed at.

Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Leicester, and other places, and that these societies were in communication with others of a similar nature in London.

A day later the Committee of the House of Commons made a more detailed and striking report. They asserted that the organised societies had matured a general plan of insurrection, which extended over the northern counties of England, and that arms to a large amount had already been accumulated in London. Further, they stated that secret societies also existed in Glasgow and other towns in Scotland, where they used the reform meetings as a cloak to cover their real designs; and that the Scotch societies were in correspondence with those of England, with which they were to coöperate in all practical movements. It was added that, like London, Glasgow and other Scotch towns were also providing themselves with arms.

Even supposing that these reports were inaccurate deductions from the facts supplied to the Government, the information itself, coming as it did from persons connected officially or otherwise with the localities mentioned, will nevertheless afford the reader some idea of the actual state of fear and apprehension which existed particularly in those regions of business and society which are most sensitive to the blows of tentative and experimental rebellion.