neighbours. Secondly, a sound was bruited about that the king's
forces would have a hot and a sore struggle before the rebels were
put down, if they were ever put down. Then came the cruel truth of
all that the poor lads' friends had feared. But it is fit and
proper that I should relate at length, under their several heads,
the sorrows and afflictions as they came to pass.

One evening, as I was taking my walk alone, meditating my discourse
for the next Sabbath--it was shortly after Candlemas--it was a fine
clear frosty evening, just as the sun was setting. Taking my walk
alone, and thinking of the dreadfulness of Almighty power, and how
that, if it was not tempered and restrained by infinite goodness,
and wisdom, and mercy, the miserable sinner, man, and all things
that live, would be in a woeful state, I drew near the beild where
old Widow Mirkland lived by herself, who was grand-mother to Jock
Hempy, the ramplor lad, that was the second who took on for a
soldier. I did mind of this at the time; but, passing the house, I
heard the croon, as it were, of a laden soul busy with the Lord,
and, not to disturb the holy workings of grace, I paused and
listened. It was old Mizy Mirkland herself, sitting at the gable of
the house, looking at the sun setting in all his glory behind the
Arran hills; but she was not praying--only moaning to herself--an
oozing out, as it might be called, of the spirit from her heart,
then grievously oppressed with sorrow, and heavy bodements of grey
hairs and poverty.--"Yonder it slips awa'," she was saying, "and my
poor bairn, that's o'er the seas in America, is maybe looking on its
bright face, thinking of his hame, and aiblins of me, that did my
best to breed him up in the fear of the Lord; but I couldna warsle
wi' what was ordained. Ay, Jock! as ye look at the sun gaun down,
as many a time, when ye were a wee innocent laddie at my knee here,