the annals of the parish-第26章

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d　man　with　the　rebels；　and　it　was　known　his　son　was　deep　in　their　plots；　yet　although　this　was　all　told　to　Mr　Cayenne；　by　some　of　the　other　Irish　ladies　who　were　of　the　loyal　connexion；　it　made　no　difference　with　him；　but；　on　the　contrary；　he　acted　as　if　he　thought　the　Desmonds　the　most　of　all　the　refugees　entitled　to　his　hospitable　civilities。　　This　was　a　wonderment　to　our　strait…laced　narrow　lairds；　as　there　was　not　a　man　of　such　strict　government　principles　in　the　whole　country　side　as　Mr　Cayenne：　　but　he　said　he　carried　his　political　principles　only　to　the　camp　and　the　council。　〃To　the　hospital　and　the　prison；〃　said　he；　〃I　take　those　of　a　man〃　which　was　almost　a　Christian　doctrine；　and　from　that　declaration　Mr　Cayenne　and　me　began　again　to　draw　a　little　more　cordially　together；　although　he　had　still　a　very　imperfect　sense　of　religion；　which　I　attributed　to　his　being　born　in　America；　where　even　as　yet；　I　am　told；　they　have　but　a　scanty　sprinkling　of　grace。

But　before　concluding　this　year；　I　should　tell　the　upshot　of　the　visitation　of　the　Irish；　although　it　did　not　take　place　until　some　time　after　the　peace　with　France。

In　the　putting　down　of　the　rebels　Mr　Desmond　and　his　son　made　their　escape　to　Paris；　where　they　stayed　till　the　treaty　was　signed；　by　which；　for　several　years　after　the　return　to　Ireland　of　the　grand　lady　and　her　daughters；　as　Mrs　Desmond　was　called　by　our　commonalty；　we　heard　nothing　of　them。　　The　other　refugees　repaid　Mr　Cayenne　his　money　with　thankfulness；　and；　on　their　restoration　to　their　homes；　could　not　sufficiently　express　their　sense　of　his　kindness。　　But　the　silence　and　seeming　ingratitude　of　the　Desmonds　vexed　him；　and　he　could　not　abide　to　hear　the　Irish　rebellion　mentioned　without　flying　into　a　passion　against　the　rebels；　which　every　body　knew　was　owing　to　the　ill　return　he　had　received　from　that　family。　　However；　one　afternoon；　just　about　half　an　hour　before　his　wonted　dinner　hour；　a　grand　equipage；　with　four　horses　and　outriders；　stopped　at　his　door；　and　who　was　in　it　but　Mrs　Desmond　and　an　elderly　man；　and　a　young　gentleman　with　an　aspect　like　a　lord。　　It　was　her　husband　and　son。　They　had　come　from　Ireland　in　all　their　state　on　purpose　to　repay　with　interest　the　money　Mr　Cayenne　had　counted　so　long　lost；　and　to　express　in　person　the　perpetual　obligation　which　he　had　conferred　upon　the　Desmond　family；　in　all　time　coming。　　The　lady　then　told　him；　that　she　had　been　so　straitened　in　helping　the　poor　ladies；　that　it　was　not　in　her　power　to　make　repayment　till　Desmond；　as　she　called　her　husband；　came　home；　and　not　choosing　to　assign　the　true　reason；　lest　it　might　cause　trouble；　she　rather　submitted　to　be　suspected　of　ingratitude　than　to　an　improper　thing。

Mr　Cayenne　was　transported　with　this　unexpected　return；　and　a　friendship　grew　up　between　the　families；　which　was　afterwards　cemented　into　relationship　by　the　marriage　of　the　young　Desmond　with　Miss　Caroline　Cayenne。　　Some　in　the　parish　objected　to　this　match；　Mrs　Desmond　being　a　papist：　　but　as　Miss　Caroline　had　received　an　episcopalian　education；　I　thought　it　of　no　consequence；　and　married　them　after　their　family　chaplain　from　Ireland；　as　a　young　couple　both　by　beauty　and　fortune　well　matched；　and　deserving　of　all　conjugal　felicity。



CHAPTER　XL　　YEAR　1799



There　are　but　two　things　to　make　me　remember　this　year；　the　first　was　the　marriage　of　my　daughter　Janet　with　the　reverend　Dr。　Kittlewood　of　Swappington；　a　match　in　every　way　commendable；　and　on　the　advice　of　the　third　Mrs　Balwhidder；　I　settled　a　thousand　pounds　down；　and　promised　five　hundred　more　at　my　death　if　I　died　before　my　spouse；　and　a　thousand　at　her　death　if　she　survived　me；　which　was　the　greatest　portion　ever　minister's　daughter　had　in　our　country　side。　　In　this　year　likewise　I　advanced　fifteen　hundred　pounds　for　my　son　in　a　concern　in　Glasgow；all　was　the　gathering　of　that　indefatigable　engine　of　industry　the　second　Mrs　Balwhidder；　whose　talents　her　successor　said　were　a　wonder；　when　she　considered　the　circumstances　in　which　I　had　been　left　at　her　death；　and　made　out　of　a　narrow　stipend。

The　other　memorable　was　the　death　of　Mrs　Malcolm。　　If　ever　there　was　a　saint　on　this　earth；　she　was　surely　one。　　She　had　been　for　some　time　bedfast；　having　all　her　days　from　the　date　of　her　widowhood　been　a　tender　woman；　but　no　change　made　any　alteration　on　the　Christian　contentment　of　her　mind。　　She　bore　adversity　with　an　honest　pride；　she　toiled　in　the　day　of　penury　and　affliction　with　thankfulness　for　her　earnings；　although　ever　so　little。　　She　bent　her　head　to　the　Lord　in　resignation　when　her　first…born　fell　in　battle；　nor　was　she　puffed　up　with　vanity　when　her　daughters　were　married；　as　it　was　said；　so　far　above　their　degree；　though　they　showed　it　was　but　into　their　proper　sphere　by　their　demeanour　after。　She　lived　to　see　her　second　son；　the　captain；　rise　into　affluence；　married；　and　with　a　thriving　young　family；　and　she　had　the　very　great　satisfaction；　on　the　last　day　she　was　able　to　go　to　church；　to　see　her　youngest　son　the　clergyman　standing　in　my　pulpit；　a　doctor　of　divinity；　and　the　placed　minister　of　a　richer　parish　than　mine。　Well　indeed　might　she　have　said　on　that　day；　〃Lord；　let　thy　servant　depart　in　peace；　for　mine　eyes　have　seen　thy　salvation。〃

For　some　time　it　had　been　manifest　to　all　who　saw　her；　that　her　latter　end　was　drawing　nigh；　and　therefore；　as　I　had　kept　up　a　correspondence　with　her　daughters；　Mrs　Macadam　and　Mrs　Howard；　I　wrote　them　a　particular　account　of　her　case；　which　brought　them　to　the　clachan。　　They　both　came　in　their　own　carriages；　for　Colonel　Macadam　was　now　a　general；　and　had　succeeded　to　a　great　property　by　an　English　uncle；　his　mother's　brother；　and　Captain　Howard；　by　the　death　of　his　father；　was　also　a　man；　as　it　was　said；　with　a　lord's　living。　　Robert　Malcolm；　her　son　the　captain；　was　in　the　West　Indies　at　the　time；　but　his　wife　came　on　the　first　summons；　as　did　William　the　minister。

They　all　arrived　about　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　and　at　seven　a　message　came　for　me　and　Mrs　Balwhidder　to　go　over　to　them；　which　we　did；　and　found　the　strangers　seated　by　the　heavenly　patient's　bedside。　　On　my　entering；　she　turned　her　eyes　towards　me；　and　said；　〃Bear　witness；　sir；　that　I　die　thankful　for　an　extraordinary　portion　of　temporal　mercies。　　The　heart　of　my　youth　was　withered　like　the　leaf　that　is　scared　with　the　lightning；　but　in　my　children　I　have　received　a　great　indemnification　for　the　sorrows　of　that　trial。〃　She　then　requested　me　to　pray；　saying；　〃No；　let　it　be　a　thanksgiving。　　My　term　is　out；　and　I　have　nothing　more　to　hope　or　fear　from　the　good　or　evil　of　this　world。　　But　I　have　had　much　to　make　me　grateful；　therefore；　sir；　return　thanks　for　the　time　I　have　been　spared；　for　the　goodness　granted　so　long　unto　me；　and　the　gentle　hand　with　which　the　way　from　this　world　is　smoothed　for　my　passing。〃

There　was　something　so　sweet　and　consolatory　in　the　way　she　said　this；　that　although　it　moved　all　present　to　tears；　they　were　tears　without　the　wonted　bitterness　of　grief。　　Accordingly；　I　knelt　down　and　did　as　she　had　required；　and　there　was　a　great　stillness　while　I　prayed。　　At　the　conclusion　we　looked　to　the　bed；　but　the　spirit　had；　in　the　mean　time；　departed；　and　there　was　nothing　remaining　but　the　clay　tenement。

It　was　expected　by　the　parish；　considering　the　vast　affluence　of　the　daughters；　that　there　would　have　been　a　grand　funeral；　and　Mrs　Howard　thought　it　was　necessary；　but　her　sister；　who　had　from　her　youth　upward　a　superior　discernment　of　propriety；　said；　〃No；　as　my　mother　has　lived；　so　shall　be　her　end。〃　　Accordingly；　everybody　of　any　respect　in　the　clachan　was　invited　to　the　funeral；　but　none　of　the　gentry；　saving　only　such　as　had　been　numbered　among　the　acquaintance　of　the　deceased。　　But　Mr　Cayenne　came　unbidden；　saying　to　me；　that　although　he　did　not　know　Mrs　Malcolm　personally；　he　had　often　heard　she　was　an　amiable　woman；　and　therefore　he　thought　it　a　proper　compliment　to　her　family；　who　were　out　of　the　parish；　to　show　in　what　respect　she　was　held　among　us；　for　he　was　a　man　that　would　take　his　own　way；　and　do　what　he　thought　was　right；　heedless　alike　of　blame　or　approbation。

If；　however；　the　funeral　was　plain；　though　respectable；　the　ladies　distributed　a　liberal　sum　among　the　poor　families；　but　before　they　went　away；　a　silent　token　of　their　mother's　virtue　came　to　light；　which　was　at　once　a　source　of　sorrow　and　pleasure。　　Mrs　Malcolm　was　first　well　provided　by　the　Macadams；　afterwards　the　Howards　settled　on　her　an　equal　annuity；　by　which　she　spent　her　latter　days　in　great　comfort。　　Many　a　year　before；　she　had　repaid　Provost　Maitland　the　money　he　sent　her　in　the　day　of　her　utmost　distress；　and　at　this　period　he　was　long　dead；　having　died　of　a　broken　heart　at　the　time　of　his　failure。　　From　that　time　his　widow　and　her　daughters　had　been　in　very　straitened　circumstances；　but　unknown　to　all　but　herself；　and　Him　from　whom　nothing　is　hid；　Mrs　Malcolm　from　time　to　time　had　sent　them；　in　a　blank　letter；　an　occasional　note　to　the　young　ladies　to　buy　a　gown。　　After　her　death；　a　bank…bill　for　a　sum　of　money；　her　own　savings；　was　found　in　her　scrutoire；　with　a　note　of　her　own　writing　pinned　to　the　same；　stating；　that　the　amount　being　more　than　she　had　needed　for　herself；　belonged　of　right　to　those　who　had　so　generously　provided　for　her；　but　as　they　were　not　in　want　of　such　a　trifle；　it　would　be　a　token　of　respect　to　her　memory；　if　they　would　give　the　bill　to　Mrs　Maitland　and　her　daughters；　which　was　done　with　the　most　glad　alacrity；　and；　in　the　doing　of　it；　the　private　kindness　was　brought　to　light。

Thus　ended　the　history　of　Mrs　Malcolm；　as　connected　with　our　Parish　Annals。　　Her　house　was　sold；　and　is　the　same　now　inhabited　by　the　millwright；　Mr　Periffery；　and　a　neat　house　it　still　is；　for　the　possessor　is　an　Englishman；　and　the　English　have　an　uncommon　taste　for　snod　houses　and　trim　gardens；　but　at　the　time　it　was　built；　there　was　not　a　better　in　the　town；　though　it's　now　but　of　the　second　class。　　Yearly　we　hear　both　from　Mrs　Macadam　and　her　sister；　with　a　five…pound　note　from　each　to　the　poor　of　the　parish；　as　a　token　of　their　remembrance；　but　they　are　far　off；　and；　were　any　thing　ailing　me；　I　suppose　the　gift　will　not　be　continued。　　As　for　Captain　Malcolm；　he　has　proved；　in　many　ways；　a　friend　to　such　of　our　young　men　as　have　gone　to　sea。　　He　has　now　left　it　off　himself；　and　settled　at　London；　where　he　latterly　sailed　from；　and；　I　understand；　is　in　a　great　way　as　a　shipowner。　　These　things　I　have　thought　it　fitting　to　record；　and　will　now　resume　my　historical　narration。



CHAPTER　XLI　　YEAR　1800



The　same　quietude　and　regularity　that　marked　the　progress　of　the　last　year；　continued　throughout　the　whole　of　this。　　We　sowed　and　reaped　in　tranquillity；　though　the　sough　of　distant　war　came　heavily　from　a　distance。　　The　cotton…mill　did　well　for　the　company；　and　there　was　a　sobriety　in　the　minds　of　the　spinners　and　weavers；　which　showed　that　the　crisis　of　their　political　distemperature　was　over；　there　was　something　more　of　the　old　prudence　in　men's　reflections；　and　it　was　plain　to　see　that　the　elements　of　reconciliation　were　coming　together　throughout　the　world。　　The　conflagration　of　the　French　Revolution　was　indeed　not　extinguished；　but　it　was