Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, February 05, 1842, Image 1

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    AMERICAN-.
I'lUCES OF AIVLKT1S1G.
I square 1 insertion, . . . f 0 f0
I do 3 do . . . 0 75
I do a dj - . 1 00
.Kery subsequent Insortn n, . 0 .'
Yearly Advertisements, (with tbe. rrivilega ol
alteration) one tolvnitl $2 ; half coiuinn, $18,
thiec squares, $12; two tqunrcs, f 9 ; one fquare,
$.1. Without the privilege of situation a liberal
Ji'count will be made. ,
Advertisements left without directions ss to ths
I'jt'Ulh of timo the au lo he published, will La
continued until ordered out, and charged accord-
'"sb1-. . ., . ... .
Cjixteen lines mate s squire.
n. n.tssER, Editor.
ornci is MtifkKT ithket, Sa . ,
THE " AM ERICAN" J iW foeU every Salur
day at TWO DOLLMvS per annum to be
'paid half yearly in ad'iYicc. Mo paptr'itiscoYitiu
'ui'J till all arrearage ate' paid. '
No subscriptions recelve'if for a' lest period than
m MOKTsj. Mil communications or letter on
business relating to the ollicc, to insure attention,
'muit bo POST PAID.
AND 'SftXMOKIN JOURNA'L.
Absolute acquiescence in the decision of the majority, the vital principle of Republic!, fiom whicn there i no appeal but 'o force, the vital prin.iple anJ invne'.iiaie put.iit t dmp.niain. iii rfcasot.
ly Mh'sfscr &. r.lxcly.
Siiiibtiry, Korlliunibrrlaiid Co. .Hnfurrttiy, kYbriiirry r, ISfZ.
Yiil. II .
TmiM or nil! " ammuuax."
he.nry b. masseu, iVBiisiums asd
JOSEPH EISKLY. PioritTo,
k MY POCKET.
f Jreater by fir than head or heurt,
My chiefest, bent and nublest part,
My real dignity thou art, - '
My Pocket.
tVhst'rh'Blter'it hriW learned or wise 1
Such mean distinctions nil dipise,
In thee alone true merit lira,
My Pocket.
For though the truth my harshly sound,
'Here man and beaat alike ate found,
Each only valued aa per pound
My Pocket.
When f was poor and Tompkins fine,
Why whs I never asked to dine ?
Alas! Alas! the fault was thine,
Hty 'Pocket.
'ftr. If I made a morning call.
Why did I ahivrr in the hall t
This was my crime the worat of all
My Pixkct.
(But when my rich relation fa
Left me hit only legitee,
How glad was Tompkins then' to are
7v!y Pocket.
Then invitations by the score
J.oo-rn'd the knocker on my door
Strange it was -always 'StilT brfor.
'rVfy 'Pocket.
Then hosts' rlfa'ttUni, lilly-White.
C'ame rolling in wilhnotea poliie.
And would I but one stanza write !
My Pocket.
Jane, who to all rhy'vows was mute,
r called me fool or ugly brute,
?fow wheedling "stgli'd Would no one suit
My Pocket !
Then first my little nephews knew.
Their uncle' house wan N umbel Two
'Wna it' reaped for iue of'ybu,
My Pocket?
My aurrat stay, my bust fclly,
When duns w'ere 'Mud and friends were shy,
'On theo ifcy futdre hopes rely.
My Pocket.
Befriend me still, thy suitor prays,
ire at chairman of the means and ways,
In leased, panics, quailer-days.
My Pocket.
Thus helped, I will hot Ore a pin
What bulibles bunt, what panics win,
Or who are flut, 01 who are 'in,
My Pocktt.
f 'mm Chumbtra1 Iidinburg Journal.
TALK OF GlUZtTl.. COCHrtAMK.
A FiTM-lLI! MAIL ROUBER.
The age which 'this noble Woman adorned
'with her lite and heroic actions, was that gloo
my one extending bet ween the Restoration ahd
Kevoluti.n, (lCGO to lt8,) when the Scottish
nation Buffered under a cruel oppression, on
account of their conscientious c'rufles ft-iftcct-ing
the existing forms of church and stale.
Three insurrections, more Wild than wise,
marked the impatience of the Scots under this
bloody rule ; but it was with the last solely,
that Gruel Cochrane Was connected.
Sir John Cochrane of Ochiltree, 'the father
ofonr heroine, was the second son of the first
Karl of Dnndonald, and the ancestor of the pron
'ent line of that noMe and ingeiuous'fcuiily.
lie was a distinguished friend of Sidney, Kus
inl, and other illustrious men w ho signalized
themselves in llhghind, Hy 'their opposition to
the court ; and he had so l6ng endeavored in
vain to procure some improvement in the na
tional affaira, that he at 'length began to des
pair of his country altogether, and formed 'the
'design of emigrating to America. Having
gone to Londoh'lh 1KJ, with -view to a colo
nizing expedition to South Carolina, he became
involved in the deliberations of 'the Whwr par
ty, which at that time tended towards a general
insurrection in England and Scotlund, for the
purpose of forcing ah alteration of the 'royal
councils, and the exclusion of the Duke oll'rtill it is at workVitkin, and grapples in
York from the throne. In furthe'rance of this
plan, Sir John pledger! himself to assist the
Earl of Argylo in raising the nmlccontcnU in
Gotland. This carl was, if not the acknowl
edged head of the party in that kingdom, at
least the man of highest rank who espoused its
interests.
By the treachery of st.rf.e of the subordinate
agents, this design was detected prematurely;
end whi'e some were unfortunately taken oftd
executed, among whom w ere Sidney and Lord
Huntiel, the ret tied from the kingdom- Of the
litter number were the Karl o't Argy to, Sir John
Cochran and Sir Patrick Hume, of Pol worth
the last, a putriot Trvatmg Cochrane in talent
and purity of motives, and aldo, like him, des
tined to experience thedevotedneas of a daugh
ter's love. The fugitives found safety to Hol
land, where they remained in peace till the
xleath of Charles the Second, in February, 10
Ki, when the Duke cf Vork, tr.e object pohti
cally of their greatest detestation became king.
Tt was then determined to invade Scotland with
a small force, to embody the Highland sdhe
rents of Arjfyle wh the west country presby
termns, and, marcliiug into Knglaud to rui-o
trie people s llie.y moved along, and not rest
till they had produced the desired Melioration
of the Mate. The expeditwi tailed in May;
tut the govtmiiiuit uit enabled to lal.c stith
precautions es, From tlio very first, proved a
complete frustration to their designs. Argylo
lingered timidly in his own country, and final
ly, against the advice of Cochrane and Hume,
who were his Chief officers, mndo some unfor
tunate movements 'Which ended in tile entire
resolution of his army, and his own capture and
death. While this Well-meaning but weak
nobleman committed liiihselfto a low disguise
in the vain hope of effecting his escape, Sir
John Cochrane and HirTdtrick Hume headed a
body of 200 men, formed out of the relics of the
army, and bravely resolved, even With that
small force,' to attempt the accomplishment of
their original intention namely, a march into
England. They accordingly crossed the Clyde
into Renfrewshire, where they calculated on
obtaining some reinforcement. Tile boats on
thin occasion being insufficient to transport tho
Whole at once, the first party, headed by the
two patriots, Was obliged to contend, on the
wposile bank of the river, with a large squad
ron ofinalitia, while the boats returned for the
remainder; after winch the united force cau
sed their opponents to retreat. The rhilitia
returned, however, in great force, ahd The as
s&ultat a.place called Aluirdykes, in the parish
of Ijochwinnoch. They were now commanded
by -Lord Rosa and a Captain 'Clcnnnn, and a
mo'inted to '..'(MX) troop, while Sir John Co
chranc's men had dccreastd'lo severity in num-
her. In this predicament they were called on '
by the royal trohpK'to lay down 'their arms and I
surrender themselves prisoners. Hut prefering
1he risk of death on the field to the tender ,
mercies ol a vindictive 'foe, they feCted the !
terms with disdain, and, entering a sheepfold,
used its frail od walls as a defence against tho : treaty to be entered into with Father Peters
furious attacks of the enemv, whom after a keen would require some tune to adj'i!,t, and mean
con flii t, in which every man fought hand to j w hile the arrival of the warrant loi execution
hand with 'his opponents. They at length sue- i must every day be looked for.
ceeded in beating off, with the loss of their
captain 'anil sonic other men, while Ixird Ross
was wounded. Cochrane, however, sewn alter
learned that tile enemy -was returning with
great reinforcement, and fearing that he could
not much longer defend himself on the field,
retired with his'ffoc,ps't6 a neighboring wilder, j
ncss or tnontsN, where he dismissed them, with j
the "request that each man would provide the j
best way he could for his safety. For himsdt,
having received two seVere contusions in the
body during 'the engagement, and being worn
out with 'ftitigue, he sought refitge in the hoeSe
of his uncle, Mr. Gavin Cochrane, of Craig
int.ir, Who Ifved at no great distance from the
place of encounter, This gentleman, however,
as it unfortunately happened, had married a 1
sUter of the Captain C!-nnan killed in the late j
battle, and, filled with revenge tor the death of j
her bro'Jier, this laily secretly informed against t
lieruest, Who was immediately seired and re-
moved to Ediuburg, where, after being paraded
through the streets bound and bareheaded, and
conducted by the comttlon hangman, was lod
ged in the TolbtHith on the 'M of July, KWTi,
there' to await his trial us a traitor. The day of
trial came, and he was condemned to death, in
spite of the moil stfotiuotis exertions of his aged
father, the lOarl of PtiiidonaM, who, having
recjivetl his title from the hands of Charles the
Second, had from motives of honor, never con
spired against liiio.
Thcre is the tongue that can 'express til the
secret and varied anguish' that penetrates the
yearning heart, when about to leav'e forever the
warm precincts of mortality, to quit the loving
charities oflife, and to have a!! the cords which
bound it to existence 'suddenly torn asunder?
Natural strength cf mind may suffice to conceal
much of this mortal conflict, or even hide it al
together ffom the tfye of the careless observer,
deadly struggle with the spirit.
Such was the state of Sir John Cochrane'e
mind on the night of his condemnation, when
left once more to the gloomy solitude of his
prison. It was not the parting stroke of death
he 'feared, howev'tr sharp. 'He wos a father,
loVing ami 1cltAed ; and the thoughts of the
sorroW his children were doomed to suffer on
his account Wrung his heart, and burning tears
Tvhich his own fate could not have called forth,
were shed for them- No friend or relativ had
been permitted to see huti from the timo of his
bpprchension ; but it was now signified to him,
that any of his family lie desired to comr.iuni
cute with might be allowed to visit him. Anx
ious, however, to deprive his r nemies of an ac
cusation against his sons, he immediately con
veyed to them his earnest entreaties, and in
deed commands, that they should refrain from
availing Vh'enisclves, of this leave till the nifhl
before his execution. This was a sacrifice
which it required his utmost fortitude to make;
and A had left him to a sense of the most deso
late loneliness, in so much, that, When, late in
the evening, he heard hie fjrison door unlocked,
he lilted not his eye toward it, imagining Uiat
the person who entered run Id only bo the jailor,
who whs particularly repulsive in Ins counten
ance arid maimeri'. What then w. his sur-
i Jr le-t an'-l imuriUarV dclirjit, x'.l ih lie I cheld
bef ire him his only daughter, and felt her arms 1
entwining his' neck! Yet, when ho lotfked on
her face li'nd saw the expression it bore of mdte
despairing agony, more fearless than tho most
frantic manifestations of misery, 'and marked
her bale checks, which no longer bloomed wilh
the tints of health and happiness, and felt the
cold dampness of her brbw, he thobglit hirViself
wrong for having giveii wey for an instant to
the joy her.presenco had created, and every
btlier sensation fled before his fear of what
might be the consequence to her of this inter
view. He had no sooner, however, expressed
his leclihgs cn th9 subject, than sho became
sensible, that. ih order to pilliato his misery, she
must put a strong curb upon her own, and in
a short timo was calm enough to enter into
conversation with her father upon the dismal
subject of his present situation, and to deliver a
message from tile bid earl, her grandfather,
by which he Was informed that an appeal had
beeh inkde lor hith to the king, lai.d means ta
ken to propitiate Father I'cters, his majesty's
confessor, who, it was well known, oltnn dicta
ted to hi:n in matters of state. It appeared e-i-
Irtelit, however, by'ilie'turn which their dis
course presently took, that neither father or
daughter were at nil sanguine in their hopes
from this negotiation. The Earl of Argylehud
been executed b jt a few days before, as had
j
I also several of his principal adherents though
men of less 'conserjtience than Sir John Coch-
rane ; and it was therefore improbable that he,
who had been so conspicuously active in the
insurrection, fhould be allowed to escape the
punishment which his enemies had it now in
their power to conflict. Hetides all this, the
'Under these 'circumstances, several days
passed, each of which found .Mies Gnzel Coch
rane an inmate oi lier father's 'prison for as ma
ny hours as she was permitted. During these
interviews of the father and daughter, while
heart clung unto heart, they reaped all the
consolation which aft 'undisguised knowledge
of the piety and courage of each could bestow,
Still, after such on intercourse, the parting
ene which they anticipated seemed more and
they anticipated
mere dreadful to think of ; and as the daughter
looked 6n 'tile fale and dejected 'Countenance
ef her parent, her bosom was penetrated with
the sharpest pangs. The love of her father
might be termed a component part of her na
ture. She had cherished this filial love ever
incc she possessed a conciousness of thought,
and it was now strong and absorbing, in propor-
tion'to the danger in which he stood, duel
Cochrane was only at that period eighteen
j years old ; bet it is the effect of such perilous
times as those in which she lived, to sober the
reckless spirit of youth, and make men and wo
men of children. She had, however a natural
strength of character, that would on fell extra
ordinary occasions, have displayed Itself without
such a tuition, and which, being now joined
with what she conceived the necessity of .e
case, rendered her capable cf a deed which has
csused her history to vie with that of the rr.osl
distinguished of heroines.
Ever since her father's condemnation, her
daily and nightly thoughts had dwelt on the
fear of her grandfather's communication with
the king's confessor being rendered unavaila
ble, for wrst of the time necessary forenabling
the friend in Imdon, to whom it was trueted,
to make their application, and she boldly deter
mined to execute & plan, whereby the arrival
of the death warrant would be retarded. A
short time, therefore, before it was expected by
the council in Edinburg, sho thought it neces
ssry, in her visit to her father to mention that
some urgent affair would prevent her from see
irij; him again for a few days. Alarmed at
this, and penetrating her design cf effecting
Bomcwhat in his favor, he warned her against
attempting impossibilities.
"Nothing is impossible to a determined
mind," said she, "and fear nothing for me.'
"But tho experience, of youth, my child,"
he replied, "may involve you in danger and in
i blame ; and did you but know the characters
of those you must encounter whifo vainly plea
ding foi your father's life, you would fear, as 1
do, the sullying of your fair fame."
"1 am a Cochrane, my father," said the heroic
girl an answer how brief, but to him how e
pressive! He could say norr.cre; ho beheld
h this child, so beautiful, and aelf-dnvoted, all
the virtues of her race combined, ahd ha felt
for the moment that the courage she had pray
ed for would be granted, to tarry her throueh
the undertaking ishe meditated, what rer that
might be. She felt prateful to her father that
he did not urge her further J but she trembled
us ahe turned, at her departure, to catch another
lotk of thoee loved and venerated fi Rtilres, for
his eye appeord folhnving her with a parting
expression, whirh n emed tn mv it a.Jtlielutt
fond look.
j Al that tunc lior:.f were
tridV tf
conveyance s much more than carriages that
almost every gentlewoman had her own steed
and iliss Cochrane, boinz a skilful rider, Was
possessed of a Well-rtmnaged palfrey, on whose
speed and other good qualities she (ftd been "ac
customed to depend. On the morning after
sho had bid her father farewell, lung ere the in
habubitants of 1'dinburg were astir, sho found
herself many reiles'bh tho road to the bordeis.
She had taken care to attire herself in a man
her which corresponded with tho design of f ns
sing herself off for a young serving-woman
journeying on a borrowed hm-avti the homo of
her mother in a distant part of the country;
and by only restihgttt solitary cottages, where
she generally found tho family out at wofTt,
save perhaps an old woman or some children,
sho had the good fortune, on the second day
after leaving EJinburj, to reach in safety the
abode of her old nurse, who lived on the Hug
lis!) side of the Tweed, lour miles beyond the
town of Rer wick. In 'this Wolniln she knew
she could place implicit confidence, and to her,
therefore, revealed her secret. She had resol
ved, she said, to make nn attempt to save her
father's life, by stopping the postman, an
equestrian like herself, and forcing to dsliver
up his bags, in which nhc expected to find tho
.ratal warrant. Mnjjular as such a determina
tion may s'(')Jar in a delicate young woman,
especially if we consider that she was aware
ofthe arinsalways cjrried by tho man to 'whose
charge the mail waa committed, it is neverthe
less on tmlctibtttd fact t!tat such was her re
solve. In pur.-iMDcv of this dign she had
brought With her a brace of pistol., together
with a horseman's clo.ik, t ed up in a bundle,
and hung on the crutch of her saddle; at. d now
borrowed from h'.r ncr.-ie tl.o ettire of her fcater-
brother, which, hi he was a slight made lad,
f ed her reasonably well.
At that period, ali those appliances which at
his day accelerate the progress ofthe traveller
were 'unknown, and the mail fioin London,
which now arrives in forty-two hours, took
eight days in reaching the Scottish Capitol.
Miss Cochrane thus calculated on a delay of
sixteen or 'seventeen days in the execution of
he'r father's sentence a spoce oftime which
she deemed smply sufficient to give a fair trial
to the treaty 6ct on foot for his liberation. She
hod, by means which it is unnecessary hereto
detail, possessed herself of the most minute
information with regard to the places at which
tho postmen rested on their journey, one of
wliicli was a small public house, kept by a wi
dow woman on tho outskirts of the liSfle town
ofBeiford. The're the man who received the
bag at Durham was accustomed to arrive about
six o'clock in the morning, and take a few hours
reH)se before 'proceeding on his journey. In
pursuance ofthe plan laid down by Miss Coch
rane, she urrived at this innabautan hour af
ter the man had composed himself to sleep, in
the hope of being able, by tho exercise of her
wit and dexterity, to 'ease him of his charge.
Having put her horse into tho 6tablc, which
was a duty that devolved on the guests ut this
little change house, from its mistress having
no ostler, she entered the enly apartment which
the house afforded, and demanded some refresh
ment Sit dewn at the end ofthe table,' 6a id
the old woman for the best I hnvo to give you
is there alreoJy ; and be pleased rr.y bony man,
to make as little noiso as ve can, for there's
oneaslriep in that bd tat I fine ill to disturb.'
Miss Cochrane. proiniseH iairly ; and after at
tempting to cat some if the viands, which t-c
the remains of the sleeping man's meal, s'io
asked 'fir tome cold Water. Vhst,' sa".i the
old dame, ss bh handed it to her, 'yetreu
water-drinner, are yol It's but an iil custom
f r a change-housc.' 'Iam a WaYo of that,' re
plied her guest, 'and, there! 'tc, when in a pu
lie house, always pay for it tho price of tho
fitronger potation, w hich I cannot lake.' 'In
deed well that is but just, 'lespor.dcd the dame,
and I think the moroofyoe f.r audi reasonable
conduct.' 'Is the well where you got this wa
ter near sthand V said the young kdy 5 -f.r if
you will uke the trouble bring 1110 eoum
from it, as this is rather warm it shall be consi
dered in the lawing.' 'It is a good bit off,'
said the woman ; 'but I cannot rcfu&e to fetch
some for such a cT-i discreet lad, and wi'.J La 1
as quick as I can. Ilut for any sake, take care
and don't meddle wilh these pistols,' she con
tinued, pointing to a fair of p itiu!s on the ta
ble, 'fur they are leaded and I am always terri
fied for them.' Saying this, she c):6f ppeared ;
and Miss Cochtano, who would have con
trived some other errand Tor licr had '.he well
been near, no sooner saw the door sl.ut, than
jIio passed. With trm)lig cigeVnes, and a
cautious but rapid step serosa the fl or, to the
place where the man lay soundly sleeping in
one of those tlnm wooden bedstead. common
in the houses iTtUe poor, the dcr of which was
lelt half open to Admit the air, and which tho
opened still wider, in the hoVcf Feeing the
mail bap, and be.ng sble to seize u on it. But
what was htr disomy when she beheld oily a
I prt 'ef the inligument whuh renUirr-d w hnt
she would b'svi! sacrificed her lite a thousand
time- to obtain, just peeping out from below
the haffgy head and brawney shoulders of its
keeper, who lay in mh.Ii a position upon it as to
givo not the smallest hope of its extraction
without his being aroused from his nap. A
few bitter moments of observation served to
convince her, that if she obtained pxyeession
of this treasure, it miii-t be in some other Way ;
and, again elosing'the dcirof the bed she np
pioarhed the pistols and having taker, them
one by one frodi tho holsters she as quickly
as possible drow out their loading, which, hav
ing Secreted, rhc returned them to their cases,
and resumed her seat at the foot of the table.
Here she had barely time to recover from the
agitation into which ll.e'feaf ofthe man's awa
king duriug her recent occupation had thrown
her, when tho old woman returned with the
water, and having taken a draught, of which
she stood much in need, she settled her ac
cobut tr-ucii to her landlady's content, L7 pay
ing for the water the price of a pot of beer.
Having thon carelessly esked and ascer.'sinrd
how mr.oh bnger the other guest was likely
to continue li s sleep, she left the house, and,
mounting her horse, set off ut a trot, in aiiil-,
ferent direction from that in Which s!i3 had
atrived Fetching a compass of two or three
mile, she once more fell into the high read be
tween Belford and Berwick, where she walked
her horse gently on, awaiting the coming tip
ofthe postmon. Though all her faculties were
now absorbed in oris aim, and the thought of
her father's deliverance still reigned supreme
in her mind, she could not help occasionally
figuring to herself the posibi';iy of her tain
pning with the pistols being d'tcovere'd, and
their loads replaced, in wh'ch case it whs more
than likely that her life would he the forfeit of
the act she meditated. A woman's fears would
stiil intrude notwithstanding a'l her heroism,
and the gler ous issue which promised to attend
tho success of her enterprise. When she at
length saw and he&td the postman advancing
behind her, the strong necessity ofthe case pave
her renewed courspe; and it was with perfect
coolness, thst, on his coming close up, shecivily
saluted him, put her horse into the same psco
with his, and rode on for soma wny in his com
pany. iTe'vhsa strong thick-set fellow with
s good humored countenance, which did s?cm
to Af lis Cochrane, as she looked anxiously upon
it, to savor much of hardy daring He rode
with tho mail-bags strapped firmly to l.'.a sad
dle in front, close to the holsters (for there were
two.) one containing the letters from Iindon,
ai:d the other those taken up at the different
post offices on the road. After riding a short
distance together, Mis Cochrane deemed it time,
as ihey were half-Way between Belford and
Berwick, to commence her operations. She
rode nearly close to her companion, and said
in u tone of determination, 'Friend I have
taken a fancy for those mail bags of your, and
I must h:ve them; therefore take my advice,
and deliver them up quietly, for I am provided
for all hazards. I am mounted , as yon see,
on a fleet steed, I carry fire-arms; and, more
over, am allied with these who are stronger ;
though not bolder than myself 'You sec
yonder wood,' she continued, pointing to one
at a distance of about a mile, with an accent
and air which was meant to csiry intimidation
with it. 'Again, 1 sny.'tcke my odvice ; give
me he tings, and speed back the road you'cime
for the present, not dare to approach that wood
firh't leost two or three hours to come.'
There was in such !arunje from a stripling
sometlilrg so surprising, that the inar. 1 oked
on Mis Cochrane for an instant in silent and
unfeigned amasctnert
'If,' said he, as soon tis he found his tongue,
'you mean, my young ms.ster, to mako your
self rr.Krry at my expense, you are welcome.
I am no sour churl to take 'offence at th idle
words of a foo'ish boy. But if,' he said taking
one of his pistols from the holster and turning
its rnuzjle towards her. We sro mad cnov.gh
to harbour (.no serious thought of such a 'matter,
I am teftV fir you. But, hie'thinks, m In'.,
you teem Man ago when robbing a garden or
an e.'d wrvnin's fitl'ii-tn'l wo'ild befit you bet
ter, if you innst turn thief, than taking his ma
jfc t 'h matis from a sti.ut man, such as I inn,
upon bis hici.way. C' thankful however, that
vou Ita.x- met with 1 ne who w ill not shed blood
if he can help it, ad sheer oiTte'bre y u pro
voke me to f.re.'
'Nay, said hi young antagonist, I am not
fonder cfMombhed than you are ; b'lt, if you
will not be persuaded hat can I ! for I have
told you a truMi. Tim mail I m st ami will
Hve. So now chrsise, she continued ns she
drew one of tiie small pistols from under her
rloik, and, deliberately cocking it, presented it
J in his fsco.
'Nav, then, your blood be on your own head,'
said the fellow os he to'ised his hand and fired
1 his pistol ; which however, on'y flashed in the
pan. Dashing this Weapon to the ground, ho
lt not a mr inert in pulling out the other,
t h i h ' r Hat his snai'ant acd fitt-d
with the same result. In a transport ofr.tge
and disappointment tho man sprung from his
horse, and made an attempt to seize her ; but
by an adroit uso of her spurs, she eluded his
grasp, and placed herself out of his Teach.
Meanwhile, his horse had moved forward somo
yards, and to see and eeixe the advantage pre
sented by this circumstance v.cs one and tha
"same to the heroic girl, who, darting toward it
caught the bridle, and having led her prize off
ubodt a hundred yards, stopped while ths call
ed to the thunderstruck postman io remind him
of her advice about the wood, fohe then put
both horses to their speed end on turning to
look fit the mm she had robbed ha it he pleasure
of perceiving tb.it her mysterious threat had
taken effect, and ho wa3 now rrursuing bis way
back totelford.
Hiss Cochrane speedily entered the wood It
which she tiad alluded, and tying the 6trartge
horso to a tree, out of all observation froin fho
road, proceeded to ucfastan the straps of tlib
mail. By means of 0 6harp penkife, which set
t dofaMe the appnJiocks, she was soon
mistress of the contetts, and with an e.ager
hand broke open the government despatches
which were unerringly pointed out to her by
their address to the council in I'dinburg, and
their imposing weight and broad seals cf c&ce.
Here she found notcnly the fttal warrant for
her father's death, but e1-o many ether 'sen
tences inflicting ilifTerent degrees of punish
ment on various delinquents. Thefe hoWevcr
it may readily be supposed she did not then itop
to examine : she contented herself with tear
ing them into small fragments, and placing
them careufu'.lv in her bosom.
The intrepid girl now mounted her tteed ani
rede off, leaving til the prtva'e p?.pcrs wheri
she had found thcin imagining (what events
ally proved tho rase) that they would be dis
covered uro long, from the hints she hsi
thrown out abort th3 wood, and thus read:
their proper places of destination. She r.ovv
made all haste to reach the cottage of her nurs
were, having not only committed to tlie flumes
the fragments ofthe dreadful warmit but also
the other obnoxious papers, she quickly resumed
her female garments, and w as aiain, sfter this
manly and daring action, the simple and 'un
assuming Mist Grizo: Cochrane. Leaving the
cloak and pistola behind her, to be concealed
by l;cr n'trse, she again mounted her horse tnd
directed her flight towards I dinb.irg , and, by
avoiding as much as possible the high read,
ar.d resting at sequestered cottages, as she had
done before, and thr.t only twice for a ccuple
of hours each time, she reached town early in
the morning of tie next day.
It must not suffice to say that the time gain
ed by the heroic act related above was pro
ductive ofthe end for which it was undertaken,
cr.d that Sir John C-chraiie was pardoned, at
the instigation cf the "king's favorite counsellor,
who interceded for him in consequence of re
ceiving a bribe of five thourand pounds from
the Karl of Dnndonald. Of the feelings which ,
on this occasion, filled the heart of this cour
ageous and devo'ed daughter, we canvio't'epeak
inadequate terms; end it is perhaps bcrt at any
rate, to leave them to the imagination of the
reader. 'J'hb state of the tines was not sue';
for several years as to make it prudent that
her adventure should be publicly known ; tut
after the revolution when the country was at
length releived from persecution and danger.
and every man was at liberty to speak cf the
tri iU he had undergone1, ar.d the expedients by
which ho had mastered them, her heroism was
neither unknown nor unapproved. Miss Coch
rane afterwards married Mr. Ker of Morristorf,
in the county of Berwick: and there rar.be
little d mht that she proved equally pfjfctim
ate and amiable as a wife, as she had elresoy
been dutiful and devoted as a daughter.
Live p.acejbly, is a i, as Well a a s;crvd !.V
junetl.in.
- . 1 . t ,
Labor to purify thy thought"; if thy thouQarl
sre mil ticious, neither will thy actions ! ao.
I. ike the w .teis of the i-eetn, life It-tomcs fealry
ko'ri'i only by n-intf hiarn i'd.
IJiens ifou 1 uic tmly ccrwit'ly Happy action o
. . -. . -. l ; n
man's Ills.
He will always be ihe beat writer who conuiU
his own lai-te; fr nn one who ge:i:s the ideas if
clb'T men, ran attract sttenli .11 anW the g 111
hch lie lived has rasfd ovay. N i'io V ivh o'.
hon e ii fci ivm.'s' t .
A;r. wl ich tw nil he r pi-s
due 'he pi i u fr .lr s 'i s r.n'
eo-iume fir nJvjneed life s Ike f! '
is C y
1 rt ;:t ed
r. un.l dec.y.' Sj-K-k.' ! jweby "n rH-nrnt
netk. U w ih ibsn a p-:n e-it l.p n a t.mtvt-.;ne.
Whin we ?e een ihnse who eie ropoled ret-fo.-tlv
h"'n.-, res rt frequent' v to pieteneea sni
equiiraiions. l.i cam some ent, 01 avo d unin lot.s,
we dn nt gre.itty wondi-r at Piogenea, who went
at mi !-d-y through the streets nf Athtns, with I
lint, ip, in stsich, as b said, of an h.ntst man