brothers were in jeopardy. And these were followed by the wailing wife of the pressed man, with her five bairns, clamouring in their agony to Heaven against the king and government for the outrage. I could na listen to the fearful justice of their outcry; but sat down in a corner of the council-chamber, with my fingers in my ears.
In a little while, a shout of triumph rose from the mob, and we heard them returning, and I felt, as it were, relieved; but the sound of their voices became hoarse and terrible as they drew near; and, in a moment, I heard the jingle of twenty broken windows rattle in the street. My hear misgave me; and, indeed, it was my own windows They left not one pane unbroken; and nothing kept them from demolishing the house to the ground-stone but the exhortations of Major Pipe; who, on hearing the uproar was up and out; and did all in his power to arrest the fury of the tumult. It seems, the mob had taken it into their head that I had signed, what they called the press-warrants; and, on driving the gang out of the town, and rescuing the man, they came to revenge themselves on me and mine; which is the cause, that made me say, it was a miraculous instinct that led Mrs Pawkie to take the family to Mr Pittle's; for had they been in the house, it is not to be told what the consequences might have been.
Before morning the riot was ended; but the damage to my house was very great; and I was intending, as the public had done the deed, that the town should have paid for it. "But," said Mr Keelivine, the town-clerk, "I think you may
