THE THREE FIVE-POUND NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1858, 1 July 1887, Page 30

THE THREE FIVE-POUND NOTES.

A SCOTTISH SKETCH.

Years ago there lived in Scotland a good old clergyman who was always doing his best to help the poor as, well as to advance the cause of Christianity. , At that day second-sight was greatly believed in. 'ihe Rev. Alexander Macklin did his best, from, time to time, to combat the faith his congregation felt in certain seers who dwelt among them, but without much effect; On an occasion occurring which was a pro* per call upon the benevolence of the congregation, Mr Madklin inevitably preached a charity sermon, sent round the collectionboxes, or, as- they were called then, the ladles, an 4 generally offered a fine' contribution to^he.oause. He had seldom been disappointed, and when an occasion of, the sort one -day presented itself, he entered his pulpit quite confident of the result. ; ■

The sermon was a fine one, affecting some of thecongregation even to tears. The moment for the contribution arriving, small coined tinkled pleasantly into the ladles, and the mind of the good pastor was at rest^ as the sum likely to be collected occurred to, him.

For such a cause the three most important families in the church— the M'Donalds^ the M'Finns, and the Calders— would certainly put £5 each into the ladles, 'In fact, he saw the members of each of these families feel in their pockets, and made no doubt of the usual contributions.

Alas ! he was mistaken. When the.collection was counted over it was found to be much less than usual. The great men of the flock had evidently not been, as liberal as they were wont to be. It was a great disappointment to the good clergyman, who went home with a very long face, arid .during the evening meal discoursed to his family about the ! f ailing off of his supporters. The good wife was as sorry as he himself. The sons and daughters were indignant, and as they sat about the fire in the evening, in tb,at decorous quiet which always prevailed in the parsonage on Sabbath evening, no one' was cheerful. Each, as a matter of course, held a good book in his or her hand, but I am afraid their' thoughts wandered to the delinquent Calders, M'Donalds, and M'Finns, until, as the hour for evening prayers and bedroom candles arrived, the mother brought out the big Bible, put it on the stand hear

res£ of tne famijy, in solemn silence; The old servants came in and sat down near the door, and all was attention, until one after the other observed that the minister ' wdre a very unusual appearance. He was very pale,' and his eyes were fixed on vacancy. He seemed tpbestaringwithall his might atsomething, and to be unconscious of what was going on about him. The family was terri.fifed, but none of them dared to speak to or arouse him ; and in this state he remained for' at least half an hour, when, with many h^a/yy sighs and gasps, he returned to his normal condition. 1 "1 have been asleep in my chair, I believe," he said, "and I' have' had a very strange dream. I thought that I had gone out oi doors, and up the road to. the kirk. The door was I locked, but I did not seem to heed that, but just.passedin through the, wall, and made nothing of it any more .than if it was an ordinary action. I was thinking of the 'small contribution, to-day, and wondering what was the cause for it; and so I walked) up the aisle and opened the vestry door, and saw- the ladles all in a row 1 on a table, ' It's a very strange thing,' said I, * that the three, families should. play the same, trick the same day. They've had no losses, nor any offence from me, and then I saw' them throw in without a a blush, but just the look men have when they're doing well.' And with that I lifted the ladles as they^ lay bottom upward, and turned them the other way and looked in. In the first , nothing ; in the second nothing ; but in ,the last I saw something like paper, and going over to where the moon shone through the window I saw that a bit had splintered up from the bottom of the ladle and held some bank-notes pinned down, and I gave a little cry and drew them out, and there were three five-pound notes that had been weighed down by the pennies and halfpence, and fastened there by the splinter." "'Praise God!' I cried out, and awoke. It was a queer dream."

" Maister 1" cried Malcolm, the old gardener, coming forward, " maister, it was nae dream ye had; It was joost the second sight that fell on ye, and yell find it true, if you'll gang to the kirk, for what ye saw God showed ye, and I've seen second-sight in my am kinsfolk often enough to ken it when it's before me. Let me gang wi' ye to the kirk, maister."

" No more of such foolish words, Malcolm. But I'm 1 not for denying that it may have been a heaven-sent dream. Come away with me to the kirk, and we'll have the prayers when we come back ? for my mind is not that settled that it should be to address the Lord just now."

He caught up his plaid and hat, and Malcolm took a lantepi, and the two went into the night together. The minister had the vestry key in his pocket, and they opened the door with this, and entered the silent room together.

There on the table stood the money ladles all in a row and bottom upward, as the minister had seen- them. Malcolm held the light ; the master the first — it was empty. The second— that was empty too. , The third — Malcolm held the lantern closer — a bit of paper caught the light, and, fastened under the very splinter he had s^en in his dream, Mr Maeklin found three five-pound notes — doubtless the gifts of the M'Finns, Calders, and M'Donalds.

Pale and trembling," he looked towards Malcolm. '

" Perhaps you are right and I wropg Malcolm," he said, " But second-sight or dream, God sent it, for it was for a good purpose. Bless His name ; we will go home and praise Him."

And from that day it was said that the Rev. Alexander Macklin never preached against the prevailing belief in second sight. — Leeds Mercury.