Page:History of Duncan Campbell, and his dog, Oscar (2).pdf/9



9 and there was scarcely a night but which he was supposed either to be seen or heard about the house. Duncan slept in the cow house, and was terribly harrassed by the piper, he often heard him scratching abont the rafters, and sometimes he would groan like a man dying, or a cow that was choaked in the band; but at length he saw him at his side one night, which so discomposed him that he was obliged to leave the place, after being ill for many days. I shall give this story in Duncan's own words, which I have often heard him repeat without any variation. I had been driving sone young cattle to the heights of Willensfie---it grew late before I got home. I was thinking, and thinking, how cruel it was to kill the poor piper! to cut out his tongne, and stab him in the back. I thought it was no wonder that his ghost took it extremely ill; when, all on a sudden, I perceived a light before me:—-I thought the wand in my hand was all on fire, and threw it away,but I perceived the light glide slowly by my right foot, and burn behind me; I was nothing afraid, and turned about to look at the light, and there I saw the piper, who was standing hard at my back, and when I turned round, he looked me in the face,'What was he like, Duncan?' ‘He was like a dead body! but I got a short view of him; for that moment all around me grew dark as a pit! —-I tried to run, but sunk powerless to the earth, and lay in a kind of dream, I do not know how long; when I came to myself, I got up, and endeavoured to run, but fell to the ground every two steps. I was not a hundred yards from the house, and I am sure I fell upwards of a hundred times. Next day I was in a high fever: the servants made me a little