Page:Life of David Haggart, who was executed at Edinburgh, 18th July, 1821, for the murder of the Dumfries jailor (1).pdf/20

20 through in hiding them. When the Judge was passing the awful sentence, I turned dizzy, and gasped for breath. They say I looked careless, but they could not see within me. I did not know what had happened, or where I was—I thought every thing in a minute—I thought of  father—I thought of my mother,  died of a broken heart—-I thought of, and very near made a plunge  the heads of the crowd—then I could  cried out. When the sentence was over I gathered my thoughts, and my was as hard as ever; for I said, "Well the man that is born to be hanged,  not be drowned!” This was very wicked but I could not help it, for I had no command of my thoughts or words.

But these wild and wicked thoughts left me. Every body was very kind me. How this happens, I cannot tell, from my infancy my hand has been  every man, and I never saw a human being without trying to do them a harm. This kindness is an awful lesson to now, but it has done my heart good,  it is the sorest punishment I have met  yet in this world. I have been visited several clergymen. They have much with me and for me. I told I had no words to pray, but they